ByKat Hours Updated
Comments 18 Comments

What Are Your Favorite Ways to Exercise When It’s Hot Out?

woman jogging with sunrise in background

Here's something we haven't discussed in a while (and certainly not since the pandemic started): What are your favorite ways to exercise when it's hot out? What are you doing for exercise for summer 2020?

We've recently rounded up the best streaming workouts to do at home — and we've talked in the past about summer workouts — but let's discuss! Are some of your older workouts (summer workouts or otherwise) off the table now because of social distancing? Have your fitness routines been disrupted by being away from the office/gym, or have your routines gotten stronger while working from home? 

Psst: I just recently discovered “baseball hats for high buns” is a thing! I also just saw an article with a lot of outdoor runners singing the praises of buffs/gaiters as the best masks for running. (This post contains affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!  

For my $.02, having the kids home so much more has thrown off my exercise schedule since March — and it's crazy hot outside. I've finally gotten back into the habit of moving my body, a bit, 3–4 times a week (using my super old, dorky workout chart!). The main things I've been doing are:

My Favorite Summer Workouts for Morning/Daytime

When possible, I vastly prefer to work out first thing, but I had that habit stacked with the kids leaving for school — so I've been doing a few midday workouts but lots of (lower intensity) nighttime workouts to get more exercise into my day.

  • Body Combat, via Les Mills — If you were a Tae Bo fan, this one's for you! I don't know why kicking and punching gives me such joy, but it does. 
  • Ring Fit, via Nintendo Switch — My brother injured himself, so he let us borrow his gear. I like it, although I wish the exercises were more varied earlier on. It's an easy way to motivate myself midday. (Psst: Over at CorporetteMoms today, we're talking about the best video game workouts!) 
  • Body Pump, via Les Mills — I think my muscles have gotten a lot weaker during the pandemic because just a few minutes of these leave me sore for days. 
  • strength from Peloton — My trial subscription just expired but I liked the few workouts I did with them. I think I'll reassess when my Beachbody subscription expires. 
  • Fitness Blender workouts — I know readers have sung the praises of these workouts for years so I'm trying a few here and there.
  • Running/walking outside if it's cool enough (which for me is below 75 and not too humid)

My Favorite Evening Exercises for When It's Hot Outside

  • Down Dog yoga — I mostly just do the restorative yoga, but as my core strength gets stronger I'm trying to get into the standing workouts. (Ooh, and I see they have a whole separate app for yoga for beginners; I may try that one.) Their app suite seems to be 33% off today, FWIW!
  • Barre, via the app from the Down Dog people — I never cease to be surprised by how sore I am after these workouts. 
  • PiYo, via Beachbody — I go in and out of this but have added this back into my “maybe in the evening” workouts. I like the mix of yoga and Pilates. 
  • I've also experimented with yoga from Les Mills but haven't really found the best tracks for me

Looking for great workout shorts? See reader favorites and more in our recent roundup of the best shorts for summer…

Under Armour / Old Navy / CALIA / Nike Dry Tempo (also check BALEAF for bargains)

Ladies, let's hear from you — how has the pandemic, and summer, and 2020 in general, affected your workouts? What are your favorite ways to exercise when it's hot out? Would you say your fitness level is beginner, intermediate, or advanced?

18 Comments

  1. Swimming, biking, early morning/early evening walks or runs and a small, folding exercise bike that I use when it’s unbearably hot.

  2. Does dancing to the Spice Girls in my pajamas for thirty minutes as I putter around the house before work (i.e. slowly making my way to my home office) count?

    1. millionaire hoy pro app-gotten me fitter than ever with home workouts. I’m not a gym person or a runner so he’s kept me motivated with lots of options for all fitness levels. $20/month (cheaper if you get the year package) and definitely worth it for me

      1. Can you provide more details? I am likely out of the loop because I don’t understand what you are using.

        1. My bad, meant to put my original note as a general comment to the post and accidentally replied to the spice girls comment.
          This is the site: hoypro.com

          He’s got a sample of free workouts on a YouTube channel–
          https://www.youtube.com/c/yaboymillhoy

          I bought the subscription since he’s got way more workouts available on the app and I don’t mind paying for the service as I don’t have other fitness expenses.

