The Great Outdoors

Here on the east coast, winter can be a fickle time of year. One day it's 50 degrees and clear, the next it can be raining, snowing or just downright dreary and cold. These kinds of conditions just contribute to the many reasons why you haven't started or continued your exercise program. Maybe the idea of going to the gym and being stuck on and endless looping treadmill or waiting for a guy to get done with his 11th set of curls just puts makes the whole idea of working out very boring. And who could blame you - that would sure put a damper on my enthusiasm too - so I do something a little different in these colder month's that may spark some interest.

I, as some of you may know, own my own training facility and have access to all kinds of equipment. On Sunday's, however, I train at home and use the great-outdoors as my training headquarters. I find being outside to be very invigorating - especially this time of year. The air is cold and crisp and it's very peaceful and desolate. This allows me to be alone and commune with nature and be totally by myself - which is a BIG plus for me. Keeping in line with my philosophy of brief and intense work, I generally go to the local park and use a variety of bars and grips to do pull-ups, pushups and bodyweight squats. The cold air (it was 25* with a wind chill of 11* today in NJ) and the elements add an interesting dimension to the whole program - especially when it comes to breathing. Now some of you may think I'm nuts for doing this but if you feel you are in a rut or need a burst of energy, I encourage you to get outside and do 10-20 minutes of vigorous activity. You may be pleasantly surprised at the results. - Fred Fornicola