Muscle-Building Outdoor Activities

This section is devoted to those activities that areit doesn't have to be. Nor does it have to happen
mostly devoted to actual building of muscle andin Class IV rapids to be beneficial to your strength
require more strength than the ones previouslyand endurance levels. It's a great upper body
listed. It's fool-hearty to believe that none ofworkout for anyone. For fitness purposes,
these activities cross over, because they all do tokayaking is actually better suited to still water,
some extent. However, there are some activities,such as is found on lakes. Rivers provide their
such as rock climbing that, while the heights andown challenges, and certainly, it requires strength,
danger might stimulate the heart more than actualendurance and calculated choices in order to
repetitive muscle exhaustion, it's a much morenavigate successfully and safely. However, if
strength-based activity.you're purely into the enjoyment of being out on
ROCK CLIMBINGthe water and getting your strength needs met,
A challenge to your senses, all manner ofkayaking is a great way to do it!
adventure sports are a fresh approach to fitnessEquipment needed:
and an excellent way to cross-train your bodyA kayak of some kind, a cart with wheels to get
into ultimate fitness. But don't let the termit from car to water, plus an oar, swim gear and
"adventure" frighten you. Rock climbing maya change of clothes, as well as a floatation device
adventurous, but when calculatedly learned andlife preserver
practiced, it can be something that is far moreMuscles worked: Latissimus dorsi, lower pecs,
beneficial to the whole musculoskeletal systemdeltoids, serratus, intercostals, obliques, biceps and
than it is perilous. It's greatest benefit is thetriceps
strengthening and conditioning of the entire body,Advantages:
with an emphasis on upper body power.Can be a great way to get out of the gym and
Without a doubt, rock climbing emphasizesburn calories along with building upper body
coordination and strength. The two, in fact, arestrength. Calms the mind, and is a great way to
highly interdependent. Upper body strength is keyfish and view wildlife.
here, but having an overall balance of strength isDisadvantages:
a plus. Conditioning is something is that required inKayaks are bulky and require roof racks. They
addition to performing and practicing movementscan be quite heavy, depending upon the model,
on a regular basis. This, too, is interdependent forand require two people to lift and carry them.
the actual ability to climb at all, let alone enjoyYou can only kayak year 'round if you live in a
climbing or setting goals in the outdoors. So whatplace where the water doesn't freeze over in
does that mean? A rock climbing gym is really thewinter.
only place to start in a sane and safe manner.Benefits:
This isn't a sport to be undertaken lightly. UnlikeA great fitness tool, they can develop the back
hopping onto a mountain bike or donning a pair ofand shoulders like nothing else. There are no
running shoes and hitting the local track, rocklimitations to when you can kayak-it's a great
climbing requires a ton of skill, and practice. It is asummer activity in the early morning, heat of the
synergy of many different attributes and abilitiesday or at twilight
put together to compile a total picture ofBest places to see the world from a Kayak:
capability, strength, balance and calculated mentalAlaska, Hawaii and the South Pacific. OR
and physical agility.EXTREME OUTDOOR WORKOUTS -
Have we scared you off yet? Don't be scared. AObstacle Course Racing & Fitness Boot Camps
rock climbing gym is a great place to enjoy theIf you live near an army base, you may have
sport, and acquire skills that, even if you neverseen the obstacle courses that armed forces
venture out on to an actual rock, you'll be able tomust train on to prove that they can sufficiently
benefit from. Though, why wouldn't you want topersevere in combat out in the field. Cargo nets,
test your skills under a blazing 80 degrees, andbody hurdles, tire tracks, rope grids, walls, beams
enjoy the elements and freedom of climbingand bars, etc. are all a part of these courses. In
against a backdrop of the great outdoors?fact, if you follow women's fitness, you probably
Rock climbing works just about every muscle inknow that competitions such as the Galaxy or
the upper body (pectorals, deltoids, forearms,Tri-Fitness competitions, require that a woman
biceps, triceps, rectus abdominus, serratus,compete on a course just like that in order to
intercostals, latissimus dorsi, spinal erectors andtest her physical fitness in addition to her
teres major) as well as a few in the lower bodyaesthetic appeal. Trust us, these aren't your
(hip flexors, trocanter, quadriceps, hamstrings, andaverage T&A shows! While these girls may look
calves). It is probably the single most demandinglike cute little "Hooters" honeys, they're actually
total body engagement one can find in anyfitness gorillas capable of serious ass-kicking.
strength-based activity.This interest in military type training emerged
Indoor climbing gyms have popped up all over theseveral years ago and it's become a full-blown
country-either as a part of a larger gym or as aindustry unto itself. The only problem is, there
separate entity that offers nothing but climbing toaren't a lot of obstacle courses available and open
its members. Classes are necessary as it's a skillto the civilian public. So serious course runners
that is impossible to pick up by osmosis!have begun to build their own courses in their
Cost of classes and/or gym membership:own back yards. Let's face it, climbing a wall with
For a gym like Gold's Gym in Portland,OR wherejust your own two feet and a hemp rope isn't
rock climbing comes as part of a total bodyexactly for the mild mannered.
package, (CALL 503-222-1210) you can get in onTo quench the appetites of those interested in
one of their specials and pay as little as $299 alearning how to pursue this kind of 'serious fitness',
year at certain times. Rock climbing isn't taken asmany camps have sprung up to give weekend
seriously as in a 'climbers-only' gym, but it'swarriors their fix on hardcore fitness. These
affordable and is a great way to get your feetcamps include work on an actual obstacle course,
wet in the sport to see if you like it. For a rockalong with personalized "You're scum soldier" kind
climbing only gym like Dyno-Rock Indoor Climbingof ear-barking that would leave even the most
Gym in Arlington, TX you pay a monthly feeSemper-Fi'ed individual shaking in his mother's
($45) and then pay a class fee for instructionarmy boots.
