Easy Total Body Outdoor Workout

Looking for a way to mix up your workout routine? How about an easy total-body outdoor workout.

Getting your fitness on outside not only gives you a different view while working out but it can also help burn more calories. A study from California Pacific Orthopedic and Sports Medicine found that outdoor exercisers lost an average of 7.43 pounds and 6.17 percent of body fat in eight weeks.

Outdoor workouts challenge your muscles with inclines, declines, and obstacles in a way that your gym can’t. Working out outside can also ward off seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and anxiety.

Sunshine naturally increases serotonin, a hormone that affects your mood. And while you are exercising you’re also producing endorphins, another hormone that boosts your mood and reduces pain.

People who workout outdoors are more likely to stick to their program because it just doesn’t feel the same as working out in a gym.

Kick your regular routine into high gear with this 30 minute outdoor workout circuit. Try it out at a local park or in your backyard. We estimate that you’ll burn around 250 calories while completing this circuit. It will also help you to firm up your whole body.

Keep reading for this easy total body outdoor workout.

Easy Total Body Outdoor Workout

Let’s get started. Before you start this easy total-body outdoor workout, warm-up for at least five minutes. You don’t need any fancy equipment. Try can power walking or jogging. Perform each move the prescribed amount of times and then move on to the next exercise.

1. Side Leap

Targets inner thighs, quads, calves, glutes, abs

• Stand on a flat surface with your feet together.
• Bend your knees into a squat like position.
• Jump as far as you can to your right and cross the left foot behind your right leg and tap the ball of your left foot to the ground.
• Without returning the left foot completely to the ground, bend your right knee and hop as far as you can to the left and cross your right leg behind the left leg.
• Squeeze your stomach in tight to get an additional ab workout.

Do 20 hops her side.

2. Park-Bench Dip

Targets triceps, shoulders, core

• Sit on a bench and place your hands on either side of your hips.
• Slide your butt forward, supporting yourself with your hands.
• Bend elbows, bringing upper arms almost parallel to the ground, then return to starting position.
• Keep lower back close to the bench throughout the exercise.

Do 15 reps.

3. Park-Bench Push-Up

Targets chest, biceps, triceps, shoulders, core

• Stand facing a park bench and place your hands on the seat; walk your feet out behind you until your legs are fully extended.
• Bend your arms and lower chest toward the bench, then push up.
• Complete 12 reps.
• Turn around and place your hands on the ground and your feet on the bench; walk your hands forward until they’re aligned under shoulders, legs extended.
• Lower chest toward the ground, then push up.

Work up to 20 reps of each.

4. Balance Beam Walk

Targets calves, quads, core

• Find a curb or fallen tree with a smooth surface that is at least 6 feet long.
• Raise arms out to sides and walk across the “balance beam” until you reach the end (or go at least 6 feet).
• Turn on the balls of your feet; walk in the opposite direction.

Watch this video for lots of fun balancing exercise ideas.

Continue for 3 minutes.

5. Lateral Shuffle

Targets glutes, inner and outer thighs, quads

• Stand with feet hip-distance apart, elbows bent, with fists near ribs.
• Take three giant steps to your right, sliding your left foot to meet the right.
• Bend your knees and jump up, turning to face the opposite direction.
• Repeat, shuffling to your left.

Continue alternating sides for 1 minute.

6. Side Step

Targets core, obliques, glutes, hamstrings

• Stand with feet shoulder with apart and squat down. Make sure to align your knees with your ankles
• Stay at this height the entire time. Try not to pop up and down.
• Step your left foot to your right foot and then step your right foot out

Do 12 reps per side.

7. Step-Up

Targets quads, hamstrings, glutes

• Using a step, fallen log, or flat rock, step up with your left foot and lift your right leg directly behind you.
• Step down and repeat on the opposite side.
• Next, step up on left foot, raising right leg diagonally behind you; switch sides, and repeat.
• Step up on left foot, kicking right foot out to the side; switch legs and repeat.

Do the kick cycle (back, diagonal, side) 26 times.

8. Hanging Crunch

Targets abs

• Take hold of a sturdy, low tree branch, monkey bars, or other elevated handhold, palms facing forward.
• Keeping arms fully extended, exhale as you bend your knees and bring them slowly toward your abs.
• Inhale as you slowly release.

Do 12 reps (or as many as you can).

9. Slalom Jump

Targets glutes, hamstrings, quads

• Place small rocks in a zigzag line on the ground.
• Keeping your feet together, hop to the line of rocks.

Outdoor Cardio Meltdown

Who needs the treadmill? Grab a mat (or towel) and a timer and torch fat with this 10-15-20 Cardio Meltdown outdoor workout.

• 10 Long Jumps: Do a long jump the length of your mat or towel, and then shuffle back to your start position.
• 10 Push-ups: Kneeling or full, depending on your fitness level.
• 15 Sumo Squats: Stand up with your feet wider than your hips and your toes slightly turned out as you sit back into a squat.
• 15 Burpees: Start with a jump, and then squat down, place your hands on your mat, and jump out into a plank position. Jump feet back towards your hands, pop up into standing position and finish with a clap at the top.
• 20 Bicycle Crunches: Lie on your back and bend both knees into your chest, hands clasped behind your head. Find a focal point to the left and right of your body. Look at those two focal points as you twist and crunch to each side, reaching your right elbow to your left knee, and vice versa.
• 20 Mountain Climbers: Start in a plank position and alternate driving your knees into chest, keeping your hips flat and parallel to the ground.

Grab a Friend and Try One of These Workouts Today

Are you drenched in sweat yet? Grab a friend and try out this workout at your local park today. And if you’re looking for scientific ways to get results faster from your workout then check out this article on how to get results faster.

If you enjoyed this easy total-body outdoor workout routine share it with your friends and leave us a comment below to tell us which part of the workout was the hardest for you.