The biggest payoff is the way you’ll feel. The outdoors can help invigorate your spirit and revitalize your emotional power. So, tune in to nature and try some of these alternative workouts.
Parks, playgrounds, hills, hiking trails, tracks, stadium stairs and beaches are just a few of the options from which you can choose. Your own 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.
Try this sample Park workout:
1. Jog or briskly walk two laps to warm up
2. Stop at an area that is fairly flat for some dynamic flexibility/
a. Jumping jacks – ankles, calves, and shoulders warm up x 24
b. Cross over toe touches - hamstring stretch x 24 total (12 per leg)
c. High knee hug - hip flexor stretch x 24 total
d. Lateral lunge - adductor stretch and leg strength x 12 total
e. Walking lunges – quads, glutes, and hips stretch and leg strength x 12 total
f. Hold a plank x 30 seconds
3. Jog or walk to stairs of choice and do step ups or climb them fast for 30 seconds
4. Jog or walk to a bench or the gazebo and do push-ups (incline or on ground) x 12
5. Jog or walk to another bench or the gazebo and do single leg split squats (see photo) x 12 total
6. Jog or walk to another bench and do dips x 12
7. Jog or walk two laps for a cool down
8. Perform a full body stretch
Start out with one circuit (#2 – 6) 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.
