Top 5 Workouts to Try: Indoor and Outdoor Options
When temperatures rise, staying consistent with your workouts can become a little more challenging. Hot, humid days can leave you feeling tired before you even start, and the thought of exercising in the heat may be enough to make you want to skip your workout altogether.
But staying active during summer doesn’t have to mean pushing yourself through a tough workout in the heat. The key is finding activities that work with the season, your energy levels, and your lifestyle.
Whether you love being outdoors, prefer the comfort of air conditioning, or want something you can do at home, there are plenty of ways to keep moving all summer long.
Here are five workouts to try this summer that can help you stay active while keeping things enjoyable and manageable.
1. Water Exercises
If you want to stay active while keeping cool, water workouts are a great place to start.
Swimming, water walking, pool aerobics, and other aqua exercises let you move your body while the water helps keep you cool. Water also provides natural resistance, so your muscles have to work as you move, while the buoyancy of the water can reduce impact on your joints.
Some water-based workouts to try include:
Swimming laps
Walking or jogging in the pool
Pool aerobics
Water resistance exercises
Guided aqua fitness classes
You don’t have to be a strong swimmer to enjoy every type of water workout, either. Even a simple walk through the pool can get your body moving and turn a hot summer day into an opportunity to exercise.
If you have access to a pool, consider making water workouts part of your summer routine. They’re a refreshing way to add movement without having to exercise under the midday sun.
2. Walking (Outdoor or Treadmill)
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Not every workout needs to leave you sweaty and exhausted. Sometimes, a walk is exactly what your body needs.
Walking is one of the simplest ways to add more movement to your day, and it’s easy to adjust to your fitness level. You can take a leisurely stroll, pick up the pace for a more challenging workout, or alternate between the two. And because you don’t need a gym or much equipment, it’s something you can do almost anywhere.
Regular walking can support:
Cardiovascular health
Better energy levels
Stress management
Stronger muscles and bones
Consistent daily movement
There’s also a reason walking is often recommended as a starting point for building an active lifestyle: it’s low-impact and accessible, making it easier to fit into a busy schedule. Even a short walk can help you step away from your desk, clear your head, or get some movement in between everything else on your to-do list.
And summer gives you plenty of ways to make walking more fun. Invite a friend and catch up while you walk, take the dog around the neighborhood, explore a new trail, or put on your favorite playlist and enjoy some time to yourself. You could even turn your walk into a mini adventure by trying a new coffee shop or park along the way.
Just remember that summer heat matters. If you’re walking outdoors, aim for the cooler parts of the day, such as early morning or evening, and bring water with you. On especially hot days, move your workout indoors and use a treadmill, indoor track, or shopping center instead.
You don’t have to hit 10,000 steps, walk for an hour, or follow a perfect routine for your walk to “count.” Start where you are, walk at a pace that feels right for you, and celebrate the movement you do get. A little movement is still movement—and it all adds up.
3. Dance Fitness
Who says working out has to feel like working out? Sometimes, all you need is your favorite song, a little space to move, and the willingness to have some fun.
Dance fitness is a fun, low-pressure way to stay active without the feeling of a traditional workout. Whether you join a Zumba class, follow a dance-cardio workout at home, or simply turn up the music and dance around your living room, you can get your body moving while enjoying the music.
Dance-based workouts can help support:
Cardiovascular fitness
Coordination and balance
Endurance
Mood and mental energy
Stress relief
And you don’t have to be a great dancer to enjoy it. You don’t need to memorize every step or get every move right. Move at your own pace, take breaks when you need them, and focus on having fun. The goal isn’t to put on a perfect performance—it’s to get moving and enjoy yourself.
Dance fitness is also a great summer option because you can do it indoors when the heat makes outdoor exercise less appealing. Try a quick dance workout at home, invite a friend to join you, or turn your living room into your own mini dance party.
Want an easy place to start? Check out the Mama’s Dance Party playlist on YouTube, turn up the music, and dance along. No gym, no fancy equipment, and no dance experience required—just press play and move!
When exercise feels fun instead of like another item on your to-do list, it can be much easier to stay consistent. So turn up the music, let go of perfection, and dance like nobody’s watching.
4. At-Home Virtual Workouts
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No matter where you are - you’re invited to join Bold Mama Fitness for our women-only virtual classes focused on building coordination, balance, endurance and strength through moderate-intensity interval training (MIIT). This class is low-cost, high value for women of all fitness levels, but best suited for those wanting to (re)establish a regular workout routine without needing to leave your home. You’ll also connect with bold women and be invited to join our wellness community, Bold Mamas Co.
View all scheduled classes HERE and reserve your spot for any virtual classes HERE.
Additional Details:
Bookmark our calendar/ scheduling page.
Reserve your class at least 24 hours in advance.
Participants should bring water and a face towel. A mat is recommended.