  4. I bought access to a semi-private pool this summer which has been an absolute godsend! I go over around 6PM a few days a week and swim laps.

  5. I love Orange Theory and am so sad because I don’t feel safe going back yet, even though it’s back open in my area. Until last week, I have been only walking a couple of miles around my neighborhood most days, hanging onto a delusional hope that I’d be able to go back to Orange Theory “soon.” I accepted over the weekend that it’s probably not going to happen soon, so I signed up for a Fitness Blender 4 week bodyweight program. I just finished the first week today, and I LOVE IT so far. I hope I continue loving the at-home workouts because it sure would save a lot of money.

  6. Running outside in the morning. I’m lucky to live in a residential neighborhood where I can leave my water bottle in my driveway on extra hot and/or humid days. (So, like, everyday for the past month.) It has been in the 70s when I run. I like it. My muscles are nice and loose, and I love summer/hate winter. If it doesn’t work to get my run in at that time, I’ll walk later in the day. Sometimes in two chunks so I can get the same distance in, but I don’t always have time for one, long walk.

  7. My barre3 studio opened with outdoor classes (even though our area is cleared for indoor) and I love them. I take them 5 days a week at a local park at 7 am, before it’s too hot out. I have also been doing spin (CycleBar) – I have a favorite bike that is “socially distanced” and in its own bubble that I feel safe using, and have also gone to yoga and pilates studios where there are very few people and you don’t touch anything. To me this is a far higher priority than going to a restaurant, which I haven’t gone to since the beginning of the pandemic.

  8. Since I won’t be comfortable going to the gym for a long while, I’ve decided I’ll just quit the gym. I’m giving myself a $500ish budget (about 8 months at my gym) to get more supplies.

    I already run outside and bike/hike/surf when I can, but that’s not practical in inclement or hot weather (surfing and kayaking are, but I’m 90 min from the beach)

    I have a very crappy fold up exercise bike and some weights. I’m going to give the bike to a relative and upgrade it. I’m also going to get more weights and likely some other supplies to supplement. I already have basic supplies (yoga mat, light weights, resistance bands, etc). I’m playing around With different apps and programs. Currently using peleton and Fitbod, will see what sticks.

    When it’s not miserably hot, I play tennis with friends. In non covid years I also play a contact sport, even in the heat.

    I live a few miles from work so I usually bike or walk. Would love to figure out how to do so without being a mess at work!

    1. We gave up the gym years ago in exchange for buying a treadmill. It was a great decision. We also now have road bikes and indoor trainers. You might find you like it better and decide to invest even more in at-home equipment and never go back to the gym again!

  9. Running, literally at dawn, on deserted trails through the woods. Cooler, restorative, and fewer people to attempt to distance from.
    Yoga (also at dawn but ymmv) – i actually really love les mills’ bodyflow! But i used to do it live at the gym :-(
    And today i finally cracked and bought a treadmill, for when it’s 34 and pouring rain out. My county makes you wear a mask WHILE you’re exercising, my gym is opening later for extra cleaning time, and i am WFH most days for the foreseeable future. And i suspect that my area (really the whole country) will be back under stay at home orders sooner rather than later. So i have cancelled my gym membership, and bought new running shoes, a les mills subscription, and a treadmill.
    And a lot of wine.

    1. Love Les Mills On Demand! Been a hard-core user of their spinning videos (Trip) and BodyPump and recently fell in love with Cxworx. I do all of these at home – early morning or evening (or sometimes during lunch break if I need an energy booster).

  10. Running or walking outdoors in the early morning. Kayaking/swimming on the weekends.

  11. My spouse and I got a rowing machine in the fall, and it has gotten a whole lot of use since we’ve been home. I still walk the dog a lot but it’s nice to get good and sweaty indoors, out of the sun, without having to put on a bunch of sunscreen and a hat. I have a fan aimed at the rower and that helps on warm days.

Comments are closed.