Park Workout: 15 Moves You Can Do Outside

Between the green grass, birds chirping, and smiling faces, it’s easy to feel good at the park. Even better? It’s an ideal location for a workout with maximum benefits. Whether you’re a parent on a play date or a city-dweller craving some green space, we’ve put together a full-body park workout for you.

We all know by now that regular physical activity is important for your health. What you may not know is that by taking your workout outside, you may get more bang for your buck. Most parks are considered green spaces, and according to the National Recreation and Park Association, green space is vital to a community for three major reasons:

Conservation: Parks help to preserve wildlife, improve water quality, and reduce air pollution.
Equity: A public park is open to all people at no- to low-cost, and fosters the growth of a healthy community.
Health and Wellness: Green spaces and parks provide a place for both young and old to be active, breathe clean air, and immerse themselves in nature.

Intentionally interacting with nature via exercise improves physical and mental health. So what can you do for a park workout? Ahead you’ll find the evidence to support embracing the outdoors and the perfect 15-move park workout curated by a fitness pro.

What are the benefits of park workouts?

When it comes to working out, your environment matters. Greater exposure to green space at the park can improve¹ your well-being. Add in the benefits of exercise, and there are many reasons to take your sweat sesh outside.

“Switching up your movement routine and taking it outside is pure magic for your body and soul.”—Sasha Hanway, Ladder coach

“Switching up your movement routine and taking it outside is pure magic for your body and soul,” says Sasha Hanway, senior coach of Ladder’s Yoga x Strength training team. “Not only does it keep your muscles guessing and prevent those dreaded plateaus, but it also immerses you in nature (or at least not fluorescent gym lights), fills your lungs with fresh air, and helps your body adapt to its circadian rhythms.”

More and more, research supports the benefits of outdoor workouts. Exercise in a green environment like a park boosts the following health outcomes:

Better mental health

Sure, the joy exhibited at the park is contagious, but your mood can be further improved by nature itself.

“Spending time in green spaces can significantly reduce stress levels and help your mind recover,” explains Jun Wu, PhD, professor of environmental and occupational health at UC Irvine. “Whether you are taking a walk in the park or simply sitting under a tree, these natural environments help diminish stressful states and lessen negative thoughts.”

Doses of nature-based activity² in the 20- to 90-minute range have been found to improve mental health. You may even feel more motivated.

“Green spaces encourage you to get moving, which not only helps you maintain a healthy weight and cardiorespiratory fitness but also elevates your mood, reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety, and lowers the risk of mental health disorders,” says Wu.

Sound sleep

Ever find yourself tossing and turning at night, staring at the clock at 3:30 A.M.? (Thanks, perimenopause!) Moving your workout to the park may get you a better night’s sleep³.

As you would expect, regular exercise helps⁴ you catch some Z’s. Add some outdoor time, and you’ll likely increase your your slumber. Researchers found a significant link³ between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and time spent outdoors and total sleep time. Wu adds that the quality of your sleep may improve: “Activities such as jogging, walking, or practicing yoga in green spaces can help you sleep better at night.”

Sharper attention

Struggle with a short attention span while doing important tasks? Outdoor movement may be the answer.

One study⁶ comparing the results of a 15-minute walk indoors vs. outdoors found increased attention and working memory when participants were in the great outdoors. An outdoor workout can be beneficial before a meeting or something else that requires your utmost attention.

Greater physical health

A park workout may influence your body in a number of ways. Studies⁷ have shown that exposing yourself to nature reduces cortisol, a stress hormone that can wreak havoc in your body if left unchecked.

Green space exposure also has the potential to improve heart function⁸, blood pressure⁹, and inflammation markers¹⁰.

Exposure to improved air quality (hopefully!)

Finally, there’s the fresh air. Because parks usually have plenty of trees and vegetation, there’s the potential for improved air quality. “They capture harmful pollutants like ground-level ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. Trees, in particular, excel in filtering these pollutants,” says Wu. (This, of course, doesn’t apply if the air quality index is less-than-stellar—make sure you’re checking your local AQI before exercising outdoors.)

What’s the best type of workout for the park?

Now that you’re at the park, what type of exercise is best? Should you stick with cardio or use the park as a setting for resistance training? What can you do?

“Literally anything—especially if there’s a stair or a bench,” Hanway says. “My favorite park workout is a blend of strength, Pilates, and yoga. Some people might feel weird about exercising in public, but I always say the reframe is that you are actually inspiring other people to move their bodies.”

Some parks feature calisthenics equipment—high bars, incline benches, gymnastic rings, etc.—that you can use for a bodyweight workout. Plus, there’s walking the sidewalks or playing with the kiddos. But if you’re looking for a full-body workout that will hit all your major muscles, Hanway has a park workout for you to try.

The ultimate 15-move park workout

Before you hit the strenuous moves, Hanway suggests easing into the workout. “Take three conscious breaths to begin. Inhale, reaching your hands overhead and filling up through your belly, ribs, and chest. Pause, then exhale pulling hands to heart center, out through chest, ribs, and belly,” she says. “Repeat three times before starting.”

Warmup

1. Skip

“Warming up is key, and you’ll kick it off with skips. It’s exactly what you think,” says Hanway. “They challenge leg strength, coordination, and balance while signaling to the central nervous system that we’re going to work!”