62 | Get fit for free Outdoor gym | 63

Eight-week outdoor plan Here is a steady series of outdoor circuits to kick-start the new year.
Go easy on yourself at first: if you find the sessions in one week
too challenging, repeat the week before moving on to the next

Before you begin

Always perform a warm-up that starts
with walking and progresses to jogging
for 10 minutes or so. And never stop
the session abruptly – with circuits
and intense sessions, always finish
with a slow 10-minute jog-to-walk.

WEEK ONE
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6
10 min jog; 15 mins 8 x (20 secs of 40-60 30 min circuit 1 hr gentle Rest 40 mins 20 mins 8 x (20 secs 30 mins 35 min circuit Rest
alternate stretching deep squats + min walk incorporating swim/walk/ fartlek running stretching jumping up throwing and incorporating

WEEK TWO
sprinting with 10 secs rest); incorporating 4 exercises yoga and down with sprinting 10 reps of any
jogging for 8 x (20 secs some (5 reps of 10 secs rest); 4 exercises
50m (of each), of press-ups balancing each) with 8 x (hanging (different to
and repeat for + 10 secs exercises 30 secs walk and swinging last week),
100m, 200m, rest) and 8 x then 1 min jog for 20 secs + followed by
400m, 200m, (20 secs of between sets. 10 secs rest); 30 sec walk,
100m, 50m; crawling + Keep moving 8 x (lift and then a 2 min jog
10 min jog 10 secs rest) for the entire carry for 20 secs in between sets
30 mins + 10 secs rest)

Day 7
1 hr gentle swim/
walk/yoga

WEEK THREE
Day 1
15 sec run, 15 sec walk; 30 sec
run, 30 sec walk; 1 min run,
1 min walk; 2 min run, 2 min
walk; 1 min run, 1 min walk;
30 sec run, 30 sec walk

Day 6 Day 5 Day 4 Day 3 Day 2 Day 1 Day 7 Day 6 Day 5 Day 4 Day 3 Day 2
1 hr gentle 40 min circuit 40-60 min 8 x (20 secs lift 40 min jog 30 mins of Rest 1 hr gentle swim/ 40 min circuit 40-60 min 8 x (20 secs deep 30-40 min
swim/walk/ incorporating brisk walk and carry + 10 sprinting yoga/walk with 12 reps of brisk walk squats + 10 secs gentle jog
WEEK FOUR

yoga 15 reps of secs rest); 8 x (20 over varying any 4 exercises rest); 8 x (20 secs stopping to
6 exercises secs deep squat + distances (different to hang and swing + hang and swing
with 30 secs 10 secs rest); 8 x (jogging the last week), then 10 secs rest); 8 x when you see a
recovery walk (20 secs vault + same distance 30 secs walk (20 secs press- suitable tree

ILLUSTRATIONS: JAMIE CULLEN

and 1 min 10 secs rest); 8 x to recover) followed by ups, 10 secs rest);
fast-paced jog (20 secs squat + 1 min fast-paced 8 x (20 secs long
between sets. 10 secs rest); 8 x jog between sets jumping, 8 secs
2 min walk 20 secs balancing rest); 8 x (20
halfway through + 10 secs rest) secs crawling;
the session 10 secs rest)
Day 7
Rest
64 | Get fit for free Outdoor gym | 65

Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7

8 x (20 secs + 10 40-60 mins 45 min circuit 1 hr gentle Rest
WEEK EIGHT
secs recovery) of jogging incorporating swim/walk/ Day 1
8 different exercises 25 reps of yoga 40 mins fast-paced
9 exercises running or fartlek
followed by
30 secs walk
and 1 min fast-
Day 2 paced jog to
40 mins walking recover. 2 min
and stretching walk halfway Day 2
through 40 min walk or jog;
the session 6-8 balance and general
stretching exercises

Day 1
40 mins fast-paced running
Day 3
8 x (20 secs + 10 secs
recovery) of 8-10 exercises

WEEK FIVE WEEK SEVEN

Day 1 Day 7 Day 4
40 mins fast-paced running, Rest 40-60 min jog
stopping periodically to crawl,
hang or jump

Day 2 Day 6 Day 5

40 mins jogging or stretching 1 hr gentle swim/walk/yoga 40 min circuit incorporating
20-25 reps of all 10 exercises
with 30 sec walk and 1 min
fast-paced jog between sets.
2 min walk halfway through
the session
Day 3 Day 5 Day 6
8 x (20 secs + 10 40 min circuit with 25 reps of 1 hr walk/swim/jog
secs recovery) of 6 8 exercises followed by a 30
different exercises sec walk and 1 min fast-paced
jog between sets. 2 min walk
halfway through the session

Day 4 Day 4 Day 7

40-60 mins 40-60 min walk Rest
walking /swimming incorporating 6 crawling
and balancing exercises

Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 1 Day 2 Day 3

40 min circuit 1 hr gentle Rest 40 mins fast- 40 min 8 x (20 secs
incorporating swim/walk/yoga paced running gentle jog + 10 secs
20 reps of 8 recovery) of
WEEK SIX

exercises with 7 different

30 secs recovery exercises
walk and 1 min

ILLUSTRATION: JAMIE CULLEN

fast-paced jog
between sets.
2 min walk
halfway through
the session