Playground Series-Lower Body Workout | Leisure Fitness Equipment

Article by mixxco.com, Recommended by Jessica Loeser, Wellness Outreach Team

The great thing about playgrounds is that they make for excellent workout environments. The bars, benches, platforms and swings are perfect for exercising while you keep an eye on the kids. It?s also a natural way to expose children to the concept of regular exercise and functional fitness. By modeling healthy behavior you can positively influence their impressionable young minds. This can go a long way toward helping them to develop a positive attitude about exercise.

When you?re working out in a playground, it?s important to be aware of some of the basic principles of training, like making sure the environment is safe before you start exercising. This includes being aware of where your kids and other playground users are playing. The last thing you want is a 6 year old on a rope swing crashing into you while you?re doing a set of squats!

I?m going to break this training series into three columns, each with three exercises. The first part of the series will address lower body exercises, then upper body, then core conditioning. Although I?ve decided to include more traditional exercises, it?s still incredibly important to pay attention to the body posture and technique concepts that I?ve outlined earlier, including proper core activation and stabilization, proximal to distal movement and neutral spine and pelvis.

Always remember to perform a progressive warm-up before training, and get medical approval before beginning any new fitness program.

Start by resting your back against a wall or pole that is smooth and strong, with your feet planted firmly about 18-24? away from the base. Bend your knees and lower your weight, letting your hips slide down the pole, until your knees are bent to approximately 90??. Keep your heels on the ground and your knees aligned over your toes as you do this. The depth of your squat will vary depending upon your leg strength and the health of your knee joints. I know that the people who read my columns range widely in their level of fitness. Obviously I can?t target everyone with every column, but I try to include information that can benefit as many people as possible. For exercises as simple as supported squats, it?s easy to reduce the difficulty by bending your legs less, or holding the position for a shorter time. You can also increase the difficulty by holding the position longer or lifting one foot off the ground. The goal is to perform 3-4 holds to the point of fatigue.

From a static exercise like the supported squat, it?s time to get more dynamic, with the bench step-up. Choose a stable bench or other support that is slightly lower than knee height. Start by placing your left foot firmly on the surface, and your right hand and arm in front of your body as if you were running. Keeping your core engaged, drive upward using your left hip muscles, lifting your right knee up toward your chest as you reach full extension with your left leg. Your arms should switch during the movement, so that your left hand is in front of your body as your right knee reaches the top of its motion. Pause momentarily for control, then bring your right foot back down to it?s starting point, being careful to lower it slowly and touch it lightly on the ground rather than pounding down. Repeat for 12-15 repetitions on each side, performing 2-3 sets in total.

Who doesn?t love lunges, right? OK, maybe not, but they?re so good for you that I had to include them. For this version, find a stable surface that is slightly less than the height of your knee, and stand with your back toward it. Bend your right knee and place your right foot back on the surface. Make sure your left foot is flat on the ground, and far enough from the bench that you can bend both knees to about 90?? without letting your left heel lift up as you lower your body. Try to keep your core engaged to maintain a neutral pelvis and spine as you perform 2-3 sets of 12-15 repetitions on each leg. You can place your hands on your hips or cycle them as we did during the bench step-ups.

Source: http://blog.leisurefitness.com/2013/01/playground-series-lower-body-workout/

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