Looking for a fun place to get in your daily sweat session? Why not head to your local park or playground? Outdoor workouts at the park are the perfect, boredom-free way to get in your full-body training — no gym fees required!
You should be able to find enough open space to get in some cardio and body weight exercises at most parks. If you’re lucky, you may even find some equipment you can use to enhance your outdoor workouts.
Ready to give a park workout a try? Here’s how to get it done and have some fun along the way.
6 Exercises You Can Do at the Park
Tricep Dips
All you need is a park bench to do this move. Sit on a bench with hands on the edge. Extend your legs straight out in front of you and place feet flat on the ground. Lower your bottom down toward the ground until your elbows are bent 90 degrees, keeping your back straight. Hold for a few seconds, then raise your body up and repeat.
Hanging Crunches
Hold onto an overhead set of monkey bars or rings. Keeping your back straight and your core tight, lift your knees up, bringing them as close to your chest as you can. Lower legs to the ground and repeat.
Pull-Ups
Parks and playgrounds often have high bars you can use for pull-ups. If not, you may be able to find a sturdy tree limb to hang from. Hold onto the bar with arms slightly more than shoulder width apart and pull yourself up until your chin reaches the bar. Lower and repeat.
Swinging Cross Kicks
Sit on a swing, holding on firmly to the chains. Lift your legs straight out until they’re parallel to the ground. Cross one leg over the other and then switch, going back and forth. Aim to keep the swing as still as possible while moving your legs. This will strengthen your legs, arms, and core.
Body Weight Exercises
Find some open space to do your exercises of choice, using nothing but your body weight. Try jump squats, bear crawls, crab walks, burpees, or mountain climbers.
Cardio
There are plenty of ways to get in some cardio at the park. Taking a walk or going for a run aren’t the only options! If the sidewalks are smooth, strap on a pair of rollerblades. Or hop on your bike. (Don’t forget the helmet!) Aim for at least 20 minutes of cardio for a complete workout.
For all exercises, aim to do a set of 10 reps. Complete as many sets as you feel comfortable doing, taking a short rest between each one. One way to challenge yourself is to do repeat sets with one less rep each time, starting at 10 and working your way down to one. Don’t forget to warm up and cool down at the beginning and end of your workout.
