Labor Day Park Workout

Post by Olivia Martino, Certified Personal Trainer and Co-Owner, Nourish Northwest

What does a day off of work mean to a personal trainer? Extra time to workout!  What does a day off during the most beautiful month of the year mean?  Take that workout outdoors!

This is one of my favorite park workouts and it was designed perfectly for Mt. Tabor.  If this park is not accessible to you, try and find a park that has a set of stairs and you can still do it as is.  No stairs?  Just do a run during the stair sections, preferably uphill!

Begin with a warm up.  This could be making your way to the start of the stairs either in a light jog or a walk.  Take a deep breath.

 

 

And… you’re off!  It doesn’t matter how you get up those stairs, you will get a workout any way you slice it.  Walk ’em, run ’em, take ’em two at a time, or mix it up!  Your heart rate will be pumping and your legs burning.

 

 

 

Take a break when you get to the halfway point of your staircase.  At Tabor, there’s a main road that is a good place for a stop.  Here, you are going to do 20 straight up and down squats.  Then you’re off again to for another couple sets of stairs.  Find another good stopping place.  At Tabor the huge concrete circle is a great spot.  Here you are going to do some core work.  Get into the plank position and bring your left knee to touch the outside of your left elbow.  Repeat with your right side.  Do 9 more on each side.

 

 

Last set of stairs and find a park bench, table or ledge that is a good height for push-ups.  Do 10 push ups, followed by 5 tricep dips.  Repeat the set.

 

 

 

 

It’s back down the stairs you go.  Stop at the bottom.  Deep breath.

 

 

And go!  This time at your first stopping point you are going to do 10 walking lunges in one direction and then come back by doing 10 more walking lunges.   As soon as that’s completed, hit those stairs again.  The next stopping point hit the mat on your back and bring your legs straight into the air.  Lift those shoulders up off the ground and try and reach those toes.  You probably won’t actually touch them but you are reaching towards them, keeping your shoulders off the mat the whole time.  Do 20.

 

 

Last set of stairs and up to a park bench again for some arms.  You are going to do the same thing as you did last time.  10 push ups, followed by 5 tricep dips and repeat.

 

 

You are awesome!!!!!!  You made it!  Need more?  Do the whole thing again.  Happy day off!