Livestrong Asks Heather Jeffcoat About Outdoor Exercise Equipment

The best workouts are ones that feel more like play than hard work. And you can make your workouts more fun with some light-weight, portable equipment you can throw into a backpack or duffle back and bring with you just about anywhere.

Running Parachute

A running parachute is a great training device for stamina, muscular endurance and acceleration. Heather Jeffcoat, a physical therapist and owner of Fusion Wellness and Physical Therapy in Los Angeles, recommends using the parachute to help you perform fun and challenging resisted sprints. The faster you run, the more resistance you will feel.

Try it: Warm up by fastening the parachute around your waist and jog for three minutes. Then, every three minutes, perform a 30-second sprint. Alternate between jogging and sprinting for 15 to 30 minutes.

Here's a list of inexpensive outdoor exercise equipment and moves you can do with each of them. From two-stepping through an agility ladder to waltzing with a resistance band, your workout will feel more like a trip back in time to the schoolyard than a grueling sweat session.

1. Jump Rope

"Jumping rope is a great exercise to warm up the body and get the blood flowing," says Andrew Lee, a Road Runners Club of America certified running coach based in New York City.

It's also a fun way to embrace your inner child while you're getting an awesome workout. Plus, you can get a good jump rope for less than $15. Use it for five minutes of cardio before your workout or jump rope in intervals as part of a HIIT session.

Try it: Jump in place or skip or jog rope forward for five intervals of 15 seconds for beginners, 30 for intermediates and 60 for advanced athletes with equal rest intervals in between.

Once you've mastered the beginner moves, add in a backward jog, double unders (where the rope goes around twice while you're in the air) or hop on one leg, starting with 15-second intervals and working up to a full minute.

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4. Running Parachute

A running parachute is a great training device for stamina, muscular endurance and acceleration. Heather Jeffcoat, a physical therapist and owner of Fusion Wellness and Physical Therapy in Los Angeles, recommends using the parachute to help you perform fun and challenging resisted sprints. The faster you run, the more resistance you will feel.

Try it: Warm up by fastening the parachute around your waist and jog for three minutes. Then, every three minutes, perform a 30-second sprint. Alternate between jogging and sprinting for 15 to 30 minutes.

For more great tips on outdoor exercise equipment continue to the full article here.