Unlock Your Inner Strength: Sebastian Grüner’s Park Workout, Part Five
Welcome back to "Our Personal Trainer," the series where Berlin-based fitness coach Sebastian Grüner guides us on a journey towards a stronger, healthier, and more beautiful version of ourselves. This week, we’re continuing our exploration of outdoor fitness, leveraging the simple and accessible resources available in our local parks. This article is featured in ZEIT am Wochenende, Ausgabe 18/2025.
This week’s workout, like the previous installments, relies on a park bench or a similarly elevated surface. It’s a fantastic way to add intensity and variety to your routine, utilizing bodyweight exercises to build strength, improve flexibility, and enhance overall fitness. Remember, the beauty of this program lies in its accessibility. You don’t need expensive gym equipment or a personal trainer breathing down your neck. Just find a park bench, commit to the exercises, and feel the transformative power of movement.
Before we dive into the exercise, let’s reiterate two crucial points for respectful and responsible park fitness.
Respect the Space and Others: First and foremost, be mindful of your surroundings. Parks are shared spaces for relaxation and recreation. Ensure you’re not obstructing pathways or interfering with anyone else’s enjoyment of the park. Avoid playing loud music and keep your voice down. Remember, courtesy goes a long way.
Cleanliness is Key: This point is particularly important. We’re using a public bench, a space where others might sit or rest. If your shoes are dirty, please remove them before placing your foot on the bench for the exercises. Let’s keep our parks clean and enjoyable for everyone. A little consideration makes a big difference.
Now, let’s get to the workout! Remember to consult with your doctor or a qualified healthcare professional before starting any new exercise program. Listen to your body and stop if you experience any pain.
(The following assumes Sebastian Grüner would provide specific exercises. Since those aren’t provided in the original text, I will create some logical exercises fitting the theme.)
This Week’s Focus: Leg Strength and Balance
This week, we’ll focus on strengthening your legs and improving your balance, two essential components of overall fitness and injury prevention. The park bench will serve as a valuable tool to challenge your stability and increase the range of motion in your lower body exercises.
Warm-up (5 minutes):
- Dynamic Leg Swings (Forward and Lateral): Gently swing each leg forward and backward, then side to side, to loosen up your hip flexors and hamstrings. Perform 10-15 repetitions per leg for each direction.
- Ankle Circles: Rotate each ankle in both directions for 10-15 repetitions to improve ankle mobility.
- Bodyweight Squats: Perform 10-15 bodyweight squats to activate your leg muscles.
Workout (20 minutes):
Exercise 1: Elevated Split Squats (3 sets of 10-12 repetitions per leg):
This exercise targets your quads, glutes, and hamstrings while simultaneously challenging your balance. Place one foot on the park bench behind you, ensuring your shoelaces are facing down. Your standing leg should be slightly ahead of the bench. Lower your body down until your front thigh is parallel to the ground. Keep your core engaged and your back straight. Push back up to the starting position using your front leg. Focus on maintaining control throughout the movement and preventing your front knee from extending past your toes. If you find this too challenging, start with a smaller range of motion.
Exercise 2: Bench Hip Thrusts (3 sets of 15-20 repetitions):
This exercise effectively targets your glutes and hamstrings. Sit with your upper back against the park bench. Place your feet flat on the ground, shoulder-width apart. Lower your hips towards the ground, and then squeeze your glutes to thrust your hips upwards, creating a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Hold the top position for a second and then slowly lower back down. To increase the difficulty, you can add weight by placing a dumbbell or weight plate across your hips.
Exercise 3: Step-Ups (3 sets of 10-12 repetitions per leg):
This is a simple but effective exercise for building leg strength and improving balance. Stand facing the park bench. Place one foot firmly on the bench. Push through your heel to lift yourself onto the bench, bringing your other foot up to meet it. Step back down with the same leg you used to step up. Alternate legs with each repetition. Focus on maintaining a controlled movement and avoiding swinging your body to generate momentum. If the bench is too high, find a lower platform to start with.
Exercise 4: Single-Leg Deadlifts (3 sets of 8-10 repetitions per leg):
This exercise challenges your balance, strengthens your hamstrings and glutes, and improves your core stability. Stand on one leg, with a slight bend in your knee. Hinge at your hips, lowering your torso towards the ground while extending your other leg straight back behind you. Maintain a straight back and engaged core throughout the movement. Lower as far as you comfortably can while maintaining balance. Return to the starting position by squeezing your glutes and hamstrings. If you’re struggling with balance, you can lightly touch your extended leg to the ground for support.
Cool-down (5 minutes):
- Hamstring Stretch: Sit on the ground with one leg extended and the other leg bent. Reach towards your toes, feeling a stretch in your hamstring. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the other leg.
- Quad Stretch: Stand and grab your foot, pulling it towards your glutes. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the other leg.
- Calf Stretch: Lean against the park bench with one leg extended straight back. Push your heel towards the ground, feeling a stretch in your calf. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the other leg.
Remember, consistency is key. Aim to incorporate this workout into your routine 2-3 times per week for optimal results. Listen to your body, adjust the exercises as needed, and most importantly, enjoy the process of becoming stronger, healthier, and more beautiful!
And don’t forget to check out the previous four exercises at the bank [link to previous articles here] if you want to combine them for a more comprehensive workout! Until next time, happy training!
