Playground Workout Tips

PLAYGROUND WORKOUT TIPS

As a Personal Trainer we are always looking for new ways of exercising especially for our clients. A lot of our clients are usually mum's trying to get back into shape since having their baby. 

As a mum myself I know how difficult it can be to even train at home as our toddlers are very "curious" and assume our exercise equipment are toys or our aerobic exercises are mummy being silly so LETS PLAY!

Have you noticed how good a child is if you take them to the local park or playground. They are settled and happy to just play so why not fit in a workout while they are amused with these exercise tips I'm going to share with you.

1. Tricep Dips

Benefits 

Improving your upper body strength and toning your arms especially in the tricep region

Instructions

1. Find a park bench or equipment such as a step and sit on it. 

2. Place hands on edge of the bench shoulder width apart, slide away from bench with arms straight and knees bent or straight out resting on heels. 

3. Lower body by bending arms, feeling the stretch in your chest and shoulders. 

4. Return to position, keeping the resistance by not sitting on the bench in between sets. Try doing 3x12 sets

Tip

The closer you are against the bench and the higher it is the easier the exercise. Slowly move away from the bench to make the exercise more challenging

2. Elevated Push Up 

BenefitsStrengthen Upper body and toning arms and shoulders. 

Instructions

1. Find a park bench. Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart on the edge of the bench with your body out straight, feet resting on toes

2. Bend arms to perform the push up until chest is resting or close to the bench and then straighten arms to extend body back into starting position.

Tip

Keep your core section tight during the exercise. The lower the bench the more challenging the exercise.

3. Declined Push Up

Benefits

Targets the chest area and being in a declined position adds more intensity to the exercise and works out your triceps as well. 

Instructions

1. Find a bench or anything you can elevate your feet onto

2. Position your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Place feet up onto the bench with your body out straight.

3. Perform your push up by lowering your upper body towards the ground, arm bent at 90 degrees and straight arms to return to starting position. Try 3x10 reps 

Tip

The higher the bench the harder the exercise. Only do these

push ups when you are comfortable with your regular push ups

 4. Jump Squat

Benefits

Great exercise to work your legs and core muscles. It will also improve on your strength and Balance. If you have joint problems I wouldn't recommend this exercise to you for the fact that you are landing with some force.

Instructions

1. Find a step or log etc

2. Standing tall with feet shoulder width a part, arms by your sides. 

3. Get into a squat position, swing arms back and then reaching up above your head as you jump for more power.

4. Bend your knees as you land so as not to hurt your knee joints. Drop your arms as you land.

Tip 
Stay in the landed position with knees slightly bent for two seconds. This gives your ankle muscles and core time to stabilise.

5. Step Ups

Benefits

Great for toning the lower body area and focuses on strength, stability and balance. 

Instructions

1. Find a bench or lower platform to step up onto

2. Place your first foot up onto the bench and lift your body with the second leg up onto the bench.

3. Step back down using the last leg you used until both legs are both flat onto the ground. Keep hands either up in front of you or beside you, whatever helps you stay balanced. Try 3x12 reps

Tip

Gently come back onto the ground after stepping up onto the bench to prevent injuries. For beginners always start on a lower platform and then progress to a higher step.

6.  Pull Ups

Benefits

Works on your upper body strength. Best to start on your feet to perform pull ups before attempting them off the ground

Instructions

1. Make an underhand grip on a bar which is around chest height. 

2. Slide your body horizontally under the bar keeping a firm grip and standing on your heels

3. Use your strength to pull your chest up towards the bar and lower back down in your starting position keeping the resistance throughout the set. Do 3x8 then slowly increase the reps

Tip

There are many variations for a pull up. Even though the above example is suggested to be a beginner exercise you will still gain benefits from performing them including toning, strength and great to fit into an interval program

7.  Lunges

Benefits

Good for toning and firming your lower body. When you are comfortable with normal lunges you can use bench lunges as a more advanced exercise

Instructions

1. With this exercise you can either use a swing (which requires more balancing skills) or just a bench

2. Stand in front of the swing/bench and place one foot behind on it at the edge, the other leg keeping it straight and balanced.

3. Have your hands on your hips to balance and slowly lunge down placing the pressure on the front leg. Go down as far as you can and then return to position. Complete 3x15 reps 

Tip

You can add hand weights to this exercise if you want to add more intensity or make it more challenging.

8. Knee Ups

Benefit

This is a variation of a PUSH UP where you are horizontally pushing outwards. It builds strength in the upper body.

Instructions

1. Balance your body weight on both hands, slightly wider than shoulder width apart and place feet up onto a swing seat. 

2. Bring your knees towards your chest staying on the swing. Then push the legs back out straight and repeat.

Tip

Practising your regular pushups will assist in gaining the strength to do this exercise better. Keep your core nice and firm throughout the exercise to form stability throughout the body.

9. Chin Ups

Benefits 

A full body exercise targeting the back, biceps and forearms. Another strength building exercise

Instructions

1. On the monkey bars or straight bar place hands in an overhand grip. You will need to stand up straight with arms up above you on the bars

2. Pull yourself up in one motion so your chin is just below the top bar and lower your body back into starting position

Tip

Ensure your stretch before performing chin ups especially your back region as it could lead to injury if you are not warmed up

You can also practice these with a box or bench underneath you then try them on their own once you are confident

10. Seated Squats

Benefits

Squatting assists with toning your legs and glutes. It's also a great way to get used to doing squats 

Instructions

1. Find a bench or step at the park. Stand in front of it feet slightly apart

2. You can have yours arms folded over each other or out in front. 

3. Keep your core section tight and squat down onto the bench and then return to standing position. Do 3x15 reps and increase the reps as your body adapts to the exercise. 

Tip

The lower the bench the harder the exercise. You can also do squats on their own if the bench becomes too easy

Also, you can do a jump squat in which you will leap

up into a jump and land back down onto the bench. Continuous jumping adds more intensity to the workout