The school year is finally in full swing, and with that comes catching up with friends, going out and trying to fit your workout in there somewhere. If you’re looking for ways to keep off the freshman 15, Pipe Dream has come up with some outdoor workouts to keep those dining hall calories off. Don’t worry if you haven’t signed up for an East Gym membership yet; these can all be done outside by the track and on the bleachers.
Full body at-home workout (3-4 rounds)
Complete this full-body workout on the track or any open space that has an incline. Repeat three to four times with around 30 seconds of rest in between each set.
Lateral squat walk (9 times each way)
Stand with your feet a little more than shoulder-width apart. Get into a squat position, knees at roughly a 45-degree angle, and walk sideways. Take nine steps to the left, then right, keeping your knees bent and maintaining form. Repeat. Try keeping your arms outstretched in front of you, which will help you balance during the exercise.
Split leg pulse lunges (12 per foot)
To start, begin with feet hip-width apart while facing away from the bleachers. Engage your core and take a step forward with your right foot while placing your left foot on the bleachers behind you. Lower your hips until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle and pulse in between each rep. Be sure to keep your right knee directly above your right ankle to keep good form while lowering your left knee to the floor. Rise back up to initial position and repeat 12 times on each foot.
Squat jumps (20 times)
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and start by lowering into the squat position. Engage your core muscles and push off the balls of your feet to jump up in an explosive motion. While you land, try to land as quietly as possible and end back in the initial squat position. Repeat 20 times.
Tricep dips (15 times)
Use the bleachers or a bench for this workout as you put your hands on the bleachers shoulder-width apart with your legs outstretched in front of you. Straighten your arms with little bend in your elbows to keep tension on your triceps without overstressing your elbow joints. Bend your elbows slowly while lowering your body to the floor until your elbows are at almost a 90-degree angle and keeping your back close to the bleachers. Then press down into the bench to straighten your elbows to return to that starting position with legs and arms extended. Try to keep your shoulders down during the exercise to keep form.
Lunge step with hop (8 times per leg)
Start with feet hip-width apart and place your right foot in front of you on the bleacher seat with the knee in a 90-degree angle and the left leg in a lunge position. Lift and drive up out of the lunge by driving the rear knee forward into a knee hop, engaging the core and leg muscles. Return to initial lunge position and repeat eight times on each leg.
Staircase workout (4 rounds)
This workout is perfect for when the weather is nice and you don’t want to spend the day stuck in the gym. Repeat four rounds with little to no rest in between each exercise.
Snake run
Start at one side of the bleachers and run all the way up the set of stairs, jog across the top row, then jog down the next set of stairs. When you reach the bottom of the steps, continue to jog to the next set and repeat until you reach the opposite end. Do this four times.
Side step (2 times each side)
Start with your right side facing the bleacher stairs with arms bent in front of you to help keep your balance. Take a lateral step up the stairs with your right foot while replacing it with your left foot as you run sideways up the stairs. When you reach the top of the stairs, jog down them slowly and then repeat again on the opposite side.
Lunges
Start with legs hip-width apart and begin by placing one leg two steps up in a lunge position. Walk up the stairs by alternating lunges all the way up. Once you reach the top, jog back down the steps and repeat once more.
High knees
For this exercise, run up the stairs in an explosive manner while trying to bring your knees as high as you can for each step. Jog back down the bleachers once you reach the top and then repeat twice.
Skip-a-step run
Simply run up the stairs as you would normally, but skip a step in between. Try to keep core engaged throughout the run. Jog back down the bleachers and repeat twice.
Squat jumps, skip one step
Begin by standing, facing the bleacher stairs with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Squat down and jump up onto the other step while skipping one step in between and land in a squat position. Repeat all the way up the flight of steps.