Seize the Summer: Hydrow’s Guide to Preparing for Outdoor Adventures

As the sun shines brighter and the days get warmer, summer fun beckons! Whether it's beach days, water sports, biking, hiking, or simply enjoying gardening or outdoor strolls, there's so much to look forward to with family and friends. 

But to fully enjoy these adventures, we need more than just excitement—we need strength, stamina, and mobility. That's where Hydrow comes in, helping you get fit and ready for all your summer adventures! 

But you might be asking yourself: How do I get started? 

As you already know, rowing boosts endurance, a must for long, outdoor adventures. To supercharge your strength and confidence, try mixing bodyweight and dumbbell exercises into your Hydrow routine. Bodyweight workouts are versatile and can be done almost anywhere—no equipment required!—and dumbbells offer progressive resistance for even more gains. Together, they can help build functional strength that’s perfect for outdoor fun—and hey, they'll even help you rock that summer wardrobe! Hydrow's got all you need to amp up your summer vibes with confidence.

If you need some additional suggestions, check out the following Hydrow workout and activity recommendations. These are your shortcut to unlocking the best of our library, ensuring you’ll be prepared for your best—and strongest—summer ever! 

Doing more gardening and yard work?

• Search for:

  • Beginner core + leg-focused strength workouts

  • Beginner Pilates workouts

  • Whole-body mobility workouts featuring core exercises like plans and dead bugs

• Why: With lots of bending, lifting, and hauling, core and leg strength is essential to reduce back strain and protect your back while in the garden. For example, when lifting a heavy object, if you initiate the lift with your legs, assuming the heavy load is in your arms, your core needs to be strong enough to stabilize and assist your back. Just as in rowing, the core and back connect your hips to your shoulders and arms. Make sure to follow up your intense yard work with a mobility-focused cool-down to help keep your joints moving freely.

Heading to the beach with friends and family?

• Search for: 

  • Runner’s Program Collection 

  • Ankle mobility workouts

  • Rows from our Breathe category

• Why: You don’t need to be a runner to make good use of the Runner’s Program, which focuses on holistic lower-body strength and mobility geared toward being on your feet and utilizing leg power that will help you trek miles across the sand. Add in some ankle mobility to help improve your ability to walk on uneven surfaces while reducing possible injury. Rows from our Breathe category help build your cardiovascular endurance for long walks and chasing kids up and down the beach.

Sightseeing on foot or hiking?

• Search for:  

  • Rows from our Breathe and Journey categories 

  • Strength Building: Getting Started Collection

• Why: Breathe and Journey rows allow you to work at your own steady pace, helping to level-up your fitness level in a gentle, effective way designed to improve your endurance for light but sustained activities, like long walks exploring new locales. Workouts from our Strength Building: Getting Started Collection can build your lower body strength by targeting your glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings in an approachable way, helping you climb that next flight of stairs or take on elevation gains with ease.

Taking some excursions on your bike?

• Search for: 

  • Rows from our Breathe, Sweat, and Drive categories

  • Whole-body Pilates workouts 

  • Whole-body Circuit Training workouts

• Why: While cycling engages mostly the legs and glutes, core stability as well as core and shoulder strength are important for supporting and stabilizing the upper body, especially for longer bike excursions. While Breathe rows work on steady endurance building, Sweats help you build power and stamina for longer hill climbs, and Drives help train you for quick bursts of speed and power.

Navigating the local waterways on a kayak or paddleboard?

• Search for:  

  • Whole-body Strength workouts

  • Whole-body Pilates workouts 

  • Circuit training workouts featuring squats, lunges, and planks

• Why: Strengthening your core will help improve your balance and stability whether in a kayak or on a paddleboard. Strength training with a focus on the major muscle groups surrounding joints like hips and shoulders will improve your ability to connect your limbs through your core for more power as you paddle or steer yourself across the water. 

As you gear up for a summer filled with sunshine and adventure, remember that Hydrow is your ultimate companion in achieving peak fitness and confidence. With rowing as your foundation for endurance, complemented by strength and mobility workouts, you’ll be primed for any excursion. Work out with Hydrow and say “YES!” to your best summer ever.