Playgrounds aren’t just for kids — they’re for parents, too! By getting creative and using a variety of equipment at the playground, the possibilities are endless for a fun playground workout.
School’s officially out for summer! The end of school means lots of time outdoors at the pool, in the woods, and at the playground. As much as I enjoy my free time during the school year, I do really enjoy spending time with my kids outside during the summer. But as my kids are getting bigger and more independent, they need me less as a supervisor and more as a chauffeur. What’s a fit mom to do while her kids play on the playground and virtually ignore her?
Well, there are always the options to read, chat on the phone, or catch up with social media. But those can get boring pretty quickly, especially if you’re a busy body like me and need to move. The next best option is to do a little playground workout. You’d be surprised at how versatile the playground can be for a solid workout. The trick is to keep it short and sweet in case the minions need you. Check out this simple — and fun! — playground workout to keep you fit and entertained this summer!
Fun and Simple Playground Workout
1. Tricep dips
I’m all about the triceps lately. For me, it’s a very underutilized muscle group. I need to actively engage my triceps to make sure they’re firing. Tricep dips are simple to do at a playground. All you need is a picnic bench, a swing, a stair — basically anything to hold on to as you lower yourself down into the dip. I would aim for 3-4 sets of 10-20 dips per set for maximum benefit.
2. Step ups
Steps ups are a crazy simple move that will work your glutes, hammies, and quads. Step ups can be done on a stair, a park bench, or even a short landscaping wall. Do 3-4 sets of 10-20 repetitions of these and your glutes will be firing in no time!
3. Pull ups
Not everyone can successfully execute a pull up (present company included!) so this might not be for you. But if it is, you can easily incorporate pull ups into a playground workout. Hello, monkey bars! They’re practically begging to be used for pull ups! If you’re in for unassisted pull ups, try doing 2-3 sets of 5-10 pull ups per set. And you can try to find a suitable spot for assisted pull ups if that’s more your thing!
4. Picnic table jumps (aka box jumps)
The playground offers the perfect place to perfect your box jump technique. There’s a variety of heights to choose from be it the bottom step of a climbing gym, a picnic table seat, a park bench, or the picnic table itself. If you’ve never done a box jump before, start with the lowest possible platform or skip this exercise all together. Otherwise, complete 3-4 sets of 10-20 reps of box jumps.
5. Hopscotch
And finally, the most fun playground exercise of all — hopscotch! By using the squares laid out in hopscotch, you can treat the game as an agility ladder. Jump two feet together, single leg alternating, and single leg steady for all sorts of fun variations of hopscotch. Plus this is a fun way of getting your kids involved, too!
Playgrounds aren’t just for kids — they’re for parents, too! By getting creative and using a variety of equipment at the playground, you can really get your sweat on. Plus, you’ll be setting a great example for the kids. The possibilities are endless for a fun playground workout. Hopefully this gives you an idea of where to start — you can add on from here!
Happy summer break!
Don’t forget to enter to win a FREE MONTH of run coaching. You don’t have to be local to win! Check out this post to enter to win!
xo
Let’s talk!
Do you work out at the playground?
Can you do unassisted pull ups?
Loading InLinkz ...
