10 Park Workout Ideas For (Huge Gains)
If you're looking for some unorthodox training methods, check out these park workout ideas I came up with. I still do them from time to time and never get tired off them.
think outside the box and get creative with your training, look at everyday objects in a new light. Think of ways you could train with it!
Anyways…
You know, we see kids every day playing at the parks, but we're too self-conscious to do it ourselves. Kids call it playing, adults call it working out, wink!
Well guess what? Us adults can play or whatever with the kiddos.
Here are my park workout methods that will definitely get you some amazing results outside and under the sun, the best part is its free, do-it!
1. Monkey Bars
The Strait Bar
Ha, there are a number of ways you can utilize monkey bars. Look at the the straight bar, which you’ll see most commonly at just about every children’s park.
These are great for pull ups, bar dips, and core exercises.
You can even perform the most advance calisthenics movements like the Muscle-up, L-sit, and front levers.
The Rings
Rings can be in a fixed position, or swivel, it all depends where you go. You’ll find them at local, state, and calisthenics parks (but those kinds of parks are much much less common).
Rings are great for chin-ups, and hanging core exercises. You can also perform the same advanced calisthenics exercise with a slight change in grip variation.
The Pole
You can even equip the side of the pole with an assortment of bands, for pulling or pushing exercises.
Believe it or not, bands are my specialty. I use resistance bands with handles, and Pull-up bands with you can purchase online. You may be able to find crappy ones in Walmart, and a decent pair at Dicks sporting goods.
Attach your bands to the side of the pole for…
- Curls
- Rows
- Chest presses
- Triceps extensions
- Chest fly's
2. Parallel Bars
These bars are for all of your dip exercises and can be done with your body weight only, or you can add in a back pack or weighted vest which I’ll talk more about soon.
Parallel bars can be use for dips, planche push ups, L-sits, knee raises, and rowing exercises for the back.
3. Rocks (aka. Boulder Training)
Find yourself a nice large boulder by the shore side or in in the woods. Now lug that bad boy back to your spot (wherever that is and by then you should be warmed up from the hull).
I sat these nice boulders on the table, now I have several resistance levels. The smaller rock was great for lunges, curls and shoulder presses. Where as the larger rock was best for squats, carries, and dead-lifts.
A perspective change — It takes a different kind of perspective to look at a huge rock as an instrument for building muscle. You have to have a special kind of mindset for that. Think outside the box.
Because we are training with rocks and there are so many different ways you can utilize boulders as workout equipment.
Boulder Squats
Simply hold the boulder in front of you and do squats.
Think of it as a really heavy baby that you're cradling while you do a squat. Just don't drop this baby on your toe.
It wont cry but YOU will.
In order to properly do this exercise hold the rock in front of you the grip that best suit you and the shape of the rock. Keep your glutes and your lower back tight and straight, and keep some internal pressure.
Now, with each and every rep breath out on the way down, inhale and brace your core and hold your breath on the way up. you should feel lungs of lung pressure, exhale at the top of the movement.
Rock Curls
With a slightly smaller rock. Hold it and curl, it just like you would with the barbell. Grasp the sides of the rock and grip it with your fingers and your palms.
You want your fingers somewhat underneath the rock to so it doesn't slip out your hands also.
Rock lunges
The same way you would do a normal lunge. Just hold one of the rocks in front of you. Like you're cradling a baby and do lunges. Make sure you use good form. Keep your core tight like I said with the rock squats.
Rock Shoulder Presses
Rock shoulder, presses are another great exercise. Just like with a barbell you press the rock up overhead, instead of grasping your hands around the barbell grab the rock with the best grip you can handle.Press it overhead without dropping it on your face!
Rock carries
Simply hold the rock like right in front of you. Just like you would cradle a baby and walk for distance. This is similar to a farmer's carries.
This is a common exercise you'll see people doing in the gym with heavy dumbbells, or a rack.
