3 Playground Workouts for Busy Moms
Swing sets are not just for kids, they can be for moms too! Turn your jungle gym or swing set into a mini gym with these three full body workouts.
For Your Arms
If your child’s play set has a trapeze bar or gym rings, you can first focus on your upper body muscles with incline pull-ups!
HERE’S HOW: Walk up to the hanging trapeze bar and grab the bar or the gym rings. Lean back so your body is relying on your arms to not fall to the ground. In this position, you may begin to pull yourself towards the bar and slowly release your arms back down to your original position. This exercise will work your upper back, trapezius muscles, biceps, and deltoids. We advise that you start with three sets of 10 to begin.
PRO TIP: To increase the intensity of this workout, move your feet farther forward under the trapeze bar. To decrease the intensity of this workout, move your legs backwards to decrease the distance you must pull your body up.
For Your Legs
Good news! It’s time to switch the muscle groups you were just using. It’s time to do some squats.
HERE’S HOW: Approach the swing of your swing set and turn your back to it, with the base of the swing touching the back of your legs. For this exercise, you are going to pretend as if you are going to sit in the swing, keeping your arms extended out parallel to your shoulders as you sink down. Once your toosh touches the swing, shoot back up into a standing position with slightly bent knees. Repeat this motion 20 times for 3 sets.
PRO TIP: For a more engaged workout, twist your body as you are descending and have the elbow of one arm meet the knee on the opposite side. Switch arms each time you sink down for another squat.
For Your Abs
Lastly, we cannot forget the abs. Abdominal muscles are responsible for keeping our body stable and upright, which is needed to maintain good spinal health.
HERE’S HOW: Assuming the same incline position that you were in for the pull ups, hang with a still body and lift your knee to your chest. Repeat this motion 10 times for each leg, doing three sets altogether. This exercise will engage both your upper and lower abs. Add in a variation of lifting your knee out to the side to work your oblique muscles.
PRO TIP: Holding a single leg out, fully extended to a 30-degree angle, repeatedly and slowly raise it to a 45-degree angle. Repeat each leg 10 times each for three sets. This change up will give your upper thigh and lower abs a workout all at the same time!
Not only do we have tips for keeping your body maintained, but we also have tips on keeping your swing set maintained! We offer great blog posts with tips on maintaining your swing set. Interested in buying a swing set of your own? Shop our online store to order your next piece of workout equipment!