($10) and a rental fee for equipment ($6 forThe great thing that comes out of this is a kind
harness, carabener, shoes, and chalk bag).of physical culture and training regime is a work
Buying your own gear:ethic that most people can take back into the
For a simple gym kit (harness, belay, carabener),gym with them, and get much better results. At
without shoes, you can pay between $75-$120these camps, such as outdoor fitness boot camp
for your own gear. Shoes are about $60-$120. If"Camp Technique" in Los Angeles, weekend
you're going outside, expect to pay a lot moreinductees (maggots?) engage in everything from
for all the gear you need because, let's face it, itsuper circuit training, to advanced stretching
has to be good!techniques, to weighted ball training, to "weak
Advantages:point training"... in order to realize that what they
You can rock climb indoors and out. You have theoriginally thought was a hard training session was
ability to be completely safe indoors or take moremore like wetting the bed in their sleep!
chances outdoors, depending upon what youObstacle Coursing can compliment any training
want. You'll feel more free as a human being thanroutine and satisfy a number of training goals, if
you ever have. You can choose this overnot compliment what you're currently doing. It's
standard strength training any day you arean excellent all around type of strength,
working upper body if you join a combined gym.endurance and agility training tool. It also has the
Greatest peril:power to transform the body into a sleek, fit
Falling and overuse injuries to hands, fingers,machine in under 6 months, provided you follow a
wrists, shoulders and neckgood diet in addition. But it's not for the weak of
Disadvantages:heart. It's best that you use obstacle course
It takes a long time to become proficient at thiswork, or super-circuit type training for a
sport, and it isn't cheap!compliment to an already strong physical fitness
Benefits:program.
Build unbelievable strength in your upper body andAttending a camp is just a great way to get
have a sense of agility unmatched by any otherstarted.
sport. Your mental acuity will soar. Your conceptCost of camp:
of "fear" as you currently know it, will be$150 per person/ per day or packages of $500
short-listed.for a week
Best places to Rock Climb:Cost of Use of Course:
Ready to grip it and rip it like the big boys? OfIf you're lucky enough to have one in the area
Gateway's Top10 Best Places to Rock Climb, thethat you can run. Use of it can be as cheap as $5
top nine are located in South Africa. Number one?a time. (Kissimmee, FL, Orlando, FL, Venice, CA,
The steep sandstone faces on Table Mountain inand locations in Ohio and Texas, as well as several
the Peninsula Mountain Chain in South Africa. Hereothers springing up in a town near you).
in the U.S.? California's Yosemite National Park orCost of Building own course:
Tuolumne Meadows in California's High Sierras.$500 for a simple set of old tires, a cargo net and
KAYAKINGa few over-under hurdles, to $5000 for a
This is one of those cross-over sports thatcomplete course on acreage, complete with wall,
requires both strength and endurance. However,bars sunk into a permanent foundation and rope
we put it into our strength category because ofgrids.
the amount of upper body muscle it requires inMuscles worked:
order to engage in it.ALL!
Kayaking can be done on a lake, river, or in theEquipment needed:
ocean. If you don't have access to one of these,Clothing you can move in, water, gloves with
it likely isn't a good choice for you. However, withtacky grip, good athletic shoes with cushion for
the diversity of land and many natural bodies ofconcussion, ball cap, visor or sunglasses
water found in the U.S., it would be hard toAdvantages:
believe that there isn't a body of waterCan get you into shape like nothing else. A true
someplace near your home to provide you withcombination of strength and cardio in one. Can
recreational and fitness opportunities.really cut down time in the gym once you're fit
In fact, the sport of kayaking is growing inenough to go
popularity so much that the price of kayaks haveDisadvantages:
absolutely gone through the roof! An entry-levelNot a lot of obstacle courses are available to
inflatable kayak starts in the neighborhood ofcivilians; you'll have to build your own unless you
about $250. You can find them at Costco in thelive in a few select places where obstacle courses
late spring and early summer or at a sportingand civilian fitness go hand in hand.
goods store. They only go up from there.Benefits:
$699-$999 buys you a single-man kayak built forYou can transform your body in a short time,
recreational paddling of all skill levels, either anyour strength will increase by 20%, on average,
ocean or fresh water model. The greater thewithin the first 1-2 months. You can count it as a
stability and lighter weight the materials, the morefull body workout, or upper body workout, and
expensive it gets. $1000 and upward buys askip the gym that day. It will push you past any
serious kayak for higher ability level and moreresult you could get in the gym within the same
competitive conditions. When we say "upwards",time frame.
we were shocked to find that kayaks can actuallyBest Fitness Camp:
sell for $10G's! Yeah, the price of a pretty flashyPlatoon Fitness ( with classes and camps in
speed boat, complete with motor and leatherPhiladelphia, NYC, Boston, Jersey, and now in
seats. (Drool)....Europe, in the U.K.
But the truth is, while kayaking can be expensive,Can't Attend a Camp?