I’m sure you’ve found yourself working out with resistance bands indoors while it’s gorgeous outside.
There’s nothing easier than justifying staying in your comfort zone. Maybe you feel self-conscious about working out in a public park. Maybe you feel out of step with what others are doing.
Well, I’m here to tell you to snap out of it! Go outside anytime you can, and take advantage of one of the key perks of resistance bands. They’re lightweight, portable, and can be used in so many creative ways outside.
Why Work Out Outdoors?
If you get out of the house, you’ll be more likely to work out longer and more rigorously as you’ll want to make the trip worth your while, no matter how quick the commute was.
You’ll take in some nice scenery thus making your workout time a more enriching experience. Plus, you’ll free yourself from the multitude of distractions found around the home.
3 Staple Outdoor Exercises
The sheer number of exercises you can do with resistance bands is overwhelming at times. Here are three classic exercises that are ideal for outdoor workouts.
Standing Rows
Rows provide the perfect way to work your lats (back).
- First, find a stationary object to wrap your resistance band around such as a tree or sign post. Do so at chest height.
- Back up until there’s some tension in the band.
- Slightly bend your knees and lower your hips a touch.
- Draw your elbows back as you focus on bringing your shoulder blades together.
- Release, while keeping your hands at shoulder level.
Banded Rear Delt Fly
This easy-to-execute exercise works the posterior deltoids (rear shoulder muscles).
- First, find a stationary object to wrap your resistance band around such as a tree or sign post. Do so at chest height.
- Walk back with your arms pointing straight forward. Stop when there’s some tension in the band.
- Swing your arms out to your sides so that your body looks like a “T.”
- Swing your arms back to where they started so your hands are positioned directly beneath your head.
High Lat Pull
In this exercise, you pull down from overhead. The motion targets your lats.
- Find a stationary object that allows you to wrap your band around it at a higher point.
- Bend forward a little bit at the hip. Raise your arms overhead so they’re parallel to your ears.
- Pull straight down just as you would on a cable machine. Keep the core of your body controlled during both directions of the movement.
Using Stationary Objects to Level Up Your Workout
The door attachment is just the beginning. When it comes to wrapping your resistance bands around objects outside, the only limit is your imagination.
Parks in particular give you many options: from trees to soccer goal posts.
The following video featuring band enthusiast Dave Schmitz contains some great ideas that will change up the locations you choose to work out in, to keep things interesting.
Here’s a sampling as well as a few I added to the list:
- Jungle gym
- Swingset
- Soccer goal post
- Pitcher mound
- Football goal post
- Tree
- Automobile (w/ door attachment)
- Basketball net post
- Park bench
- Sign post
- Fence bars by the river/lake
So, there you have it. Now get out there, find more objects to wrap your band around, and experiment. All the world is a gym!
