Aside from the fresh air, the sounds of nature, and variety in terrain, one of the great joys in exercising outdoors is touching it. Pushups on boulders and triceps dips on a fallen tree are fun. So is simply touching the bark and strength of a tree during an exercise. I call this the Tree Stand. Try it for yourself and you’ll understand why.
Tree Stand for Lower Body
What it Works: Core, glutes, hamstrings, balance, proprioception
Props Needed: Tree, post, wall, boulder
Starting Position: This exercise has you facing a tree, fence or post that’s about 3-4 feet away. Keeping your hips squared with your shoulders, bend over until your back is parallel to the ground, extend your arms to hold onto the tree and lift your right leg off the ground.
The Action: Lengthen your body out so that you create the letter “T”; keep legs, arms, and torso straight. Lift your right leg up and down a few inches to work the glutes. Variation: Bend your right knee at a 90° angle and press your heel to the sky, lifting and lowering.
Extra Tips:
• tighten glutes for stability
• rely on core, not tree
• press lightly on finger tips
