10 Best Outdoor Workouts to Burn Fat and Build Muscle

1. Hill-sprint workout

“Hill sprints are an example of HIIT, and provide a powerful metabolic workout that burns a significant number of calories in a relatively short amount of time,” says Tom Holland, C.S.C.S., who designed this routine. “Hills can also be considered functional strength training since your bodyweight battles gravity—strengthening your entire body in the process. Doing hill sprints also helps improve running technique, speed, and endurance.“

The ultimate hill-sprint workout

Warmup:
5- to 20-minute light run

The workout:
Hill sprints x 12, walking back down as active rest before completeing the next.
– Sprints 1-4: 50% effort
– Sprints 5-8: 75% effort
– Sprints 9-12: 90-100% effort

Cool down
5- to 20-minute light run

 

2. Sand-sprint session

Directions: Imagine you’re on a football field. Set up eight cones in a vertical line, each 10 yards apart. These will be your stations. First, perform the dynamic warmup. Next, start at the first cone (station 1) and do prescribed exercise. Run to the next cone and complete the designated exercise. Repeat until all eight stations are complete.

Perform each exercise for 60 seconds, resting 15 seconds after each exercise. Perform 2-3 times. After, complete the sprint ladders, which only require five cones. Rest 15-30 seconds between sprints. Finish with static stretch to bring your heart rate down and prevent muscles from tightening.

Dynamic warmup
Do each drill for 10 yards, then turn around and go back another 10 yards. Complete the warmup circuit 2-3 times through to really get your muscles firing.

– Butt kicks
– High knees
– Side shuffle
– Carioca
– Backwards running
– Skips
– Walking lunges

The scorching sand workout

Circuit 1: Stations
Station #1: Burpees
Station #2: Bicycle crunches
Station #3: Pushups
Station #4: Skaters
Station #5: Plank
Station #6: Jump lunges
Station #7: Tricep dips
Station #8: Jumping jacks

Circuit 2: Sprint ladders
Sprint to cone #1 and back
Sprint to cone #2 and back
Sprint to cone #3 and back
Sprint to cone #4 and back
Sprint to cone #5 and back
Sprint to cone #4 and back
Sprint to cone #3 and back
Sprint to cone #2 and back
Sprint to cone #1 and back
Sprint to cone #5 and back x 5

Cool down:
Static stretch

3. Bodyweight park workout

Designed by celebrity trainer and calisthenics expert George “Hit” Richards, this park workout is sure to burn fat and increase functional strength fast—no weights necessary.

Directions: Perform the exercises as a circuit, with little to no rest between exercises.

The best bodyweight park workout
– Pullups 4×10, 20 seconds rest between sets
– Jump rope x 2 minutes
– Dips 4×12, 20 seconds rest between sets
– Mountain climbers 2×1 minute
– Pushups 3×1 minute

 

4. Strength-building sandbag workout

Josh Henkin, C.S.C.S., is the creator of the Ultimate Sandbag Program, a dynamic resistance training protocol designed to increase athletic performance and build functional strength. Henkin provided us with his best sandbag workout to get in shape for summer.

Directions: Perform exercises 1A and 1B as a superset, without rest in between. Do 2A, 2B, and 2C as a superset, without rest between exercises. Do 3A, 3B, and 3C as a superset, without rest between exercises. Rest 30 seconds between supersets.

The strength-boosting sandbag workout
1A. Clean and push press 3-4×8-10
Bring the bag from the ground to your chest by explosively driving through your hips. Once the bag reaches your chest, squeeze glutes, brace torso, and press weight up and over your head. Reverse the motion slowly to your chest first, then quickly reverse the bag to the ground by driving your hips back in the “ready” position.

1B. Rotational lunge 3-4×10-12
Stand tall while holding the sandbag in front of you, horizontally, with your arms at your sides. Slowly lunge back as you rotate the weight just outside the knee of your lead leg. Drive through the heel of your front leg, then drive your body and the weight back up to standing. Switch sides for each repetition.

2A. Overhand rows 3-4×8-10
While standing with feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent, grab the handles with a supinated grip and hold the weight off the ground with arms extended. Row weight toward torso while squeezing shoulder blades together as much as possible. Return weight to starting position. That’s one rep.

2B. Shoulder staggered split squat 3-4×5-8 per side
While standing with your feet hip-width apart, shoulder the weight by driving it explosively to one shoulder. Come into a split-squat stance so your back foot’s toes are in line with your front foot’s heel. Bring your back foot onto something elevated, like a bench, so the top of your foot is resting on the surface. Squat, pushing your weight into the heel of your front leg and the ball of your elevated rear foot.

