Spring weather is upon us, so there's no good reason to confine your workouts to the gym. Longer days mean outdoor activities can be extended into the evenings.

Why step outside? Outdoor training puts you in an ever-changing environment that challenges your brain as much as your muscles. Having to adjust swiftly to different terrains, inclines, and obstacles improves balance, agility and coordination. This means more muscles are working compared with a similar indoor workout, and you will actually be burning more calories.

The biggest payoff is the way you'll feel. The outdoors helps invigorate your spirit and revitalize your emotional power. Tune into nature and try some of these alternative workouts:

Parks, playgrounds, hills, hiking trails, tracks, stadium stairs and beaches are just a few of your outdoor training locations. Your body weight provides the resistance for a tough upper body workout and picnic tables, park benches or fallen trees are ideal for step-ups, dips and push-ups. Climbing up the steps at your local sports stadium is also a great high-intensity cardiovascular workout.

Make the most out of the steps by using them for exercises such as lunges or incline push-ups. Playgrounds have great equipment for pulling exercises like pull-ups, chin-ups and rows.

Here's a sample workout you can try at Westerly's Wilcox Park:

1. Warm up with a two-lap jog or brisk walk.

2. Stop at an area that is fairly flat for some dynamic flexibility/strength movements:

- Jumping jacks - ankles, calves, and shoulders warm up x 24

- Cross over toe touches - hamstring stretch x 24 total (12 per leg)

- High knee hug - hip flexor stretch x 24 total

- Lateral lunge - adductor stretch x 12 total

- Walking lunges - quads, glutes, and hips stretch x 12 total

- Hold a plank x 30 seconds

- Jog or walk to stairs of choice and do step ups or climb them fast for 30 seconds

- Jog or walk to a bench or the gazebo and do push-ups (incline or on ground) x 12

- Jog or walk to another bench or the gazebo and do single leg split squats x 12 (total)

- Jog or walk to another bench and do dips x 12

- Jog or walk two laps for a cool down.

- Perform a full body stretch.Start  with one circuit (the first six movements from #2 above) and work your way up to four circuits. Try this workout 2- 3 times per week with at least one day of rest in between sessions. Try adding a circuit each week to increase the difficulty, or for advanced exercisers, increase the reps for each exercise.

Todd Cambio is a personal trainer in Stonington and can be reached at (860) 287-3768, by e-mail at todd@toddcambio.com or by visiting www.ToddCambio.com.