Get ready for fall because it is coming.

Summer VS Autumn

You can’t stop it, even though you may want to. Goodbye shorts, beaches, and the warm embrace of the sun and hello rain. Being born and raised on the outskirts of Vancouver, BC, I would consider myself very familiar with the liquid substance falling from the sky. I mean, let’s face it, it rains practically year-round here! It’s time to get back to our typical routines, or is it? Shake things up this year, because the fall isn’t all that bad now is it. Stop complaining it’s not!

In this post I’ll discuss ways you can transition your workouts from our brief heat wave into our cooler reality. I’ll provide some different exercises and activities that are good year-round! Now, let’s go and get your fit-spiration back.

Exercises & Equipment Good All Year Round:

1. Sports at Local Recreation Centres

Outside of your daily fitness routine at home, and particularly for the sport enthusiasts, the fall brings many activities right in your backyard. Many communities offer diverse recreational spaces including gymnasiums, fitness studios, meeting space rentals and pools. Many local recreation centres offer drop-in sessions where people of all ages can get together and play games and activities. Whether you’re into basketball, indoor soccer, badminton, or volleyball there will be something for you. Have a friendly competition against your friends or make new ones in your community.

If you are finding you have limited space at home for your workout routines, bring some equipment to the gym. Fitness Town carries a wide variety of equipment including medicine balls, speed and agility equipment, tubing and bands that are light and portable. It’s never a bad idea to take advantage of the equipment you have at home and make use of it outside.

If your recreation centre has a swimming pool, get out and swim a few laps or join an aerobics class! Swimming is a great way to exercise without feeling like your exercising! You can make it a family outing by bringing the kids along and enjoying in some family fun.

Running Man

2. Running

Fall back into fitness with running, jogging or simply walking. Some consider the fall to be the best time of the year to bring out your running shoes and tackle the pavement. Why? Well, the air is typically cooler, so you will find yourself potentially sweating less and not as dehydrated compared to the summer. The key for staying comfortable is to dress relatively lightly so you feel a bit chilly at the start of your run. As you pick up the pace and your heart rate, you’ll feel warmer but not overly so. Remember to dress appropriately for your conditions though; you wouldn’t want to catch a cold!

There is nothing prettier than the colours of the trees as they light up your surroundings before the leaves drop. Your beautiful surroundings can take dull route and make it exciting and change it into an adventure. Feeling the soft crunch of leaves under your feet feels great after basically going out of your way to find the perfect one to step on (you know you’ve done it). You can’t forget the unique scent of fall in the air!

If you are a run-aholic and consider your routine to be “the same old same old,” I challenge you to shake it up. Test your skills with the GoFit Power Chute with Harness. The Core Performance Power Chute is designed to increase any athlete’s speed and power.

If you’re not a fan of running outdoors or if you have previous injuries preventing you from doing so, here are some tips for making your experience more enjoyable. Even if you’re afraid of the cold, rain and stormy skies, don’t let your passion for running hinder. The new Octane ZR7 Zero Runner provides a natural, smooth motion that truly replicates running but without the hard impact on joints and muscles. Extend your running career, run faster, become more efficient and strengthen your muscles by cross-training with zero-impact running. Some say “if there’s no pain then there is no gain,” but I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to be in pain to meet your fitness goals. The Zero Runner gives you a realistic running experience without the following recovery time. For more information on this product, check out the Zero Runner on the Fitness Town website or our Zero Runner blog post.

Find your fit-spiration through running. Not only is it a great way to let loose, it also burns a heck-of-a-lot of calories! Running can be considered as one of the best calorie burners out there. For example, a 160-lb person it can burn more than 850 calories an hour. Not like we’re counting or anything. If you’re feeling a bit exhausted and need something to give you that extra boost, try PurePharma. They offer some of the purest supplements on the market. PurePharma’s Omega-3 can help boost recovery and have you feel better faster. Check out a variety of the highest quality products offered by PurePharma including M3, D3, and X3.

3. Take a Hike – No, Really!

If you’re more of an adventurous type, you will certainly enjoy hiking. Some consider the fall to be the best time to get your “hike on.” Especially since while you’re out exploring you don’t need to worry as much about those pesky mosquitoes! Now, if you are new to the hiking experience, sending yourself out on a day-long hike through the unmapped wilderness is incredibly unintelligent. Start slow, and maybe even bring your furry friend along! I recommend researching a few popular trails around your area.

