Image source RebeccaJackson
Have you ever walked through the local park and thought to yourself “That climbing frame would be great for pull ups?” If not, then why not? Next time that you walk the dog, take the children to the park, or simply pass by as you commute to work, take a look around and consider the ‘free exercise equipment’ that is all around us.
A subscriber of the HomeCalisthenics blog has sent me 3 video clips of himself with some friends practising calisthenics in a public place in Cardiff, UK. He demonstrates the pull up, knee raises, and hanging leg raises.
Pull ups
Knee raises
Hanging leg raises
There are many valid reasons for exercising in the great outdoors. As you can see in these videos it is enjoyable, exercising in this way takes us back to the days when the park was a place for fun where as a child you would have been sprinting from obstacle to obstacle in the pursuit of the next thrill. Maybe now you are a few years older but what is stopping you from hanging from a frame doing pull ups, sprinting along a path, or doing push ups with your feet elevated on a park bench? The truth is…you are! Swallow your pride, grow some balls, bite the bullet and as many other phrases that you need to don some shorts and a tee shirt, slip on the trainers and regress to a time when you simply did not care how you looked!My favourite outdoor ‘gym’ is the beach, it has everything that I need. I usually sprint up and down the zig zag paths, perform calisthenics in the sand, and swim in the sea. After an hour or so of this when I have finished I feel an enormous sense of well being, far greater than any feeling of ‘pump’ that I sometimes get from the gym. A combination of vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, and fresh air stimulate a release of endorphins, the feel good hormone, that is unrivalled by any sweaty, stagnated gym environment.I’m interested in hearing your opinion on this one. If you exercise outside then please leave a comment and let everyone know which types of exercises you do, where you do them, and how you feel afterwards. If you have videos on Youtube or something similar then leave a link in a comment because it would be interesting to watch them to gather ideas. Also, if you never exercise outside for a particular reason I’d like to hear your side of the story too.
Thank you to Neville, aka Chuck Norris as he claims in the video, and his pals for sending in the videos and for reading this blog. Feel free to send in any future escapades that are calisthenics related.
5 Comments
I used to run outdoors in the summer. Lost a lot of fat, but got boring after a while. My plan is to do a short run with kettlebell and calisthenics exercises in between. Sort of like HOC. I prefer training outdoors than indoors. Sometimes I’ll take all my weight into the backyard and lift with a friend. There’s a really nice sense of freedom about it. Maybe it’s mental, not sure. You feel restricted in a room.
@Parth
Completely agree. Mix the runs with some stages of calishenics. Not only will it become a more intense session, but, your mind will be stimulated thus preventing boredom that running can induce.
Thanks for dropping by.
One of my ideas I want to start doing is carrying around a 20 pound plate from my home gym. Wear it in a backpack and walk/jog/run. Hoping to lose weight with it, but also build endurance, and feel lighter on my feet.
@Android Guys
Weighted running is something that interests me too. I’m not sure that a weighted plate in a pack back is the solution though. Maybe if you padded it out properly, but, a weighted vest is a better option.
Thanks for dropping by and let me know if you decide to take it up.
My luck, the stupid thing would rip out the bottom of the backpack and go clanging all over the street and I’d look like an idiot. I should look into a weighted vest. Thanks!