?Great outdoor summer workouts

You don’t have to be trapped inside this summer to get your fitness fix.

t’Tis the season of skimpy outfits and shining sun, so isn’t it about time your workouts caught up?

t Ditch the gym and get your fitness fix outside this summer. We’ve made it easy for you with our list of the top ways to catch a great outdoor workout.

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Swim

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Photo credit: Dave and Les Jacobs/Blend Images/Getty Images

t While it’s true you can catch a great tan sitting by the pool, this summer your pool time should be equal parts lounging and working out. Few things can strengthen your body while burning massive amounts of calories like swimming can. Remember Michael Phelps? There was a reason he was eating 12,000 calories a day during the peak of his career; distance swimming burns more calories than any other form of exercise. So, get in the pool. Start with two laps using the stroke of your choice, then work your way up to four, and so on. Eventually you’ll be flying through the water like a bada** mermaid (or merman) and your body will love you for it.

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Stairs

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t Any set of stairs can be used for a great outdoor workout; the bigger, the better. All you really need is a pair of running shoes and a good attitude (and you could even do it barefoot if you really wanted to). Start off with a few climbs (the technical term for up and down a staircase) and gauge how it feels. Try varying your speed to increase difficulty; the faster you go, the harder your body will be working. You can also experiment with lengthening your stride (skipping steps) and alternating your footing. There’s a reason that step workouts have been in the fitness community for so long; they’re reliable, you don’t need any equipment and best of all, they work.

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Yoga

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Photo credit: Inti St Clair/Blend Images/Getty Images

t Personally, there’s nothing that I love more than outdoor yoga. Something about stretching and breathing under the beating sun really hits home for me. Even better, all you need to get a great outdoor yoga workout is a mat or towel. Find a sunny patch of grass (or sand, or wherever), toss down your mat and get going. If you’re already an experienced yogi, lead yourself through a nice session focusing on what your body needs the most. Or, cycle through a couple vinyasas and try to work on poses you haven’t already mastered. On the other hand, if you’re a beginner, some great poses to try on your own are: downward dog, warrior, child’s pose, bridge, plank and triangle. The fact of the matter is you don’t have to be trapped inside this summer to get your fitness fix. Head outdoors. The world is full of fitness possibilities; now it’s up to you to go out and discover them.