If you are an experienced hiker and are looking for a challenge, I recommend trying a weighted vest, the TRX Tactical Kit, or the Training Mask 2.0. A weighted vest can help to ensure your body is properly aligned and each muscle is worked evenly. The TRX Tactical Kit has become a very popular item as it is known for it’s the best-in-class, lightweight, all-body training system developed to build mobility, strength, power and core stability almost anywhere. Lastly, the Training Mask 2.0 is a new addition to Fitness Town; it limits your oxygen intake for a greater challenge as you go.

One thing to remember when hiking is to tell someone where you are going. We don’t want to have to arrange a search party for you if you get lost! Before you leave you also want to ensure you have brought yourself enough water. Staying hydrated is important for your body to function properly. It’s much better to be well prepared than under-prepared they always say!

On the topic of being prepared, hiking in flip-flops just won’t do. You might have a super cute pedicure but leave the sandals at the beach. Many people find that with the start of the cooler season that they’ve completely neglected the purchase of a rain jacket or proper footwear. At Fitness Town, we offer customers a wide variety of apparel and footwear from name brand suppliers. We only sell the best because we want to give our customers the best fitness experience possible of course!

Yoga Girl + Kid

4. Yoga

Sure, you can do yoga in the summer with the beautiful sunshine gleaming in your face and the smell of fresh cut grass, but who’s to say you have to give it up in the fall? Don’t shove away that precious yoga mat

With kids in school and your routines feeling a bit more hectic, you might not be able to escape the house for some time to yourself. So, why not workout at home where your focus can be on both your children and your health? Whether you choose to sneak some you-time after the kids are asleep, involve them or simply block out everything in sight, yoga makes you feel more like you! It’s not necessarily about stretching or doing funny poses, it’s about living a certain lifestyle. For those who are looking to start yoga, I recommend the Fitness Starter Kit from Fitness Town to build up some muscle and get rid of the pounds left over from turkey dinner. For those more experienced, I suggest shaking up your typical routine and trying out the TRX Tactical Force Kit. This best-in-class, lightweight, all-body training system was developed to build mobility, strength, power and core stability anywhere.

5. Home Gym

What is the ultimate way to stay fit this season? Personally, I believe it’s Investing in a home gym, or gym at home! Being able to let loose and workout whenever you feel like it enables you to keep committed. The weather seems to always be unpredictable in the fall (unless you live in Vancouver, then rain is generally a safe bet), this means your typical routine can turn into a waiting game. Your intensions may be good, getting completed soaking wet outside on your run may seem, well, not so fun. You may think “no worries, I’ll just go tomorrow,” well you might, but most don’t. Suddenly several weeks have gone by and now your fit-spiration has blown away like the leaves that were on the trees.

I recommend kicking off your gym with the Torque F7 Fold Away Gym. This home gym is compact and folds up to hide all of your equipment when not in use. It comes equipped with two adjustable swivel pulleys – each with 30 positions – and two different widths. What I like most about it is that it accommodates users of all sizes in performing unlimited exercises giving you more bang for your buck!

Another Fitness Town favourite is the WaterRower Classic. This piece of equipment is not only a highly sought-after machine; it’s also a beautifully designed product that is considered to be “fitness furniture.” With its contemporary wood tones, this machine would look great in almost any area in the home. Still not convinced on the Water Rower? Check out the “Why Buy a WaterRower?” post on our blog!

So why should you decide to have a gym at home? Here are a few reasons you can’t deny:

Life gets in the way, and can stop you from going to the gym and your fitness goals.
A gym at home fits your schedule – whenever you’re home!
Your home is an environment you enjoy.
Your home is your private haven (who needs pants anyways?)
In-home gyms are more cost-effective.

If cost is a huge factor, and believe me for most people it is, visit a local Fitness Town location and ask to discuss about our financing options. This allows you to get the quality equipment you need for a price you can afford.

Some may find the fall season a bit depressing, but I’m ready to pull out those comfy sweaters and to feel the cool breeze on my cheeks. It’s a season where you can taste your freedom as you dance in the rain with your mouth wide open, squishing the mud between your toes. Ditch your woes, take a deep breath and just feel energized by the world around you. Take the weather with a grain of salt and feel proud to accomplish your fitness goals rain or shine. Come into a Fitness Town location near you and find ways to ditch the cold and stay healthy indoors with a variety of fitness equipment available at Fitness Town. Remember the key to success it to…

Fall Back Into Fitness!