Outdoor Workout Guide

     Spring has arrived. It is a wonderful time of the year to get outside and exercise. These workouts  are invigorating and give us a chance to be with nature. Here are some exercises that you can do in the great outdoors without equipment using nature around you.

Walking Lunges -Click to view the video

Focus on proper technique. Make sure your knee does not go past your ankle.
Muscles Worked: Lower extremity, focus on quadriceps.
Starting Position
Start with your feet together. If you want to use dumbells, hold them in your hands with your palms facing your thighs.
Action
INHALE: Perform a lunge with one leg. Make sure that your knee is not past your ankle.
EXHALE:Instead of returning to the starting position, bring your other foot even with the one that just completed the lunge.
Tips
MAKE SURE THAT YOUR FRONT KNEE DOES NOT GO PAST YOUR ANKLE. You may need to readjust by stepping out further. Hold onto a wall if you need to for balance


Decline Push Up on the Bench - Click to view the video
Find a park bench to do these on.
Muscles Worked: Pectorals, triceps, biceps, shoulders.
Starting Position: Place your hands shoulder-width apart on the bench. Bend your elbows and place your hands palm down on the floor beside your chest. Place your feet about an inch apart. Extend your elbows and hold yourself up on your toes. Make sure your back is in line with your lower legs. Stay as straight as possible.
Action: Slowly bend your elbows to lower your chest to the bench. Keep your back and legs as straight as possible. Stop just before your chest touches the bench.
Push back up to return to the starting position.


Tips:
1.     Exhale as your push up off the floor, inhale when you lower your chest down to the bench.
2.     Widen your hands to focus the exercise on your chest.
3.     Bring your hands closer together to focus the exercise on your triceps.
4.     Keep your head in the most comfortable position whether it is up or down.


Calf Raise – Click to view the video
Find a tree or a street sign to hold onto.
Muscles Worked: Calves
Starting Position
You will need a wall or a sturdy object to grab onto. Place both feet about 2-4 inches apart while holding on to the wall or sturdy object.
Action
INHALE: Stand as high as you can on your toes.
EXHALE:Return to the starting position.
Tips
Try to keep your legs as straight as possible. This will help tighten your lower extremity muscles and focus more of the resistance on your calves.


Side Seated Leg Lift – Click to view the video
Sit on a bench or in the grass.
Muscles Worked: Glutes, hamstrings.
Starting Position: Sit on the floor with one knee bent so that your foot is flat on the ground. Fully extend the opposite leg with your toes pointing up. Place your hands with your palms down for support.
Action: Raise the straight leg 4 to 6 inches off the ground. Move the leg to the side away from the leg that is bent. Go out to the side as far as possible.
Return the leg to the starting position. Repeat for the determined number of repetitions.
Repeat the exercise for the other side.


Tips:
1.     Keep the leg straight throughout the exercise.
2.     Keep the rest of your body as still as possible while doing a Side Seated Leg Lift.


Tricep Dips - Click to view the video
Use a bench for your Dips.
Muscles Worked: Triceps.
Starting Position: Sit on the side of the bench with your feet shoulder width apart. Place your palms to your side on the bench with your fingers facing the front. Let your fingers hang slightly off the edge of the bench so that they curl underneath the bench. Walk your feet out a few inches in front of you so that your glutes are no longer over the bench. Your knees should be at 90-degrees directly over your ankles.
Action: Bend your elbows and slowly lower your body to the ground. Stop when your elbows are at 90-degrees.
Push up on the bench with your hands and extend your arms to return to the starting position.


Tips:
1.     You may push off with your feet if you need assistance.
2.     To make the Triceps Dips more difficult, walk your feet out so that they are fully extended.              
3.     To further increase difficulty, place your feet on a chair or on another bench

Now, we can workout in the great outdoors without any equipment. Thank You to exercisemenu.com for this useful outdoor workout guide. The video links are a great learning tool to use. If you would like to contact us with any questions or feedback, you can reach us by email. 

Thank you for visiting! 

Joseph A. JonesWellLife Team