6 Outdoor No-Equipment Circuit Training Workouts

The weather has turned and the temperature is rising so it’s time to get outside and appreciate the beauty of the outdoors.

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I became a fan of Fittest Travel because I believe the world is our playground. With a little creativity and motivation, it’s possible to work out anywhere.

Read on for tips and example workouts you can do anywhere you go without equipment.

If you’re like me, your go-to is plugging in your headphones and escaping everyday life. However, when you’re running a few miles or working out in a park, having your music up loud with headphones that block sound may cause you to be aloof.

I suggest only having one headphone in so you’re constantly aware of the new surroundings you’re exploring.

Usually, when you’re without a gym or working out on the go, you’re limited on time and resources.

We highly suggest doing movements that are fun and enjoyable for you. Who cares if you’ve done lunges two days in a row, you’re doing something. And something is better than nothing.

We’re going to break down some outdoor workout ideas for beginners with no equipment based on locations you’ll have access to anywhere you go.

Parking Lots

Find a larger parking lot that has lots of empty spaces and isn’t busy with bustling cars coming in and out. Parking lots provide a few benefits including flat surfaces, a large open space, and painted lines.

The only equipment you’ll need is a towel to protect your hands from the concrete (bring your own or borrow it from the hotel).

Example workout

Perform five rounds of the following:

• 2x - Run down 10 parking spots and back.

• 1x - Side shuffle down 8 spots and back then face the opposite way and repeat.

• Lunge down 6 spots and back.

• 4 Slow Motion Push-Ups

• 20 Sit-Ups

Driveways

You may be visiting a friend or relative’s house that is almost guaranteed to have a driveway. A lot of what you can do in a parking lot, you can do in a driveway too.

Take advantage of the slant to make movements harder by working out uphill. You can also add more cardio to your driveway workout by running down 10 or so houses and back.

Take a look around your host’s garage too, maybe you’ll find something like a basketball (turn that into a wall ball) to assist your workout. Again, the only equipment you’ll need is a towel to protect yourself from the concrete.

Example workout

As many rounds as possible (AMRAP) in 20 minutes:

• 4x - Jog backward down the driveway, and sprint up.

• 30-Second plank hold

• 2x - Lunge down and back up

• 20 Air Squats

• 10 Flutter Kicks

• 5 Burpees

Public Parks

This is where the world really becomes our playground. Just about any major city or local suburb will have a public park within reach. Parks offer many opportunities to get a sweat in including benches, grassy spaces, walking routes, and playground pieces.

Finding a local park is a great way to get to know your city or explore an area you’re traveling in. If you happen to find a badass park like Freeway Park in Seattle, the workout options are endless (check out my workout at Freeway Park here).

We’re going to break this down a little differently since every park is different, we’ll let you create the workout using our movement guides with the tools you’ll have access to.

Park Bench Workout

• Tricep Dips

• Push-Ups - Hands on a bench, feet on the ground (beginner), feet on bench, hands on ground.

Advanced

• Box Jumps onto Bench Seat - Two feet (beginner), single leg (advanced).

• Burpee Box Jumps - Perform a burpee in front of the bench and end by jumping onto the seat.

• Lunges - Facing the bench with your lead leg up, facing away from the bench with your back leg up.

• Calf Raises - Using a bench for balance (easy), without holding onto the bench (medium), standing on the bench with heels passing below the edge of the seat (advanced).

Grassy Space

The space and softer ground allow for just about any calisthenics movement.

Here are a few suggestions:

• Cardio, including burpees, sprints, shuffles, and long jump.

• Strength, including sit-ups, leg lifts, bicycle kicks, flutter kicks, push-ups, and switch leg lunges.

Playgrounds

The world is our playground, but actual playgrounds are meant for kids. So if it’s crowded or a family is enjoying the equipment, let them enjoy and use other equipment in the park.

If you’re working out as the sun is coming up or during the day when the playground is wide open, consider the movements below. I recently found a great playground for a morning workout in downtown Houston.

● Run-Throughs

• Playgrounds usually have a route from one end to another using stairs, bridges, and crawl throughs where you can get creative, use quick footwork and really feel like a kid again.

● Box Jumps

• Playgrounds have many levels of surface you can jump onto.

● Swings

• Place feet on the seat and perform push-ups.

• Jump through a still-hanging swing for what I like to call a box jump through. Be careful not to catch your feet or hands on the chains.

• Push the swing seat out in front of you, and lower your body with straight arms and pull back in to work obliques.

● Monkey Bars

• See if you can make it across. Extra challenge - get across and back.

• Pull-Ups

● Playground Barriers

• Perform push-ups making your way down one or two segments.

• With hands on the border, perform a burpee and end by jumping onto the border.

• Run laps around the playground in between strength movements.

Stairs

A good set of stairs may be a little trickier to find outdoors so get your warm up in by jogging around and getting a feel for your surroundings.

We don’t suggest using your hotels stairs for a few reasons. If by chance get seriously injured, it’s far less likely hotel guests will take the stairs compared to people constantly walking by out in the public who could help quickly.

Your hotel neighbors also may not appreciate you pounding up and down stairs as they are trying to sleep in or have a relaxing start to their morning.

Example Workout

Six rounds of the following:

• 10 Push-Ups – start with your hands on the bottom stair and push yourself up to the second one completing a push-up there too.

• 20 fast-paced toe taps on the bottom stair.

• 10 Calf Raises on Bottom Stair – use a handrail for balance if needed.

• 1x - Lunge upstairs putting at least two stairs in between lunges as you ascend, jog down.

• 1x - Sprint up and jog down the stairs.

• 1x - High Knee Steps – face body perpendicular to stairs and ascend leading with your right leg, jog down, repeat turning 180 degrees and leading with your left leg, jog down.