Workouts that raise the monkey bar

Article by: TIFFANY GEE LEWIS , Special to the Star Tribune
Updated: June 4, 2012 - 10:43 PM

Moms and dads don't have to be relegated to the sidelines at the playground. They can join in the fun and get a good workout.

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Sara Walkenhorst uses the playground equipment at a park in Woodbury as her daughter, Alexis, 3, tries to copy her mom's workout.

Photo: Joel Koyama, Star Tribune

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Most parents consider the playground kid stuff.

Julie Cousins says that's a shame.

"It would be awesome if we had a shift in thinking [the playground] was a place we could all go to have fun," said Cousins, of Activ8 Mobile, a local firm that creates active environments for companies.

Cousins, who holds a doctorate in exercise physiology from the University of Minnesota, uses the playground as an outdoor gym because like many moms and dads, she already frequents the place. And besides being free, the equipment -- monkey bars, swings and slides -- can be as effective as treadmills, stationary bikes and dumbbells.

"It's amazing exercise," she said of a jungle gym workout. "Just because you're an adult doesn't mean you have to sit down."

Following kids around the playground is an easy way for parents to get off the park bench and get moving, she said. But some parents take a more purposeful approach to staying fit through play.

When she's at her Woodbury home, Sara Walkenhorst might choreograph exercises for her three kids, such as setting up an obstacle course in the back yard.

"Kids have a natural energy," she said. "Sometimes it's just an effort to expend their energy and make the day go by easier. But I want them to understand movement is a part of life."

At the park, the play is more free-form but just as intense. Walkenhorst, who teaches spinning, yoga and boot camp at the Woodbury YMCA, burns calories by chasing her kids around the playground or playing tag. Then she uses the park equipment to do pull-ups or balance work.

Maplewood resident Sam Kolberg admits that when he goes to the local park, he concentrates on interacting with his four kids. Getting a good workout is just a fringe benefit.

"I've got kids who are active," he said. "I don't just go to the park and sit there. They don't let me."

Three to four days a week, Kolberg and his children bike around town or head to the park, where they play football or a game of tag.

Whether he knows it or not, Kolberg's visits to the playground have all the elements of a successful workout, including both cardiovascular activity and strength training, while making it fun.

He's also doing something many parents find hard to do.

"As moms and dads, the biggest area of neglect is not allowing time for ourselves," Walkenhorst said. "Workouts need to be treated like a doctor's appointment, even if that means scheduling three park visits a week."

Tiffany Gee Lewis is a Twin Cities based freelance writer.

GETTING FIT, HAVING FUN

Here are some simple ways to be physically active at the playground.

1. Follow your kids around. That alone should give you a decent cardiovascular workout.

2. Make it fun. Play tag or race your kids on an obstacle course.

3. Vary your workout. Walk or jog around the perimeter of the playground, then use some of the equipment for targeted exercises.

4. Work regular visits to the park into your schedule.

5. To step it up, just increase the duration or intensity of your activities.

A PLAYGROUND WORKOUT

Julie Cousins of Activ8 Mobile designed this sample workout using equipment usually found at playgrounds. Do each exercise 10 times. Then work your way up to three sets of 10 repetitions.

STEP-UPS

Stand facing a step or platform at the playground. Place your right foot on the step. Pull yourself up onto the step. Slowly step back down. Repeat all reps on the right leg before switching to the left.

REVERSE PUSH-UP

Hang underneath a bar. Use your arms to pull your chest toward the bar. Try to keep your shoulder blades down and back. To make this more challenging, try a steeper angle.

CALF RAISES

Stand on the edge of a step. Slowly raise your heels until you're on your tiptoes. Slowly lower your heels below the edge of the step. To make it more challenging, try it on one leg.

SINGLE-LEG SQUAT

Start by balancing on one leg. If you can balance for 30 seconds, try to squat as deeply as possible while keeping the other leg off the bar.

REVERSE CRUNCH

Hang from the monkey bars. Lift your knees toward your chest, then slowly lower legs back down.

SWING CRUNCHES

Place your feet on the seat of a swing. Place your palms on the ground under your shoulders. Bring your knees to your chest. Push your legs back to a straight line. For an extra challenge, add a push-up after each crunch.
TIFFANY GEE LEWIS