Railroad Park, Birmingham, AL - A Great Place for Outdoor Workout!

Railroad Park, Birmingham, AL- A Great Place for Outdoor Workout!

This park is located in the middle of bustling downtown Birmingham. Railroad Park has 19 acres of park with hundreds of trees, water features, and 9 acres of green lawn. This park also offers four different trails to run/walk.

 It also has a wonderful California’s Muscle Beach-style calisthenics workout center that includes bars galore, like pull up bars, parallel bars, and low bars. This exercise area also has incline benches and other equipment to use. It is located near the 14^th Street entrance under some trees.

If you are in the Birmingham area, get outside and visit Railroad Park for a great workout. Want a little inspiration? Here is a outdoor workout that you can do using this park and all its wonderful amenities.

Railroad Park Workout

Park at the 18^th street parking lot. Take a quick walk across the Rail Trail, which is about 1/3-mile-long, and enjoy the view of the city and ponds. When you reach the calisthenics area at the other side of the park, warm up a bit more with some dynamic stretching and jumping jacks. Once you have broken a light sweat, you’re ready to get into the meaty part of this workout.

Calisthenics Circuit

Each move is done for time. Get as many as you can done without sacrificing form in 45 seconds. Make sure you rest 15 seconds before moving on to the next move.

1. Incline Push Ups

Use the lowest bar you can find and get into push up position grabbing the bar with both hands.

2. Steps Ups with a Knee

Using the bench as a box, step up with one foot onto the bench and lift the opposite leg up and bring your knee in towards the chest. Return to standing position and repeat on the opposite leg.

3. Horizontal Pull Ups

Using a bar that is about as high as your waist. It can’t be any lower. Lay on the ground and grab the bar with both palms at a little outside shoulder width. Squeeze your glutes and core and bring your body up off the ground using these muscles. Now, using your upper body, pull your body up until your sternum touches the bar. If you need an easier version, feel free to bend your knees and plant your feet on the ground after you have lifted your body off the ground.

4. Bulgarian Split Squats

Get into a standing position in front of a platform or low bar. Place your back foot up on a platform or propped on a low bar. Bend the knee of the standing leg and perform a lunge, keeping the back foot on the platform the entire time. The deeper the lunge, the more effective the move. Switch legs in the middle of the interval.

5. Decline Sit Ups

Using the sit-up bench, place your toes into the bar at the top of the bench and sit down with your knees bent. Release your torso down towards the ground until you are laying flat against the bench. Your feet will be higher than your head. Sit up until your chest is close to your knees, making sure to inhale as you go up. Release your torso back down and exhale.

6. Dips

Using the parallel bars, stand in between the bars and grab each bar at your sides. You will have to bend your elbows and push off the palms to raise your entire body up as you straighten your elbows. Bend your elbows again and dip your body down, but keep your knees bent and your ankles crossed to stop from touching the ground. That’s one rep. Now repeat until the 45 seconds is up.

Next, alternate between jogging and sprinting down the length of the Rail Trail, the same trail you took to get here. When you reach the parking lot, turn around and alternate between jogging and walking to return to the exercise park. Repeat the calisthenics circuit one more time through.

Make sure to stretch your upper and lower body before you cool down on the walk back to your car, unless you walked here then simply walk home. This park is a great place to enjoy all year long with hundreds of possible workout variations. Happy Fitness!

 Love outdoor workout!