3A. Lateral drag to leveraged pushup 2-3×6-8 per side
Begin at the top of a pushup position with the sandbag placed horizontally under you, off to one side. Using the hand that’s farthest from the bag, grab the handle and slowly drag the weight across the floor, under your body. Try not to elevate or rotate your hips. When the weight begins to reach the other side, slowly begin to descend into a pushup with your “working” hand on top of the bag. Push back up and repeat.

3B. Sand bag twists 2-3×10-12 per side
Deadlift the weight, then stand tall with the bag held horizontally and your arms at your sides. Pivot your left foot in and rotate your hips to bring the sandbag just outside of that knee. Drive through the heel of right foot, quickly transitioning the weight to the other side, pivoting quickly to absorb the weight. Do not over-rotate. Simply aim to move from one side to the other.

3C. Biceps Curl 2-3×8-10
Grab the snatch grip handles with palms facing upwards. Holding your shoulders back, bracing your torso, slowly curl the weight up. Don’t roll your shoulders or crunch your torso at any point.

 

5. Jump rope conditioner

Jumping rope is one of the most underrated workouts for coordination and athleticism. It’s also the perfect warmup for any workout. Cheyne Zeller, C.P.T., a New York-based strength and conditioning coach at New York Health and Racquet Club created this routine to improve coordination and sweat off the pounds.

Directions: Do 10 reps of each type of jump. Then, sprint for five seconds, turn around, and sprint for another five seconds to the rope. Do not rest between jumps. Vary the types of jumps every time you return to the rope.

The jump rope conditioning workout
– Basic two-foot jump
– Double unders
– Single leg: alternating
– Single leg: same foot
– High knees: bring both knees up on jump
– Crossing feet in and out laterally
– Crossing hands

 

6. Beast-mode battle rope routine

Directions: Perform the exercises as a circuit without any rest in between. That’s one round. Do a total of five rounds. Rest 30 seconds between each round.

The battle rope routine 
1. Alternate single-arm waves with lateral steps, reverse lunges, and jumping jacks
Duration: 90 sec.
Hold both ends of the rope in your hands. Quickly move one arm up and down, then do the same with the other. Step one foot out to the side as you continue with single-arm waves, then step out to the other. Keep stepping laterally in both directions for 30 seconds, then move on to reverse lunges for 30 seconds. Last, do jumping jacks with your feet for 30 seconds. The lateral steps, reverse lunges, and jumping jacks are done while hands are still moving the ropes up and down.

2. Double-arm high waves
Duration: 30 sec.
Push through heels and hips to drive hands up then slam the ropes down in a fluid motion.

3. Arms circles
Duration: 30 sec.
Start in a low athletic stance with knees bent, holding both ends of rope. Drive your hips up as you make circles with the rope moving away from your body, not in.

4. Over/under lateral
Duration: 30 sec.
Stand straight up with a slight bend in your knees. Cross your hands horizontally, switching which hand is on top. Keep your hands up at chest height as you haul the rope over and under.

7. Monster medicine ball workout

Directions: Do as many rounds as possible (AMRAP) in 10 minutes.

The monster med ball workout
1. Clean and toss
Reps: 8
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart with a medicine ball on the ground slightly in front of you. Squat down to the ball. With straight arms, grab and hold onto it as you drive your hips up, stand, then shrug and let go of ball. Now quickly drop back into a squat position to catch the ball. In one motion stand and toss the ball overhead and slightly out in front of you. That’s one rep.

2. Throw-sprint ball slams
Reps: 10
Throw the ball out in any way you choose (overhead, chest throw, etc). Sprint to the ball, then squat down, pick it up, and slam it down as hard as possible. When it bounces back up, catch and repeat for 10 reps.

*Make sure you’re in an open space, like a football field, for this workout.

 

8. Killer kettlebell workout

Directions: Do 10 reps of each exercise except for the Dirt Digger Throws, which will be five reps. That’s one round. Do four rounds. Use a 20-lb kettlebell.

The killer kettlebell workout
1. Kettlebell squat hold with single-arm overhead press
While holding a kettlebell in a neutral grip, squat down and hold your body in a parallel squat position. Keep the kettlebell in a front rack position (elbow pointed forward and close to your body). Press the kettlebell overhead while maintaining a squat position. Only stand up when switching sides.

2. Kettlebell swing walks (each round change direction—i.e. forward, backward, lateral)
Perform a traditional kettlebell swing, then at the top of swing when your hips are extended through, take one step with one foot, then the other. It should be timed so that, although you’re a foot farther, you’re in the original swing position when the kettlebell is lowering back down your body.

