Before adolescence, your child will clock hundreds of hours at neighborhood playgrounds, which can be both a godsend and a boredom factory for you.
The next time your child needs to work out the wiggles, use that chaperone time for your own health and wellness with these simple outdoor exercise moves designed to help you stay strong, active, and flexible. All you need is a playground bench, fence, or pole (no other equipment is required) for these moves, demonstrated by NCSF-certified trainer Teresa Mangan, who suggests repeating each exercise 8 to 10 times for two rounds.
Level up by engaging in strength and cardio play with your child — hanging on the monkey bars together, pumping your legs on a swing, or playing tag or hide-and-seek. Chasing games provide a fun cardio boost that’s sure to include giggles. Another option: Bring a ball to the playground to toss around for fun and test your balance and agility. Challenge each other to stand on one foot while dribbling the ball or playing catch, using both your dominant and non-dominant sides. Toss two tennis balls to each other to catch simultaneously. Can you catch the ball with one hand, while standing on the opposite foot? Booyah!
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Bench Pushups
Place your hands shoulder-width apart on the top of a park bench, and walk your feet backward while keeping them together. With your body straight from head to heels, stand on your toes and slowly lower your chest toward the bench in between your thumbs, with your elbows bent and close at your sides. Keeping your body straight and engaged, press through your arms and come slowly back to a plank position.
Note: To make the move easier, stand a few inches closer to the bench.
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Swing Rows
Grab a playground swing by the sides of the seat and lean backward, using the swing as your anchor. Keeping your feet hip-distance apart, stand on your heels and slowly pull yourself forward, so the swing touches your chest, keeping your elbows bent at your sides. Slowly lower your body backward until your arms and elbows are straight again, while maintaining a straight body and neck, and keeping your gaze focused on the anchor point.
Note: To make the move easier, walk your feet farther from the anchor.
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Monkey Bars Hang
For a great back and shoulder stretch that is sure to work out the kinks, place your hands shoulder-width apart on the monkey bars and lower your torso and hips with your knees bent and your feet on the ground. Using your feet to change positions, allow your body to shift forward and back and side to side.
Note: To make the move more challenging, stand on your toes or release your feet from the ground altogether, allowing gravity to take the stretch farther.
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Pole Lunges
Hold on to a vertical pole with your inside arm, then step your outside leg backward. Slowly lower the back knee to the ground, lifting your back heel until your shin is parallel to the ground. Keeping both toes pointing forward, use the pole to stay balanced and in control while maintaining the lunge position. Return to standing by straightening the back leg, keeping your gaze forward.
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Fence Squats
Holding on to a fence with both hands, step backward with your feet hip distance apart and arms straight. Then pull backward into a sitting position, lowering your hips until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Using your arms to pull yourself back up, return to a standing position, keeping your back straight, your shoulders wide, and your chest lifted.
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Fence Side Lunges
With one hand holding a vertical pole or fence, widen your stance with your toes pointing slightly outward. Then bend the knee opposite from your pulling hand and shift your weight to that leg, keeping the opposite leg and your back straight. Hold the lunge position, then push through the bent leg and pull yourself back to standing position, using your arm as needed.
Note: Try to get lower with each rep.
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Reach Away Stretches
Holding a vertical pole, place your outside foot behind you with the outer edge of your shoe resting on the ground, without weight. Bend the inside knee slightly as you reach the outside arm over your head toward the pole while shifting your outside hip away from the pole. Picture your muscles expanding and contracting, while allowing your breath to take you deeper into the stretch.
