Green Daily

Forget gym memberships, heavy cable pulley machines and overpriced ab-reduction machines. Sometimes, the best workouts are positively green, and require little more than a good pair of shoes and an open outdoor space.

Recently, I ran into an old friend - who also happens to be a personal trainer - and she convinced me to attend one of her group fitness sessions. Her new company, OutFit, encourages clients to "think outside the gym" by expanding the workout comfort zone and using only body weight exercises and "resourceful equipment" (think: the "Rocky steps" leading up to the Philadelphia Museum of Art) to achieve their fitness goals.

And how was the workout compared to a gym workout? Read on to find out.
After a short warm-up, we (four men and three women) were put through a series of "suicides" (sprint to a certain point and back, sprint twice as far and back, and so on), as well as intervals which included squats, lunges, push-ups and "walking around" while in the plank position. The end of the workout consisted of timed sprints up and down the museum stairs.

And how did it compare to an indoor workout? Honestly, it was more fun, and definitely just as challenging. The fresh air and wind resistance could never be felt indoors or in a rec center, and there's something quite invigorating about going all out in the fresh air. I was just as physically exhausted afterward from using my body weight as resistance as I usually do after using a step, weights and resistance bands. The best part? When the workout was over, we packed up and walked away, leaving no trace of having been there.

If you can't get to Philly, look for similar exercise groups or running clubs in your area, or check out some of these workouts that can be performed almost anywhere:

• Women's Health offers four heart-pumping stair workout moves, as well as a great "No props? No prob!" routine
  
• Get a hard core workout at home with this Shape workout. All you need is a pair of 5-10 lb. dumbbells (one of the moves also calls for a stability ball, but you can substitute a light dumbbell, or hold your hands in the air and hold a "phantom" ball (the point of the exercise is to put you slightly off balance so you'll squeeze your abs and leg muscles).
  
• Read why Fitness magazine says you should trade in your treadmill for the trails