Jumpstart Your Fitness: Top Outdoor Strength Moves

Take advantage of the change of seasons, along with warmer weather and longer days, to get your booty outside and enjoy the fresh air -- it'll be good for you in more ways than one. And now is really the ideal time to get outdoors, because the weather is nicely between biting cold and blistering heat -- so you'll be less likely to be deterred (unless, possibly, by spring showers). If you can get a good routine going now, and make it a habit in the upcoming months, by the time summer gets here you'll be going strong.

Walking, running, playing sports -- these are pretty much givens when you think about exercising outdoors, and they should be because cardio is an important part of any well-rounded fitness plan. But some others that target strength building and toning, like pull-ups and lunges, might not spring to mind so quickly.

According to bodybuildingforyou.com, these are some of the top outdoor strength-training exercises:

• Lunges. Usually thought of as an indoor exercise, there's really no reason you can't enjoy them outdoors also. When done properly, lunges work all the muscles in your legs and are great for variety because there are different versions available to switch things up.
• Step-ups. Anything from a park bench to a big rock to a log in the woods (make sure it's a stable one!) can help you with this muscle-blasting move.
• Uphill sprints. Exactly what it sounds like -- running uphill. Take this one easy until you know how much you can handle, you want fitness not injuries.
• Chin Ups. Either find the perfect tree branch, or an empty-ish playground where you can get on the equipment without intimidating any children, and start this simple but extremely effective strength-training move.
• Duck walks. This is basically doing a squat and then walking that way for about 10 steps forward and 10 steps back.

Okay- I'll be totally honest and say that I'm not sure I have the confidence to walk like a duck outdoors. What if somebody offers me help, thinking I'm just suffering a severe cramp? I guess that's something I'll have to work on!