Fitness experts share tips on how to keep fit outdoors this summer

Exercising outdoors offers numerous benefits, from fresh air to vital vitamin D.
However, as summer approaches, it's crucial to take precautions to ensure safety during outdoor workouts.
While sunshine can be invigorating, exercising in the heat carries risks like dehydration and heat exhaustion, especially for beginners and older adults.
It's also advisable to avoid peak sun hours and find shaded areas when possible.
Listening to your body and taking breaks when needed are essential to prevent overheating and exhaustion.
To help you stay safe while staying active, we spoke with fitness experts who shared their top tips for exercising safely outdoors this summer.
'A lot of people jump straight into workouts in the summer without acclimatising – this is a mistake,' says Michael Betts, personal trainer and director of TRAINFITNESS. 'Our bodies generally need one to two weeks to adapt to exercising in the heat.
'Older adults need extra time for acclimatisation because ageing affects your body 's ability to regulate temperature. Your sweat response becomes less efficient, and your cardiovascular system may not adapt as quickly to heat stress.
'Start with shorter sessions that are less intense and gradually build up your tolerance.'
' Sunscreen with SPF30 or higher should be applied 30 minutes before going outside,' advises Betts. 'Reapply every two hours or more frequently if you're sweating heavily.
'Don't forget often-missed areas like the tops of your ears, feet and the back of your neck.'
Work out in the morning
'Early morning between 6am and 8am offers the coolest temperatures and lowest UV exposure,' says Betts. 'Your core body temperature is naturally lower when you wake up, giving you an advantage for temperature regulation.'
He also recommends avoid exercising between 10am and 4pm if possible, as this is when temperatures peak and the UV rays are at their strongest.
'This window is particularly dangerous for older adults whose bodies take longer to recover from heat stress,' explains Betts. 'If you must exercise during these hours, seek shade and reduce intensity significantly.'
Stay hydrated
'Exercising in the heat causes your body to sweat, which is a way of regulating your body temperature, helping your body to cool down, but without enough water your body could overheat or even experience heat stroke,' warns Sarah Campus, personal trainer and founder of LDN MUMS FITNESS.
'Staying hydrated supports mental sharpness, and supports body and muscular function, allowing for increased flexibility and mobility.
'Also, hydration is important for your heart as without enough water you could feel faint or dizzy.'
Be aware of signs of heat exhaustion and dehydration
'Dry mouth, dry lips, headache, dizziness, dark yellow urine, muscle cramps and a fast heartbeat are all warning signs to look out for,' says Campus.
'Your skin's ability to regulate temperature decreases with age, making proper clothing choices even more critical,' explains Betts. 'Cotton holds sweat against your skin instead of wicking it away, which prevents your body from cooling effectively.
'Instead, opt for loose-fitting light coloured clothes which will reflect the heat and allow air to circulate around your body.
'Synthetic materials like polyester blends or merino wool work well for moisture management. These fabrics dry quickly and help sweat evaporate, which cools your skin. Some modern fabrics even have built-in UV protection.'
Wear a hat
'Hats with wide brims will protect your face, ears and neck from the sun while giving a bit of shade, helping keep your head cool,' says Betts. 'Hats with mesh panels or ventilation holes will help prevent heat building up.
'A hat with a neck flap offers additional protection for this vulnerable area.'
Exercise in the shade
'Exercising in shaded areas or with frequent rest periods are smart choices,' says Betts. 'Circuit training where you move between shaded stations works well.
'Body weight exercises under trees or covered pavilions let you strength train without direct sun exposure.'
'Low to moderate intensity activities work better than high-intensity training in hot weather,' recommends Betts. ' Walking, gentle cycling, tai chi, and yoga generate less internal heat than running or intense interval training.
'These activities allow your body to maintain its cooling mechanisms more effectively.'
'Move into a cool shaded area to cool down and stretch,' advises Campus. 'Do some light walking and deep breathing as this helps bring your heart rate down gradually. You can also apply a cold compress to your wrists and back of the neck to cool you down quicker.'