4. Log Training
Lifting logs are not just for the lumberjacks, but if you want to get JACKED try’em. To be honest it can be difficult to find one depending on where you live. It’s not like they’re randomly lying around for most of us. But if you have access to logs definitely try this.
Here's some of the exercises you can do.
Log Flips
with log flips, you simply stand on one end of the log. And pick up the log, press it up to shoulder height from your hips.
Then you want to press it up over your head and walk forward with your hands. Traveling down the underside of the log.
Think of it as like you're walking and pressing and walking with your hands also at the same time, eventually you'll flip the log over. You can pick up the log and repeat this process over and over again and flip the log. It's great for training, your back, your biceps, your grip strength, your shoulders, and everything.
Log Shoulder Presses.
The same way you would do the log flip button instead of flipping. It just press it up over your head, only one side of the log. Now, while the other side is resting into the ground and do reps with it,
On to the next exercise
5. Picnic Tables
The picnic table is a versatile training tool. Its not just for sitting and eating, what where you thinking?
Reverse Back Extensions
lay on the table stomach side down and grab the sides of the table. The lower half of you body hanging off (about waist level). Now raise and lower you’re legs while keeping them straight (pivoting at the hip).
You can even bend your knees at the bottom and tuck them in before kicking strait out with both legs, as another variation.
Sit ups
Sit on the bench with your legs under the table and press your knees into the under-side of the table. Then lean back like you would do a sit up. perform this motion for reps.
Band workouts
attach bands to the table for curls. You can loop a towel through a pull-up band that you attach to the bars on the table. Now you can do hammer towel curls.
Picnic table shoulder presses
Stand on one end of the table facing it, then squat down, and put your palms under the table in a front squat position. Your elbows should be bent and the table should be on top of your hands. Squat up in this position.
Then while standing press the end of the table over your head for reps. The other end of the table will remain on the ground.
Pink nick table squats
Just like the shoulder press, but instead of pressing the end of the table over head. Bend at the knees and maintain a good squat position, with your core engaged and your glutes and quads engaged. Perform this for reps and make sure to breath!
6. Trees
Tree limbs are a great attachment point for bands, suspension trainers, straps or a towel. You can even do pull-ups and chin ups from a strong tree limb.
You can use the trunk of the tree to brace your body against for calf raises or handstand push ups.
7. Backpacks And Weighted Vests
Whether you decide to load up an old backpack full of heavy Shit, or wear a weighted vest, these two tools can be used separately or together for training at the park.
You can even incorporate the vest or backpack into your push-ups, pull-ups, squats, and more. All of the calisthenic park exercises mentioned here can be vamped-up with either of theses tools.
8. Flat Grass Sufaces
The grass is a great training surface, its like an organic yoga mat, meant to cushion all of your ground based exercises. You can push ups, lunges, squats, core workouts, and ply-metrics! Just make sure there are no (landmines aka doodies, glass or rocks)
Hey its time to put on the backpack and the vest for those grass workouts! Do-it!
9. Hills
Hills are great for training your lower body and the cardiovasular system. You can do sprint or do hill climbers (on all four’s).
You can even add in the backpack or the weighted vest like I already mentioned for a more intense workout.
10. Suspension Trainers (and or) Gymnastic Rings
Suspension trainers and gymnastic rings are portable workouts devices that You can take to any park. You can attach them to any tree limb or overhead bar.
You can do tons of different exercises with these. Just about every calisthenics exercise known to man can be done from them. They are the ultimate body weight training tool. And again don't forget to add in your backpack full of heavy crap, or weighted vest (to build more strength).
In Conclusion…
You can use these exercises at any fitness level. You can get a full body workout at the park, get sunshine and mingle with others (if you want).
You can use your bodyweight or even add in a weight backpack or vest to make them harder. Parks are more than what they were build for. With a unique perspective and creative mind, the possibilities for interesting and challenging exercises are endless. Be sure to clap, follow, and share a thought if you got value from this post. Thanks and see you in the next post.
