Outdoor workouts are inspiring no matter what type of exercise you’re doing. I particularly love exercises that include natural props like trees, logs, boulders—any natural object that I can touch. This is an exercise I call the tree stand for lower body. It requires you to balance on one leg, use your core muscles for stability, and strengthens your butt and legs. For safety, be sure that you are standing on a flat surface. Start with 10 per leg, working up to 25 per leg.

The Tree Stand
Works: Core, glutes, hamstrings, balance, proprioception

Props: 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.

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.

Modification: none

Focal Point:
• tighten glutes for stability
• rely on core, not tree
• press lightly on fingertips