Spring Workout Plan: Spring Into Fitness!

Spring has sprung, which means warmer weather and longer days. Together, this makes it the perfect time to start a new spring workout plan!

Exercising outside is one of the best ways for women to improve their cardiovascular health and build a strong toned body.

Research has shown that exercising outdoors may account for some of the psychological benefits of exercise for women as well.

On top of that, studies have shown that people who combine outdoor with indoor physical activity report more positive emotions and well-being associated with exercise.

But, this can be difficult in the ice, snow, and freezing winter temperatures.

And the oppressive heat of summer can make exercise tough as well!

The spring weather is the perfect middle ground between the extreme heat of the summer and the bitter cold of winter.

There are numerous ways to enjoy the spring months while enhancing your strength and endurance.

You can get creative with your current workouts to reinvigorate your fitness routine or try some fresh, new workouts.

Ready to build your spring workout plan?

Want to lose 20 lbs before summer? Check out these 12 tips for quick weight loss!

Utilize Playground Equipment for Your Own Circuit Workout

Exercising outdoors doesn’t have to just mean walking, running, or biking along a trail.

While these are great cardio activities, mixing it up with some strength and resistance activities will really spice up your spring workout plan.

One way to get creative with your workouts is to take a lesson from your kids and get out on the playground!

Most parks have equipment that you can use to create a challenging circuit workout.

These circuit workouts will get your heart pumping as you build strength while sweating outdoors.

Warm-Up

Jog around the park for five minutes to get your heart rate up and muscles primed for your workout.

Follow this up with some dynamic stretches and then jump into the main workout.

Pull-Ups

• Hang from a pullup bar or monkey bars and pull yourself up until your chin is higher than your hands.
• If there is no bar available, you can do these using a tree limb.
• If you can't do a full pull-up, try using an underhand grip and do chin-ups instead.
• Aim for 5 reps, but if you can only do one to start that's OK!
• Each week you will gain strength and be able to increase your reps.

Side To Side Bench Hops

• Find a park bench that doesn’t have a back and stand to one side of it.
• Place a hand on each side of the bench.
• Bend at the waist and knees and jump your body to the opposite side of the bench.
• Land on both feet and then quickly jump back to the other side.
• Repeat the hops back and forth as quickly as you can for 30 seconds.

Tricep Dips

• A lot of parks will have a set of parallel bars to use for this exercise.
• Raise yourself above the parallel bars and then lower your body until your upper arms are parallel to the ground.
• If there are no bars available you can do tricep dips on a bench or step.
• Aim for 10-12 reps.

Alternating Step Up Lunge

• Place your left foot on a park bench so that your hip, knee, and ankle are all bent 90 degrees.
• Drive through your left foot and jump up as you switch feet in the air, landing with your right foot on the bench, and your left foot on the floor.
• Continue alternating legs with each rep until you complete 8-10 reps on each side.
• Repeat the circuit 3-4 times.
• Finish off with a cool-down jog around the park for five minutes.

This backyard workout will improve your strength, cardio, flexibility, and mobility. And, it requires NO EQUIPMENT!

No Equipment Park Circuit

Even if your park doesn’t have any equipment you can still create an amazing spring workout plan that will work your whole body.

Warm-up as above with five minutes of jogging around the park.

Then move on to the main circuit.

Squat Jumps

• Stand in an athletic stance with knees slightly bent and feet shoulder-width apart.
• Squat down until your thighs are parallel to the ground and then jump as high as you can.
• Land as softly as possible and then jump back up to repeat.
• Aim for 12-15 reps.

Mountain Climbers

• Start in a push-up position with your hands under your shoulders.
• Drive your right knee to your chest and tap your right foot to the floor then quickly move it back to the starting position.
• Then repeat this on the left.
• Continue alternating legs back and forth as quickly as you can for 30 seconds.

Push-Ups

• Start in a plank position, with your shoulders over your wrists and legs out behind you.
• Contract your abdominal muscles and keep your back straight.
• As you lower and exhale, bend your elbows outward to the sides.
• Aim for 10-12 reps.
• If your form starts to falter or if you can't perform a full push-up, you can start by doing these on your knees.

Bear Crawl

• Start on your hands and knees and then lift your knees so they’re at a 90-degree angle and hovering about an inch off the ground.
• Keep your back flat as you move one hand and the opposite foot forward while staying low to the ground.
• Continue walking forward like this as fast as you can for a set distance.
• You can start with 10 meters and work up to farther distances as your fitness improves.

