The Lake Merced Workout

I like to do outdoor workouts every so often. Lake Merced has a fitness trail lining the north end of the lake.  I used to train clients at this spot.  Once a week I bring a 50 pound kettlebell to a pull-up station at Lake Merced and do a workout of pull-ups, one arm push ups, pistols and kettlebell snatches.

A fitness trail (a.k.a. parcourse) is a running course with exercise stations scattered at varying intervals.  It's a great way to get some fresh air and sun and combine strength calisthenics with cardiovascular work.

Here's a brutally effective circuit that I used to put my clients through.  The pull-up station at Lake Merced is located next to a downhill path, so we'd do hill sprints as part of the circuit.


The Lake Merced Workout:

1. Pull-ups, as many reps as possible (AMRAP)
2. Run downhill to the bottom, turn around and sprint up the hill as fast as you can
3. Push ups, AMRAP
4. Body weight squats, AMRAP
5. Hanging leg raises, AMRAP
6. Repeat circuit 2-4 more times