Sometimes the hardest part of a workout is simply getting started. You have to get ready, drive somewhere, work around the weather, and find the time to fit it all in. During summer, the heat can add another reason to stay on the couch.
That’s where at-home virtual workouts can make a big difference.
With a guided workout just a few steps away, you can exercise from your living room, backyard, or wherever you have a little space to move. You can:
Avoid exercising in the summer heat
Follow a structured, instructor-led session
Work out without driving to a gym
Fit movement into a busy day
Choose a workout that matches your energy level
Virtual workouts are especially helpful on those days when going outside feels exhausting, inconvenient, or simply too hot. Instead of skipping your workout because you can’t make it to a class, you can press play and get moving right where you are.
And remember, your workout doesn’t have to be an hour long to count. If you only have 20 or 30 minutes, that’s okay. What matters is finding movement that fits into your life and makes it easier to keep showing up.
Ready to Move?
Want to try a workout from home? Check out Bold Body Interval Training (BBIT) and give one of the sample workouts a try. We’ve also put together a playlist with two BBIT samples so you can see what the workouts are like before jumping in.
And don’t stop there! Explore the mama wears pants YouTube channel for more workouts and movement ideas you can do from almost anywhere. Whether you have a full workout space or just a few minutes and a little room to move, you may find something that fits your day.
No gym commute. No complicated setup. Just press play, move your body, and make it work for you.
Because sometimes, the best workout is the one that’s easy enough to actually do.
5. Functional Strength Training
Strength training isn’t just about lifting heavy weights or spending hours at the gym. It’s about building the strength you need to feel capable in everyday life—from carrying groceries and picking up the kids to climbing stairs, gardening, or simply feeling stronger in your day-to-day movement.
And the good news? You don’t need a full gym setup to get started.
Functional strength workouts can include:
Bodyweight exercises
Resistance band training
Light dumbbell routines
Squats, lunges, and other functional movements
Strength training helps build and maintain muscle, and it can also support bone strength and physical function. Adults are generally encouraged to include muscle-strengthening activities at least two days a week, working the major muscle groups.
During the summer, shorter workouts can be an easy way to keep strength training in your routine without spending a long time exercising in the heat. You can work out indoors, choose a quick routine that fits your schedule, and adjust the intensity to match your energy that day.
Not sure where to start? Check out our strength-training playlist for workouts you can try at home. You can grab a set of dumbbells or resistance bands—or simply use your body weight—and press play.
And remember, you don’t have to be “strong enough” before you start. Strength is something you build, one workout at a time.
Why Summer Workouts Need to Be Different
Summer has a way of changing our routines. Longer days, warmer temperatures, vacations, busy schedules, and family plans can all make it harder to stick to the workout routine you had in mind.
That doesn’t mean you have to stop moving. It just means your approach may need to change.
When it’s hot outside, you might need a shorter workout, a cooler environment, or a little more flexibility. Maybe today is a 20-minute strength session instead of your usual hour at the gym. Maybe you swap your afternoon walk for an indoor dance workout. Or maybe you simply take a slower walk and enjoy being outside.
The goal isn’t to force your summer routine to look exactly like every other season. It’s to find ways to keep moving that work for you right now.
Think of these five workouts as options, not rules. Try something new, mix things up, and pay attention to what makes you feel good. The more choices you have, the easier it can be to keep movement in your life—even when your schedule or the weather changes.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need an extreme workout plan to have an active summer.
You just need movement that fits your energy, your schedule, and your lifestyle.
Maybe that means cooling off with a water workout. Taking a morning walk with a friend. Dancing in your living room. Pressing play on a virtual workout when it’s too hot to go outside. Or grabbing a pair of dumbbells for a quick strength session.
There will be days when you feel motivated and days when you don’t. There will be busy days, lazy days, hot days, and days when your only goal is to get through your to-do list.
Give yourself options. Give yourself grace. And keep moving in a way that feels good for you.
Because a sustainable fitness routine isn’t about doing everything perfectly. It’s about finding movement you enjoy and making it a part of your real life.
About Bold Mama Fitness
At bold mama fitness, we believe fitness should fit into your life—not take it over.
Our workouts are designed to help women move, get stronger, have fun, and build routines they can actually stick with. From high-energy dance fitness to functional strength training and virtual workouts you can do at home, there’s more than one way to get moving.
Explore our workouts and find what feels right for you:
Water Exercise (Aqua Fitness)
Dance Fitness (Bold Beats)
Functional Strength Training (Bold Body)
Virtual Workouts You Can Do at Home
Want to try something from home? Explore the mama wears pants YouTube channel for workout videos and playlists you can do wherever you are. You might discover a new favorite way to move!
And if you’re not sure where to begin, keep it simple: choose one workout, press play, and start there.
You don’t have to overhaul your entire routine today. One workout can be the first step toward a summer of feeling stronger, healthier, and more energized.