Playgrounds are Beneficial to Parents, Too!

Play Your Way to Fitness

by Heidi Snyder, M.S.

We all know the benefits of exercise, but as busy parents, working out can be the first thing dropped from the to do list. However, using our inherent parental ability to multitask, fitting in daily exercise can be as easy as a walk in the park! This specially designed workout allows you to burn some extra calories while watching and playing with your kids on the playground. Don't worry about looking weird. Who knows? Other parents and kids may join you!

Warm-up: We all know how much energy it takes to chase after our kids, so why not use it as a warm-up? Play a friendly game of tag to get your heart rate up. If your little one is not as mobile, crawl on all fours or crab walk to even the playing field.

Balance and stability: Improve your balance and stability, something parents can always use more of, by walking along the barrier or curb of the playground. Keep your abdominal muscles engaged the entire time to keep your balance. To create more of a challenge, do one-legged squats or walking lunges.

Total body: Pushing a swing can be a full body workout by simply adding lunges. While using your arms to give the swing a gentle push, do a standing lunge to strengthen your lower body. From a standing position, step forward with one foot, and then lower your body, making sure your knee does not move forward to break the plane of your toes. Return to the starting position, catch the swing, and repeat the exercise with the other leg. Make sure to practice this one a few times on your own before pushing your child in the swing.

Back and arms: Remember when the horizontal bars used to look so high? Now they are the perfect height to work your back and arms. Use the horizontal bars to do reverse push-ups. Grab the bar with both hands and walk your feet out in front of you until the bar is above your chest. Keep your abdominal muscles tight so your body makes a straight line. With your feet planted in the same spot, pull your body towards the bar, and then lower your body back to the starting position. The lower the bar is, the more difficult the exercise will be.

Legs and glutes: A friendly game of peek-a-boo can help tone up your legs and glutes. Put your feet shoulder width apart with toes pointed out slightly, and move your body down as if you were going to sit down in a chair. Make sure your knees stay directly above your ankles. Hold that position for two seconds, then stand up and say "peek-a-boo!" If your child is too old for peek-a-boo, squats can be done over a park bench, or anywhere you can keep an eye on your children.

Triceps: Instead of just sitting on the park bench, use it to tone up your triceps. With your fingers pointed forward, place the heels of your hands on the edge of the bench on either side of you. Keeping your legs straight out in front of you on the ground, use your arms to lower and raise your body.

Abs: You can also use the park bench to strengthen your abdominal muscles. Place your hands on the bench on either side of you and raise your knees up to your chest. Slowly straighten your legs and move them towards the ground, but do not let them touch. Get your legs as close to the ground as you can without arching your back, and then bring your legs up to your chest again. To add some variety, lower your legs to your right and left sides.

Lower leg: Use the sandbox to tone your calves. Place the ball of your foot on the edge of the sandbox. Point and flex your toes to raise and lower your body. To work all parts of your calf muscles, change the position of your toes. Do a set with toes pointed straight ahead, toes pointed out, and toes pointed in.

Obliques: Strengthen the muscles along the sides of your torso with this simple move. Place your feet just wider than shoulder width apart, slightly bend your knees, and bring your arms straight out in front of you. Using your stomach muscles, slowly twist the upper half of your body to the right, and then back to the center. Repeat the exercise alternating between right and left sides. As you twist, make sure to keep the lower half of your body facing forward. To add more of a challenge, do the exercise holding a basketball, diaper bag, or anything easy to grab that adds some extra resistance.