Exercising outdoors has a few advantages compared to working out indoors. It allows you to breathe in some fresh air and get your daily dose of sunlight to improve your immune system. It lets you connect and be one with nature for a few minutes a day. It’s a lot more fun and relaxing to move outdoors instead of being cramped up in an enclosed space. And backyards are perfect for this.
A backyard isn’t just a place at home where you can chill, host summer barbecues, or use it as a playground for kids. It is also a great place for fun family activities, especially if you have a really nice backyard and the garden is well taken care of, with proper tree care service provided. Hence, you have a nice natural canopy as you work on different family activities and excellent landscaping and gardening services for a relaxing environment.
But even if you don’t have a well-kept backyard, it shouldn’t stop you from enjoying some time outdoors to exercise and get fit with the whole family. The benefits of outdoor exercise alone are well worth it regardless if you have a nice backyard or not.
Here are a few simple backyard exercises that can be done together as a family:
-
Burpees
Burpees are an explosive exercise that really works the entire body up. This fully engages the major parts of your body — arms, core, and legs — and makes your heart work double-time. Kids find this exercise very enjoyable because it lets them release their energy in a fun and productive way.
-
Single-leg Deadlift
This particular exercise is a great workout for the core, glutes, and to improve one’s balance. Doing this with kids can make it a lot of fun as it can be turned into a fun game that tests one’s balance.
-
Wall Sit
Wall sits can be a bit boring to do alone, but doing it together with the family can be an interesting way to start a conversation. You can even make a joking contest out of it. Do the wall sit together and have someone tell a joke. The last person not to break out of position from laughing wins.
-
Push-ups
Push-ups are perhaps one of the most basic but not necessarily easiest exercises any person of any age can do. It is one of the first few exercises we learn as kids (that and jumping jacks), so it just makes sense to include it on this list. They’re fairly effective for adults and easy to do for kids.
-
Tricep Dips
Working out the triceps at home isn’t as hard as one would think. You don’t need dumbbells or machines to work them out. All you need is just some leverage that will let you take decent tricep dips. Platforms, chairs, and tables will all do very nicely.
-
Bridge
Doing bridges can be quite challenging at first, especially if you have a weak core. Doing it regularly will help you strengthen your core muscles which makes it easier to do. Kids will have a fun time doing this, especially when they’re laughing at the silliness of the body position.
-
Side Plank
Side planks can be quite a chore to do, but you can make it more fun and bearable if you have company and a great sense of humor. Face each other as you get into position for the plank, and while doing this, you can either tell funny stories or make funny faces at each other. That should make balancing extra challenging.
-
Inch Worm
Inch worms seem a bit silly to do, which makes them a great family exercise. Crawling forward with your fingers and then letting your lower body catch up afterward can be really fun for kids to do. You can even hold Inch Worm Races to see who can get to a certain finish line first.
-
Mountain Climber
If you have children that have really high energy levels, then mountain climbers may be just the right thing for you. It’s a great way to get a good cardio and leg workout apart from running and jogging. Kids can also do this to pretend as if they’re actually scaling up a cliff or mountain.
-
Plank
It has been proven that planks are more effective than sit-ups and crunches when it comes to ab and core workouts. Developing strong core muscles help improve a person’s posture, especially children’s. Training children to have the right posture early on will serve them greatly as they grow up.
Bonus: Outdoor Playtime
As far as kids are concerned, nothing beats playing and getting dirty outdoors. Take time to run around with them and play a game of tag or catch. Perhaps you can set up an obstacle course in your background, and you can race a la American Ninja Warrior. It’s guaranteed not just to give you a good workout and loads of fun but also precious time spent with family.
Do you have other simple yet fun backyard exercises that families can do together? Let us know in the comments section below so we can all stay healthy and fit together.
