How To Do A Playground Workout (+ 7 Reasons Why I <3 Them!)
Confession: I am pretty much a giant child. I have a blue bicycle named Betty with a Disney princess bell. My husband and I have no kids, but still go to the pool on Saturdays and ride the waterslides by ourselves. And I REALLY like to play at the playground. NO joke. I wish there were adult playgrounds. Because most 8 year olds don’t like to share the monkey bars with a grown up. Heck, I’m a grown woman and I still don’t really like taking turns either.
This week alone I’ve had multiple people ask me for advice on how to fit in a workout when they have kids to take care of. Simultaneously, I’ve been exploring the idea of incorporating more fun and play into my yoga classes. When a new client asks me to make her workouts as fun as possible? Challenge accepted. Let’s have all the fun!
When did excercise become a chore anyway?
I’ve always loved to move. But I feel like the moment I learned what calories and 6 pack abs were, my relationship with it changed. When we make it about doing exercises we hate because someone said we “should”, all fun goes out the window. I’m on a mission to bring it back.
The other day, one of my regular clients had to cancel on me and texted me later that day:
“Ughhhhh what should I do tomorrow??”
My response?
It’s gonna to be a beautiful day! Go outside and do something fun. Walk? Bike? Run? Swim? What sounds good? Or…
Playground workout for the win!
Wanna know 7 things I love about playground workouts?
1. You get to be outside.
2. you can take kids along.
3. You can take your fur child along.
4. It’s free.
5. it’s quick and easy.
6. There are a ton of possibilities depending on the equipment you have available.
7. it’s fun AF.
Here are some of my favorite exercises to do as a part of a playground workout. Plus some tips and tricks, and video demos.
Park Bench Pushups
These are awesome because you can scale them to your level. Can’t do a pushup at all? No problem. Start on the highest part of the bench and work your way down. Already rock at pushups? Elevate your feet for an added challenge.
Tips:
- Find your plank first and maintain it as you lower.
- Lead with your chest rather than your chin.
- Create tension in your body to generate more strength. Engage your glutes and your abs. Grip the bench or the ground.
- Breathe. Inhale as your lower and give a strong exhale on the way back up.
Monkey Bar Pull-ups
The monkey bars are a great place to work on pull-ups. Because they are made for children, it’s often easier to reach the bar than a pull-up bar you might find at a gym. You can start out by hanging to work on your grip strength. Progress to jumping negatives. (I got my first unassisted pull-up by practicing a lot of these.)
Tips:
- Neutral grip and underhand grip tend to be more accessible if you’ve never done a pull-up before.
- Keep all your muscles tight and it will feel easier.
- Squeeze your legs together or cross at your ankles. If the bars are high enough, straighten your legs.
- Draw your shoulders down your back, and work to keep them there as you lower.
Swingset Suspension Training
The swings can be used for some different variations on planks. I like using swings because they are easier to set up. Sometimes it can be awkward to get your feet into a suspension trainer or on a stability ball. I show a few of my favorite variations, but feel free to get creative!
Tips:
- Practice holding a high plank first before you add an element of instability like swings.
- Use your core to draw your knees into your chest (or your hips to the sky) and come back to your plank position as you return.
- Keep your hips level and still if you’re going for shoulder taps.
- You might want to bring a towel to put under your hands to avoid splinters, dirt, or hot pavement.
Squats/Pistol Prep
The playground is full of different levels. Pick how low you want to squat and use the step as a measure. This is also a great way to work on balance and start playing around with pistol squats.
Tips:
- Set up your stance with your feet about shoulder width distance apart. Adjust from there to find your perfect placement. Your toes can point straight forward or turn out slightly.
- Initiate your squat like you’re about to sit in a chair and keep your chest as upright as possible.
- Track your knees over the center of your feet. If you notice they are knocking in a little, press them open towards your pinky toes on the way down and up.
- Fully extend your knees and hips and tighten your glutes at the top.
- Get comfortable with squats on two feet before you move to one leg.
Box Jumps/Step Ups
Cardio…don’t put me down for cardio. 😉 Not gonna lie, cardio isn’t always my fave. Takes me back to the days when I used to use it as punishment for what I ate. But I know a lot of people who love it! Try step ups or any sort of stair climb variation. If you’re up for a challenge and are good with jumping, go for some box jumps.
Tips:
- Box jumps can be scary if you’re not used to them! Start on a lower step to build your confidence.
- Land with bent knees and stabilize yourself as you land.
- Stand all the way up at the top.
Not sure how to put it all together? Here are a couple of suggestions:
Do a circuit
1-2 minutes each exercise for as many rounds as you have time for, minimal rest between exercises.
Intervals
Pick an exercise and decide how long you want to work (or play hehe), how long you want to rest, and how many rounds you’re going to do. Decrease your rest time and add rounds for more of a challenge. Examples: 30 seconds play, 30 seconds rest, 5 rounds. 20 seconds play, 10 seconds rest, 8 rounds (tabata style). You decide what works for you!
Countdown
Decide how many reps and sets you want to do of each exercise. Then count down. It gets easier as you go! Examples: 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1, 10-8-6-4-2, 20-15-10-5, etc.
A word about exercise selection:
The professional in me wants to tell you some smart ways to put together your workout. Some ways you could pair things:
- An upper body exercise with a lower body exercise (push-ups and squats).
- A pushing exercise and a pulling exercise (pull-ups and push-ups).
- Choose 2-5 exercises to do during your workout.
The keep-it real truth. . .YOU WILL BE FINE NO MATTER WHAT YOU CHOOSE!
- Choose movements you like.
- Try things you want to get better at.
- Don’t stress about how you put your workout together.
- HAVE FUN!
If you’d rather just go to the playground and use the equipment as intended, have at it!
Use your discretion to decide what’s sturdy enough for your grown-up self. I’m certainly not going to stop you. 😉 Don’t see a variation here that works for YOUR body? Let me know! I try to keep things as accessible as possible here, but I’m still learning too. Contact me or leave a comment and ask me for what you need. I’m always happy to help troubleshoot and help you find what’s gonna work for you.
Finally, please remember that if you’re struggling with compulsive exercise, the best thing for you right now might be to take some time away from structured movement. Check in with yourself to make sure you’re doing what’s right for you, and know that sometimes the best self-care is to let yourself take a rest day!
