10 Best Summer Series Part 2: 10 Summer Exercise Strategies That Work
Stay Active. Stay Safe. Stay Strong.
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Vitality Vibes Summer Series Part 2 of 3
The 10 Best Ways to Exercise During the Summer Months
Protect Your Energy. Support Your Body. Enjoy the Season.
Exercising in the summer can feel like a double-edged sword. On one hand, the longer days and sunshine invite you outside. On the other, heat and humidity can drain your energy, elevate cardiovascular strain, and increase the risk of dehydration, especially in older adults.
The key isn’t to stop moving, it’s to adjust how you move.
Here are the 10 best ways to exercise in the summer. Smart, safe strategies that let you stay consistent, cool, and strong without compromising your health.
1. Shift Your Workout Time
Midday sun can spike core temperature and blood pressure.
What to do: Exercise before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. for safer, cooler conditions.
Bonus: Early morning movement helps set your circadian rhythm and boost mood.
2. Use Water-Based Workouts
Water cools the body, supports joints, and adds resistance for strength gains.
Try this:
Water walking in a shallow pool
Aqua aerobics
Swim laps or do interval sprints
Added perk: Great for recovery and low-impact conditioning.
3. Take Your Workouts to Shaded Green Spaces
Tree-covered paths and parks are often 5–10°F cooler than open areas.
Activities: Brisk walking, tai chi, resistance band circuits, or even bodyweight flows in a shaded backyard.
Psychological bonus: Nature reduces cortisol and improves motivation.
4. Try Indoor Mind-Body Movement
Yoga, Pilates, Qigong, and mobility training enhance strength, balance, and flexibility without overheating.
Options:
Chair yoga for joint mobility
Yin yoga for recovery
Standing flows for posture and alignment
Add a fan and cooling music for a serene session.
5. Use Resistance Bands for Strength Without the Heat
Strength training is vital for aging well — but heavy weights in summer can feel too intense.
What to do: Use resistance bands indoors to train upper body, legs, and core.
Try supersets: Two back-to-back exercises with short rest = time-efficient, effective, and heat-safe.
6. Choose Stop-and-Go Sports or Games
Intermittent activity with built-in rest allows your body to recover from heat buildup.
Examples:
Pickleball (early morning)
Bocce, frisbee, ping pong
Doubles tennis with breaks between games
Social + fitness = win-win
7. Walk Often, Even in Short Bursts
Walking is low-strain cardio that supports heart, brain, and joint health — even in small amounts.
Strategy:
10-minute walks after meals
Evening strolls for digestion and wind-down
Use shaded routes or walk indoors during peak heat
Goal: Aim for at least 5,000–7,000 steps/day. Break it up throughout the day.
8. Use Short HIIT Sessions with Built-In Cooling
High-intensity interval training boosts cardiovascular and metabolic fitness — and short bursts keep body temperature lower.
Sample: 30 seconds of bodyweight moves (squats, push-ups, marches) followed by 60 seconds of cool-down walking.
Vital tip: Stay hydrated and train near a fan or in a ventilated room.
9. Listen to Your Body — and Know the Warning Signs
Overexertion in the heat can be dangerous.
Watch for: Dizziness, fatigue, nausea, headache, cramps, rapid heartbeat.
Response: Stop, hydrate, cool down, and rest. If symptoms persist, seek medical help.
10. Focus on Consistency, Not Intensity
The best exercise is the one you stick with, especially in extreme weather.
Mindset shift: Prioritize frequency and variety over intensity.
Examples:
20 minutes of movement 5–6 days per week
Mix cardio, strength, mobility, and rest
Reminder: Summer is about sustainable strength, not pushing through discomfort.
Vitality Vibe of the Week:
The smartest way to move in the heat is to listen to your body, respect the season, and keep showing up with wisdom, not willpower.
Closing Thoughts: Train With the Season, Not Against It
Exercise doesn’t stop when the temperature rises — it simply shifts. The smartest summer workouts honor the season by protecting your body from heat stress while still building strength, stamina, and resilience. I exercise throughout the summer. When it gets very hot, I use an indoor recumbent bike rather than venture outdoors for a walk.
Whether it’s a shaded walk, an early morning flow, or a water-based session, movement can still be powerful without being punishing.
Consistency is what matters. Not the sweat. Not the pace. Not the push.
In Part 3 of our Summer Series, we’ll turn from movement to protection with The 10 Best Ways to Care for Your Skin in the Summer Heat. You’ll learn how to nourish your skin from the inside out, support recovery, and maintain your glow through the sunniest season of the year.
Until then, keep moving smart, stay cool, and protect the only body you’ve got.
— Dr. Robert Oliva
Vitality Vibes is here to help you thrive for life through the transformative journey to mental and physical health.
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Reminder: if you have any concerns about the your health, don’t hesitate to see your medical provider. None of the suggestions in this newsletter should supersede the advice of your physician. Vitality Vibes does not diagnose or treat any medical diseases or conditions.
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Newsletter Bonus
Martine’s Summer Corn Salsa
Every summer, when we celebrate national holidays, birthdays, etc. we always have Martine’s famous corn salsa. It’s a great hit and you have to get to it early to get some. It’s tasty, nutritious, and a lot of fun to savor. Martine has permitted me to share her time honored recipe with Vitality Vibes subscribers.
Enjoy!!!
Corn Salsa Ingredients
2 cans Black eyed peas* (Sylvia’s or Morning Glory)
Rinsed and strained
2 cans White shoe peg corn
Strained
2 Green peppers
Rinsed and diced
2 Medium red onions or 1 lg
Diced
Salsa Sauce
1/3 cup - Olive oil
1/2 cup - Red Wine vinegar
Sugar - To taste
Salt - To taste
Black pepper - peppercorn grinder 3 clicks
Franks hot sauce - To taste
Instructions
Have a box mixing bowl for veggies and small bowl to make the sauce.
Place the stained and rinsed black eyed peas, strained white shoepeg corn, and diced peppers and onions ** in large mixing bowl, mix, and place to the side.
Take small mixing bowl and add the oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Add the Franks Hot Sauce and sugar a tablespoon spoon each.
Then whisk together and taste the sauce. It will be strong since it’s concentrated but don’t fret. The sugar and corn will balance the acidity out.
Once you have mixed the sauce to the taste you prefer, pour sauce over veggies and mix together.
Place in large container with a top that locks. Shake container and flip upside down to get the sauce mixed.
Place in fridge overnight. On the next day, mix and serve. I love to serve with Tostitos Scoops.
*Sylvia’s or Morning Glory peas are hard to find. Using Goya black eyed peas or store brand is also a great alternative and what I regularly use.
**You can use a chopper or processor to dice the onions and peppers. Just pour any leftover juice.
Let me know your experience with the recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. If you have favorite summer recipes, I would love to hear about them.