Take your workout outdoors for strength training in your local park

Sun is shining, gyms are full of germs. There's never been a better time for outdoor workouts!

Take your workout outdoors
(Image credit: Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels)

Not being able to go to a gym after developing a solid routine is frustrating to say the least. With gyms open one minute and closed the next, many people have been left fretting over what will become of their hard sought gains. It’s easy to think that all the months of hard work was for nothing. But the good news is, you can still build muscle effectively using your own bodyweight similar to lifting iron. All you need to do is head out into the nature and find your local park. 

Taking your workout outdoors means you can still gain definition, torch fat and keep your metabolism revved up long after your workout is done. You only need a few props to push against and pull on and some wide-open space. By using aides generally found in most parks, you can move your body and activate all the muscles you’re accustomed to when working out in a gym. You’ll no doubt be reminded of your childhood when performing some of these fun bodyweight exercises. But don’t be fooled into thinking it’s a walk in the park. Though it may look like you're playing, a workout in the park will put your whole body through its limits.

Some ideas to get you started

You can’t get more of a natural prop than a tree which can be used in ample ways to exercise. The obvious one is using a tree branch to do pull ups but it can also be used to climb up one using your entire body. You can even mix it up by running towards a tree, jumping on it, grabbing a branch while in motion, hanging from it while working on your resistance. 

A bench is great to use for box jumps by squatting down until your thighs are parallel to the ground and launching yourself up on the bench. It can also be used to do push-ups and tricep dips. If you’re looking for a killer leg workout why not do a Bulgarian split squat to work those quadriceps and glutes?

Hands down the bear crawl will be a childhood reminder and it can be done under some children’s playground equipment. It will be naturally low forcing you to keep as close to the ground as possible as you crawl forward like a bear.

Sabi Phagura
Freelance Writer

Sabi is a fitness enthusiast who’s been involved in some kind of sports since school. No sport is off-limits (apart from hockey after she was scarred for life when she lost a tooth) and she will try her hand at anything that involves moving. Sabi qualified as a fitness instructor 11 years ago and teaches kettlebells, spin, women’s weight lifting and cardio. As an NCTJ-trained journalist, she travels extensively to find fun ways to be fit and healthy around the globe. She is often found exploring new trails while listening to audiobooks, baking healthy treats and upcycling furniture in her spare time. She writes about general fitness, product reviews and offers her advice and tips on following a healthy lifestyle.