IELTS Speaking Part 2

Describe a bodyweight workout routine outdoors

A Band 8 model answer with the one-minute plan behind it, the vocabulary that lifts it, and the Part 3 questions that follow.
  • 264 words
  • An activity or habit
  • 1 minute to prepare
  • 2 minutes to speak

The cue card

Describe a bodyweight workout routine outdoors

You should say:

  • →where you usually do this workout
  • →what specific exercises it involves
  • →how often you do it
  • →and explain why you prefer doing this workout in an open space rather than indoors.

One minute to prepare, then speak for one to two minutes.

An activity or habit

How to plan it in one minute

  1. 1

    Jot down the specific setting and simple apparatus you use, like park benches or parallel bars.

  2. 2

    List three or four distinct bodyweight exercises to demonstrate precise fitness vocabulary.

  3. 3

    Note two sensory contrasts between an indoor gym environment and an open green space.

Model answer

Band 8 model answer

Band 8264 words, about two minutes at a natural pace. Details are invented; use your own.

To be honest, I've never been a huge fan of commercial gyms, so I usually do a high-intensity bodyweight circuit in a large public park about ten minutes from my flat. It's an expansive green space with a small calisthenics area that has parallel bars and timber benches, which makes it ideal for a proper training session.

The routine itself is fairly straightforward but quite demanding. I typically start with a gentle jog around the perimeter to warm up, followed by dynamic stretching on the grass. After that, I move into the main circuit, which includes sets of pull-ups, push-ups, explosive jump squats, and core exercises like hanging leg raises. To finish off, I like to do a few short shuttle runs across the open field to get my heart rate right up. I try to stick to this routine three mornings a week, usually around seven o'clock before the park gets too busy.

As for why I prefer doing this outdoors rather than indoors, there are a couple of main reasons. Firstly, traditional gyms often feel stuffy and packed to the rafters, whereas working out in the fresh air is genuinely invigorating. There's something really uplifting about feeling the morning breeze and being surrounded by trees rather than staring at a mirrored wall under fluorescent lights.

On top of that, an open space offers total freedom of movement without having to queue for equipment or deal with clattering weights. I find that exercising out in the open helps me clear my head and leaves me feeling far more energised for the day ahead.

Say it out loud and get a band

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8 words

Vocabulary from the answer

  • calisthenics

    gymnastic exercises designed to develop physical fitness using body weight

  • stuffy

    lacking fresh air or proper ventilation

  • packed to the rafters

    completely full of people; crowded

  • invigorating

    making one feel energetic, refreshed, and lively

  • shuttle runs

    short, fast sprints back and forth between two fixed points

  • perimeter

    the continuous line forming the boundary of an open area

  • queue

    to wait in a line for one's turn

  • freedom of movement

    the ability to move around without physical constraints

5 questions

Part 3 questions that follow this card

  1. 1Why are more people choosing to exercise in parks instead of traditional gyms?
  2. 2How might local councils encourage residents to make better use of public recreation areas?
  3. 3Do you think outdoor workouts provide greater mental health benefits than exercising indoors?
  4. 4In what ways could future urban planning change to accommodate public fitness spaces?
  5. 5What are the drawbacks of relying entirely on outdoor spaces for regular exercise?

Answer each in three to five sentences: position, reason, example, limit. Read Band 8 answers to these Part 3 questions: outdoor fitness and urban public spaces.

Frequently asked questions

How should I start the cue card "Describe a bodyweight workout routine outdoors"?+

Jot down the specific setting and simple apparatus you use, like park benches or parallel bars.

How long should my answer be?+

Speak for the full two minutes, about 220 to 280 words at a natural pace. The examiner will stop you at two minutes, which is a good sign, not a problem.

Can I use this model answer in the exam?+

Use its structure and vocabulary, not its sentences. Examiners recognise memorised answers and mark fluency down; a shorter answer from your own memory scores higher than a recited one.

Keep practising

More cue cards: an activity or habit

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