3. Kettlebell renegade row
Place two kettlebells shoulder-width apart on the ground. Get in pushup position with feet shoulder-width apart. Row one kettlebell from the ground (the other bell stays directly under your shoulder with your hand on top of it). Brace your core and stay in a pushup position for the entire exercise. Alternate arms and do 10 reps total (5 each arm).

4. Lunge woodchops
With both hands grasped around a kettlebell’s handle, come into a split-squat stance. Rest the bell portion of a kettlebell on the opposite shoulder of the leg that’s lunging forward. As you drop into the lunge, rotate your torso and bring the bell diagonally down, over, and across your forward knee. As you step back to the starting position, reverse the rotation and return the bell to its resting position on your shoulder. That’s one rep.

5. Dirt digger throws
Grasp the handle of a kettlebell with both hands in an overhand grip. Hold the kettlebell next to your hip on one side. Use your legs and rotate the torso to drive the bell across your body diagonally, then overhead. Keep your arms straight, and allow the bell to make a circle, keeping the movement slow and controlled (like a halo). Once it reaches the starting position, release, and throw the bell as far as you can. Sprint to it, and repeat. *Make sure you workout space is clear before performing this exercise.*

 

9. Resisted-sprint routine

Holland says: Overloading occurs when a greater-than-normal stress is imposed on your body, forcing it to adapt. For running, overloading the body can be done by increasing speed, distance, training volume, or adding resistance. These workouts will allow you to overload your running workout in a unique way, helping you lose weight, build muscle, gain speed, and increase your power and acceleration while providing a valuable shake-up to your normal gym routine.

Directions: Choose to do either the parachute workout or the sled workout 2-3 times a week.

Parachute workout  

Warmup: 10-15 minute light run/walk

Workout:
4 x 30-yard sprints with 60 seconds rest – no chute
6 x 30-yard sprints with 60 seconds rest – with chute
4 x 30-yard sprints with 60 seconds rest – no chute

Cool down: 10-15 light run/walk

Sled sprints workout (pushing)  

Warmup: 10-15 minute light run/walk

Workout: 
20 x 20 yards [challenging weight] with 30 seconds rest
10- to 15-minute easy cardio cool down

Sled sprints workout (pulling)

Directions
Perform each exercise for 10-15 yards. Rest 30 seconds after each exercise. Go through circuit 2-3 times. Load between 5% and 20% of bodyweight in the sled.

Warmup: 10-15 minute light run/walk

Workout:

– Forward run
– Backward run
– Forward walking lunges
– Backward walking lunges
– Sideways running right
– Sideways running left

Cool down: 10- to 15-minute light run/walk

 

10. Suspension trainer workout

A suspension trainer, such as the TRX or Jungle Gym XT, can mean the difference between sticking with your training while on the road and returning from your travels feeling slobbish. So long as your suspension trainer is fully adjustable and offers foot cradles, you’ll have a total-body gym that you can unpack from your suitcase whenever, wherever. Build full-body strength while getting maximum core acitivation with this five-move suspension trainer workout, courtesy of celebrity trainer Jay Cardiello.

Directions: Perform the exercises as a circuit, completing one set of each in sequence. Do as many reps as you can in 30 seconds, resting only as long as it takes to set up the next exercise. Perform two to four circuits.

Suspension trainer workout
1. Single-leg row x as many as possible in 30 sec. (each side); no rest
Attach a suspension trainer to a doorframe or other sturdy object and stand on your left leg. Hold the handles and get into a lunge position with your rear knee bent and your foot raised above the floor. Row your body to the handles while driving your right knee up in front of you.

2. Single-leg lunge x as many as possible in 30 sec. (each side); no rest
Set the foot cradle of the suspension trainer to about a foot and a half above the floor and turn around. Raise your right foot and rest it inside the cradle. Bend your left knee so you descend into a lunge position.

3. Uni-bridge press x as many as possible in 30 sec. (each side); no rest
Face the suspension trainer’s attachment point and hold one handle in your left hand. Pick up a water bottle (or some other source of light resistance) in your right hand, as if you were going to press it. Lean back so your body is in a straight line at an angle, suspended by the handle. Row your body up until the handle touches your ribs while pressing your right hand over your chest.

4. Tap out x as many as possible in 30 sec. (each side); no rest
Set your feet in the cradles of the trainer and get into a pushup position. Keeping your body straight, reach up with your right hand and tap the inside of your left elbow. Put your hand back down and repeat with your left hand. Continue for 30 seconds.

5. Pushup rocket x as many as possible in 30 sec. (each side); no rest
Get into a pushup position with your feet in the cradles of the trainer. Perform explosive pushups so your hands leave the floor and you can clap midair.