Summer solstice: working out in the summer evenings

Lighter nights in the spring and summer months give us more time to exercise and enjoy the warm evening sun. Some people might prefer to go to the gym in the evening after work, but working out at home – either in an airy room with natural light or in the garden – can be just as effective in your summer fitness plan.

 

With an Echelon membership, you have access to hundreds of on-demand classes to follow 24/7 on your smart rowing machine or indoor exercise bikes, including a smart exercise bike. We can support you as you transform your fitness routine with a supportive fitness community as we move closer to the longest day of the year, meaning you can make the most of your time exercising in the light summer evenings.

 

What is the summer solstice?

The summer solstice is the one day of the year with the longest period of daylight and shortest night, marking the official start of astronomical summer. It occurs when one of the Earth’s poles is tilted towards the sun at its most extreme angle and happens twice a year because of the Earth’s tilt.

 

The summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere takes place this year on Saturday 21^st June, whilst the Southern Hemisphere experiences their summer solstice in December.

 

Lighter evenings in the spring and summer months leading up to and after the summer solstice are a perfect time for you to try new workouts and new fitness routines from home, like using a smart rowing machine or a smart exercise bike.

 

Creating a home gym space means you can enjoy the light evenings working out in your gym space, but you can also ensure you are keeping cool during summer workouts by exercising later in the day, avoiding the hottest time of the day or exercising in your dedicated space with a fan or air conditioning.

 

Exercise for the summer evenings

 

Regardless of whether you’re looking at how to sweat this summer during intense workouts or if you’re looking to move your body with stretches and light movement through our Reflect classes, the summer solstice is a great time to get started.

 

You can make the most of light, warm evenings by implementing an exercise plan that works for you, from walking and running to using Echelon’s smart rowing machine or smart exercise bike or low-impact exercises like yoga and pilates.

 

Setting up a dedicated gym space in your home means you can work out in an area that works best for you, but also one that is separate from other aspects of your life, like working, cooking and spending time with your family or friends. If you have a dedicated indoor gym space, you could include a smart rowing machine from Echelon, or one of our indoor exercise bikes like a smart exercise bike with an integrated screen. You can beat the heat of the outdoors, but you can also get in a blood-pumping cardio exercise.

 

Or, if you’d rather exercise in an outdoor space like your garden, our Echelon membership offers unlimited off-equipment workout classes for you to follow, led by our expert instructors through the FitPass section of the Echelon Fit App. You can try yoga or pilates and other full body stretches to get your body moving during the summer solstice.

 

Listening to your body is important, so using the lighter evenings to embrace movement variety and try new things could be the shake up your exercise routine is looking for.

 

Benefits of working out in the evening

 

Whilst some people prefer to complete their workout in the early hours of the day, others prefer to exercise in the evening. If you work out exclusively in the gym, it might offer you a calmer environment if you visit later in the evening, but you can easily replicate this at home to switch up your fitness routine.

 

There are several benefits to working out in the evening, including:

 

·      Boosting your muscle strength

·      Increasing your workout focus levels

·      Helping you sleep better

·      Reducing stress