3 Backyard Exercises to Get Fit on the Fourth of July
Red, white, and … phew! Get your sweat on with these 4th of July backyard exercises.
Crank out this GymnasticBodies signature full-body mobility and strength combo before you chow down on your celebratory BBQ.
Complete four rounds of these exercises, circuit style:
Backyard Exercise #1: Hawaiian Squats
The Hawaiian Squat is going to address your ability to balance on a single leg, test your hip mobility, and challenge your lower-body strength. Here’s the setup:
Begin by standing upright and place your left foot just above your right knee. You should now be balancing on a single leg. Next, while steadying your left foot on your right leg, squat and keep your hips level with your knees (looking in a mirror will help to see if you’re in-line). See the cover image for a visual.
You should feel a nice stretch through your left hip flexor and glute in the bottom of the squat. From there, work to maintain balance and control as you press back up to standing.
Perform 5 reps on the same leg and then switch sides!
Backyard Exercise #2: Exploding Pushups
We figured you were getting antsy for some explosions – fitting for the season – so we threw in these plyometric pushups to ease your anticipation. You have the choice of performing these at an incline, (see the video below), or on the ground if you’re looking for more of a challenge.
The execution is as simple as it sounds: perform your standard GymnasticBodies Pushup, beginning with a strong back (shoulder blades apart), tight core and glutes, and straight legs. Lower all the way down with control and explode back up, launching your hands off the bench or floor. As soon as you hit the top position, contract your muscles and hit that nice shape; no saggy backs!
Keep on cranking and repeat for 10 reps.
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Backyard Exercise #3: Russian Twists (Sorry, America)
The final exercise in the circuit is the Russian Twist. To execute this exercise, begin from a seated position on the floor with knees bent, and lean backward about 45-degrees. Extend your arms out in front of you, elbows straight, and twist to the right side. Your goal is to twist as much as possible, touching the floor next to your hip on each rep.
Keep your core tight and shoot for a total of 20 reps (10 each side).
Congrats! You’ve just finished one round of the circuit – nice work. Repeat these exercises 3 more times, for a total of 4 rounds. Use this backyard workout anytime to offset the indulgences of the season and stay on track in your fitness routine, without feeling the guilt.
We hope you enjoy this circuit and have an incredible 4th of July! For more GymnasticBodies strength circuits like this, check out our Training Page.