10 ways to work out at the playground

If your child is dragging you to the playground for the umpteenth time this week, don't whine -- join in. Make his playground your personal gym. While he's darting, running and climbing, you can snatch a little playtime of your own to tone your muscles and heart, all while keeping an eye on your child. Alternate strength and cardio to make it fun for both of you. Do 3-minute intervals so no one gets bored. Write out your workout list beforehand.

Now let's get to work.

Lean push-ups (biceps/shoulders). Stand behind a park bench with hands braced on the back. Step back so you are at an angle. Hands should be at chest level, shoulder distance apart. Just bend and straighten elbows -- smoothly. Try three sets of eight. Do one set to a count of two. Do another to a count of four. Or try one set with hands together.

Swing set push and squats. This one is great for cardio and glutes. Push your child in the swing, sink into a squat, then stand. Repeat. Bad knees? Skip this. If not, try 10 squats with legs apart. Try 10 with knees together. Got energy? Alternate knees apart, then knees together. Repeat, pushing your munchkin all the while to build deltoids.

Triceps dips (arm strength/tone). Stand in front of a park bench as if you're going to sit. Instead, let your hands grip the seat behind you and step feet forward. Bend and straighten elbows for 10 to 20 reps.

Play tag, leapfrog or do slide relays with your child for 3 minutes to get your heart rate up again. Or have her climb aboard the circular spinning platform at most playgrounds. Push the platform in a circle and trot to keep pace with your child.

Monkey knee, monkey do. This monkey bar workout comes to you from www.healthnews.com. It's so simple, but it's great for your abs. Just use your hands to hang from bars. Lift feet off the ground and knees into your chest. Slowly lower knees. Repeat. Try three sets of eight.

Swing set push and lunge (cardio and legs). Each time you push your child in the swing, lunge one foot back and then bend both knees. Step forward. Feet together. Push the swing. Lunge other foot back. Repeat. (During lunge, front knee should be right above the ankle, not jutting over the toes.) Options: Ditch the swing and try this on grass. Or check out moms.kaboose.com/slide-lunges for a great alternative (back foot rests on a slide).

Monkey bar chin-ups. Try five, build to 20. Use garden gloves with grip to prevent blisters. This uses your own body weight to build arm strength and endurance.

See-saw (legs). The bigger the kid, the bigger your workout. Here's the trick. Only let your child touch her feet on the ground for 1 second. That way, your legs do all the work. Lower your little one slowly -- to counts of four, then eight, then two. Repeat. Option: Make this a game. See-saw four times, then both of you dismount slowly. On the count of three -- both of you can race all the way around the see-saw to return to your original seat. The first one back "wins." All that racing will gobble calories and do your heart good.

Bench sit-ups for abs. Sit sideways on bench, at the very edge. Grab edge. Pull knees into your chest. Lean back and straighten legs. Repeat. Option: add one scissor kick when the legs straighten.

Bench step aerobics (quads, glutes, hamstrings, outer thighs, cardio). Face the bench. Step up and down on bench once using right foot. Switch left. (Got knee issues? Skip. Or try a much lower step.) Option 1: Do one jumping jack before alternating legs. Option 2: Side leg lift. Stand perpendicular to bench. Step up. Lift opposite leg and hold for five counts. Slowly lower leg. Step Down. Repeat. Aim for 10-20 reps per side.

These are just some of the ways in which you can turn a playground into a fun workout.

Dee DePass • 612-673-7725