How to Plan the Ultimate Fall Workout
Summertime, and the living is easy—and that’s a good thing. It’s important to slow down the pace of city living once in a while, and if that includes sunbathing, delicious food, and all-around chilling, then so be it. But that does mean that fall’s arrival is a good time to think about dusting off the ol’ workout gear and returning to the gym.
Here’s all the gear you need to own your fall workouts, plus trending apps, fitness classes, and other inspiration to get you fired up.
Essential Tips for Exercising in the Great Outdoors
Given the changing leaves, autumn is one of the best times of the year to go trail running.
It gets darker earlier as summer turns into fall, so be safe. Stick to well-lit, familiar areas and wear bright colors or reflective strips. Headlamps like the Petzl Tikkina are perfect for nighttime runs. And if you prefer to train in the morning, you can enjoy the sunrise as you break a sweat. Remember that early wake-ups come naturally to no one, so make a habit of getting up earlier until your body adjusts.
If you’re near a park with lots of trees, then all the better! Given the changing leaves, fall is one of the best times of the year to go trail running. But if you have to make do with a green space or smaller park, no problem: Do a bodyweight circuit or jump rope.
Gear and Gadgets for Outdoor Workouts
Heading outside? Make sure you get the right gear—including insultated clothes—to stay warm.
It’s chilly outside, and will be frostier still as the holidays approach. Catching a cold can derail your fall workout regime, so make sure you’re prepared: Brands including UNIQLO sell HeatTech t-shirts, hoodies and leggings so you can keep warm as the mercury drops.
If you like to listen to music while you run, a Bluetooth hat supplies the tunes and keeps you cozy. High-tech beanies like the SoundBot SB210 HD offer a great blend of quality and price. It’s water-resistant and one-size-fits-all, and it fares well during almost any kind of activity or sport.
How to Own Your Indoor Workouts
On days when the weather’s too frightful, take your workout indoors.
If the weather is too frightful to hit your local park, then train inside. Apps like Freeletics offer a host of workouts that change depending on your goals. You can choose to train three, four, five or six days a week using free weights or only the weight of your body. If you’re short on time, Sworkit is another useful app to have in your pocket. You tell the app how long you have and it’ll give you an effective workout that’s tailored to your schedule.
And if you find that exercising at home is a regular thing, create your own workout space. Keep a mat, weights and whatever else you use to train stored neatly away in one place. If you don’t know where to start, there are hundreds of workout videos on YouTube. Whether it’s yoga, kettlebells, or a bodyweight workout, it’s easy to find an online instructor you can follow.
Fun Excuses to Hit the Gym
Looking for workout motivation? There are tons of fun and unusual fitness classes to pick from.
New fitness trends are always cropping up, so you’ve got the perfect inspiration to hit the gym once the weather starts to turn. At Box + Flow in New York, a 50-minute class combines fast-paced flow yoga with shadowboxing, all to the tones of Nirvana and DMX. uforia studios in San Francisco puts heart-pounding soundtracks front and center, and their “learn the video choreography” dance sessions are really popular. And at Ritual Gym in LA, ultra-efficient HIIT workouts are squeezed into 20-minute blocks (so that I’m-too-busy-to-exercise excuse no longer flies).