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Daily Mail​

an hour ago

• Daily Mail​

LeBron James posts stunned one-world reaction to Tyrese Haliburton's devastating NBA Finals injury

An absolutely catastrophic injury to Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton in Game 7 of the NBA Finals has fans and players worried for his future beyond this game. Haliburton went down in the first quarter of Sunday night's do-or-die, championship-deciding game with a lower leg injury. It comes after the star sat a good portion of Game 6 after suffering a quad strain in the same leg. The guard was carried off the court and to the locker room and will not return in a devastating blow to Indiana's hopes of winning a first NBA title. It was later confirmed by the star's father, John Haliburton, that Tyrese had suffered an Achilles injury. In the aftermath of the injury, NBA stars like LeBron James tweeted their shock. James, the four-time NBA champion, simply tweeted out an expletive on Sunday night along with face-palm and prayer hand emojis. LeBron was far from the only sports star to react to the injury in real time. Four players that Haliburton's Pacers eliminated in the playoffs reacted as well. Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell, who was eliminated by Indiana in the second round, tweeted, 'These calf strains ain't no joke man!! Praying for Ty'. A trio of New York Knicks stars, who lost to Indiana in the Eastern Conference Finals, also posted. Josh Hart simply tweeted 'Ty' with three prayer hands emojis. Jalen Brunson posted, 'Prayers up man' while Karl-Anthony Towns said something similar: 'You never want to see that, prayers up.' Even Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes posted, 'Prayers up man...' with similar emojis as the others. It's a disappointing end to a night that started with such promise for Haliburton, who went 3-of-4 from beyond the arc to grab nine points. If Haliburton did indeed tear his Achilles, he'd be the third NBA superstar to suffer that injury in these playoffs, alongside Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard and Boston Celtics guard Jayson Tatum. A torn Achilles would likely require surgery and a lengthy recovery time for the Indiana star. At halftime, Indiana is clinging on to a 48-47 lead.

Daily Mail​

an hour ago

• Daily Mail​

Stephen A. Smith slammed by NBA Finals viewers for shouting at his ESPN co-stars

Viewers before Game 7 of the NBA Finals were treated to the sight and sound of a screaming Stephen A. Smith, possibly too into the moment for his own good. Over an hour before tipoff of the final and decisive game of the championship series, Smith let his passion for the game out on-air - but possibly at a volume not appropriate for the occasion at the time. Video posted to social media by Awful Announcing showed Smith getting into a shouting match on ESPN with his co-star and former Oklahoma City Thunder player Kendrick Perkins. While starting off at a lower volume, Smith eventually raised his voice while calling Perkins 'really annoying' for believing that some players in this game may not be able to perform the same as they would in other environments. 'This is a man that is a champion, you're talking about a Game 7... he acts like everybody that's been producing all year long, come Game 7, "it's no different, it's no different." It's very, very, very different,' Smith said at the top of his lungs. Another member of the desk, former Golden State Warriors executive Bob Myers, fired back at Smith, saying, 'Just because you yell something doesn't mean it's true.' The Game 7 pregame show switches over from ESPN to ABC, and Stephen A. Smith opens it with much more yelling. 🏀📺🎙️ #NBA #NBAFinals — Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 22, 2025 When the pre-game show transitioned from ESPN to ABC, Smith continued his ranting and raving at max volume. Only this time, he started at a 10 and never dropped from there. Disgruntled viewers let their anger and exhaustion be known on social media. 'It's like watching the THX intro at full volume but for an hour straight,' said one user on X. Another posted, 'The fact that ESPN cannot see that he is destroying their credibility, is mind boggling.' 'Can't believe ESPN gave this man the bag for a bunch of yellin,' another commented. One post read, 'Espn suits must have told them to really sell how big of a deal this game is and stephen a did that by just yelling that its a big deal.' After the game got underway, disaster struck immediately for the Indiana Pacers when injured guard Tyrese Haliburton appeared to tear his Achilles tendon. He left the contest and will not return, a big blow to Indiana's hopes of winning this championship game.

Daily Mail​

2 hours ago

• Daily Mail​

Miracle microdosing trick celebrities use to get thicker hair revealed. This is how I plumped up my volume and length - and it's guaranteed to work for every woman, says ALICE SMELLIE

You've probably heard about microdosing weight loss jabs, but now this same A-list trick has hit the haircare market. Microdosing, using small amounts of a product, is the latest trend when it comes to boosting midlife hair. As we know, volume vanishes from all the wrong places as we age and, sadly, that includes once-luxurious locks, which might become thinner, flat and dull looking.