Burpees

• Bend down and touch your hands to the ground.
• Now shoot your legs out behind you fast so you end up in the top position of a pushup.
• Perform a push-up, and then reverse the motion quickly and come back up.
• Then start right into the next rep.
• Try to do 10 reps as fast as possible.

50 Yard Sprint

• Right after finishing your burpees, sprint 50 yards as fast as you can to finish the circuit.
• You should feel the burn at this point!
• Repeat the circuit 3-4 times.
• Finish off with a cool-down jog around the park for five minutes.

Get Out on the Track

Running in the spring is one of the most rewarding exercises.

You can build your cardiovascular endurance and lower body strength all while enjoying the great outdoors.

But running the same routes and doing the same workouts every day can become boring.

Another thing to keep in mind is that knee problems are a common issue in female runners.

This is because of the difference in anatomy between men and women.

The larger angle between the hips and knees (also called the Q angle) can lead to higher levels of stress on the knee joints.

By incorporating core exercises along with moves that strengthen the hamstrings, glutes, quadriceps, while on the track can help avoid some of these common issues.

This will cause increases in musculature, bone mineral density, and tendon and ligament strength in the hips, knees, and ankles.

One way to do that is to add a full-body track workout to your spring workout plan!

Full Body Track Workout

• Run 400 meters
• Perform 20 walking lunges, then turn around and do 20 more back to the starting line
• Run 400 meters
• Hold a forearm plank for as long as possible until your form starts to falter — aim for 30 seconds and try to improve on this time as your core strength improves
• Run 400 meters
• Perform 20 push-ups
• Run 400 meters
• Perform 30 air squats

You can shorten or lengthen the run intervals based on your current level of fitness.

For a real challenge, try to repeat the circuit 1-2 times.

If you want to add an extra challenge and your track has bleachers, head to the stairs after your full-body workout for a stair “finisher.”

Sprint up the stairs 8 to 10 times.

Walk down after each sprint up to catch your breath before sprinting back up to the top.

Learn about all of the research-proven benefits of a 30-minute walk!

Interval Track Workouts

If you want to rejuvenate your runs, track intervals are a great option.

Not only will this add variety to your workouts, but it will also enhance your aerobic and anaerobic fitness.

Plus, the flat and rubber track surface is easier on your joints than running on uneven ground or a treadmill.

• Warm-up
• Run hard for 400 meters (1 lap around the track)
• Recover by jogging or walking 400 meters
• Repeat six times
• Cool-down

If you are new to running, start with 100 meters, which is about the length of a straightaway. Then recover for 100 meters.

As you build up endurance and speed, increase to 200 meters, and then to 400 meters.

Ladder Workout

Another fun and effective track workout is to increase the intervals up a ladder, and then shorten the intervals as you go back down.

• Run 100 meters, then recover with a 100-meter walk or jog.
• Next, run 200 meters, then recover with a 200-meter walk or jog.
• Run 300 meters, then recover with a 300-meter walk or jog.
• Finally, run 400 meters, then recover with a 400-meter walk or jog.
• After finishing the 400-meter run, repeat the circuit, but work your way back down the ladder with the 300, 200, and 100-meter intervals.

Make the Most of The Spring Weather

The spring is the perfect time to get outside and enjoy the warmer temperatures and fresh air.

Even if you feel like you have lost your motivation to exercise, a spring workout plan can help you feel rejuvenated about your health and fitness again.

Running, biking, hiking, and walking are other awesome cardio workouts in the spring.

Plus, the sounds and colors of spring will motivate you to up your fitness game.

This is the time of year that is also perfect to get outside with your family.

You can get out in the backyard and kick around a soccer ball, throw a baseball around, or come up with fun games with your kids.

Exercising outdoors gives you a new perspective on your workouts. Some days you may not even feel like you are working out!

New circuit workouts and running routines also will break up the monotony of your normal exercises.

It can be discouraging when you get stuck in a fitness rut.

Luckily, spring is the perfect season for you to get started on a new fitness challenge.

Varying your workouts and getting creative with new routines will reenergize you and get you excited about fitness again.

This spring workout plan will remind you that the playground and track aren't just for the kids!

*Please know that weight loss results & health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on a spring workout plan.