An Outdoor Circuit Workout That’ll Build Strength and Boost Cardio in 20 Minutes
Exercising outside can be a stellar way to shake up a blah routine and reap the amazing benefits of nature. With an outdoor circuit workout, you can tick both those boxes—while also getting in a solid cardio and strength challenge too.
Opting to do a workout outside in the fresh air—where there’s a whole bunch of different sights, sounds, and smells—can inject variety and novelty into a repetitive gym routine. Plus, you can enjoy the perks of nature exposure while you’re at it, which include things like increased happiness, memory, and creativity, as well as decreased stress, according to research.
Of course, there are loads of different workouts you can do outside (hello, walking or running), but a full-body circuit workout can be especially worth your while since it’s a great way to hit a ton of major muscle groups while also delivering a dose of cardio. With circuit training, you’ll perform a set number of exercises back to back, then repeat that set of exercises a certain number of times. It’s a whole bunch of work with not a lot of rest.
This style of exercise can be a great way to get a good workout in a short amount of time, personal trainer Sivan Fagan, CPT, owner of Strong with Sivan, tells SELF. That’s because the minimal rest format will jack up your heart rate and really challenge your muscles—especially if you choose intense full-body moves. So if you’re wondering if a 20-minute circuit workout is long enough to be beneficial, the answer is yes, absolutely.
With that in mind, Fagan designed the below full-body workout that you can do outside using just your bodyweight. This four-move, HIIT-based routine combines single-leg moves—like the warrior balance and skater hop, which will challenge your balance and coordination—with awesome core exercises (which are actually more like full-body moves) like the lateral plank walk and frogger. As you do this circuit back to back, you’ll likely notice your heart rate climb and your muscles start to fatigue. “It's not an easy workout,” says Fagan, who included beginner-friendly modifications below for each exercise.
When scouting a location for this outdoor workout, try to find a place that’s shaded (perhaps under a tree in a park) and with a comfortable, even surface, like grass. Pay attention to the weather and avoid exercising outside when it’s really hot, as that can increase your risk of getting really dehydrated and possibly experiencing heat-related illness. To that end, bring a water bottle and possibly an electrolyte drink to help replenish the fluids you lose through sweat, says Fagan. Also consider bringing a mat or towel, which can come in clutch for moves like the frogger and lateral plank walk where you’re placing your hands on the ground.
Before jumping into this 20-minute outdoor circuit workout, make sure you do a quick warm-up so that your body is loose and ready to move. You don’t need anything long or intense—just two minutes of striders (the first move in this sequence), inner-thigh mobility drills, and T-spine rotation can be enough.
With that, scope a shady spot and get ready for a stellar full-body outdoor circuit—no equipment needed. You may just want to pencil this into your weekly workout routine this summer.
The Workout
What you need: Just your bodyweight, though you may also want a yoga mat for comfort.
Exercises
- Warrior Balance
- Lateral Plank Walk
- Skater Hop
- Frogger
Directions
- Perform the warrior balance for 30 seconds per side, do the lateral plank walk for 1 minute, and do both the skater hop and the frogger for 45 seconds each.
- Move from one exercise to the next without resting, though of course take breaks if you feel like you can’t catch your breath or your form is slipping.
- After you’ve completed all four exercises, rest for 90 seconds, then repeat the circuit. Complete 4 rounds total.
Demoing the moves below are Cookie Janee (GIF 1), a background investigator and security forces specialist in the Air Force Reserve; Mirinda Carfrae (GIF 2), a professional triathlete; Nikki Pebbles (GIF 3), a special populations personal trainer in New York City; and Landyn Pan (GIF 4), an online fitness and nutrition coach.
Katie Thompson1Warrior Balance
- Stand on your left foot and lift your right knee to hip height in front of your body. Bend your elbows so that your hands are by your shoulders. This is the starting position.
- Hinge forward at the hips and reach your arms forward as you extend your right leg behind you. Keep your standing leg slightly bent as your torso comes parallel to the floor.
- Pause for a breath, then reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
- That’s 1 rep. Continue for 30 seconds, then switch sides and repeat for another 30 seconds.
This move, which is very similar to a single-leg deadlift, challenges your core stability and balance and also fires up your glutes, hips, and lower leg muscles, says Fagan. Make it easier by doing a bodyweight kickstand deadlift.
Alexandra Genova2Lateral Plank Walk
- Start in a high plank position with your palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked directly above your wrists, legs extended behind you, and your core and glutes engaged.
- Take a step to the right starting with your right hand and right foot and following with your left hand and foot, maintaining a plank position as you move. Take another step to the right.
- Now take 2 steps to the left. This is 1 rep.
- Continue this pattern, alternating sides, for 1 minute.
This plank variation really challenges your core and hip stability as well as your shoulder joint and shoulder blade strength, says Fagan. It also engages your chest and triceps muscles, she adds.
Make it easier by doing plank shoulder taps from the ground or with your hands on an elevated surface.
Katie Thompson3Skater Hop
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Bend your knees slightly, then jump to the right as far as you can, leading with your right foot and swinging your left leg just behind your right. Swing your arms across your body to help you jump farther.
- Land on your right foot and bend your knee slightly, balancing on that foot for a second.
- Jump back to the left, landing on your left foot. Try to jump as far and as fast as you can while staying balanced. That’s 1 rep.
- Continue performing reps for 45 seconds.
This explosive plyometric exercise challenges your upper-body and lower-body coordination, and works on single leg stability and inner-thigh strength, says Fagan. Make it easier (and low impact) by stepping (versus jumping) from side to side.
Katie Thompson4Frogger
- Start in a high-plank position with your palms flat on the floor, shoulders stacked directly above your wrists, legs extended behind you, and your core and glutes engaged.
- Jump your feet forward and land them lightly outside your hands. Lift your chest, drop your butt down so that you’re in the bottom portion of a squat, and lift your hands off the floor.
- Then lean forward again, place your hands back on the floor in between your feet, and jump your feet back out to return to a high plank. That’s 1 rep.
- Continue performing reps for 45 seconds.
Essentially a half burpee, this exercise involves moving between a plank and a squat position. It fires up your pushing muscles—including your chest, shoulders, triceps—and core, as well as your lower body, says Fagan. Make it easier by eliminating the jump and instead, step your feet forward one at a time.
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