Parents, we’ve all been there: the thirty minutes in the gym at work after dropping the kids off at school, or the boot camp gatherings you spend upsetting about your little ones, who are fighting in the corner of the room. These exercises are less than ideal. But fortunately, there’s hope: working out alongside your kids, instead of breaking a sweat when they’re away, will strengthen your relationships, be a lot of fun, and, believe it or not, leave you sore the next day. With that in mind, here are five decent and doable ways to Exercising with your kids.
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Bodyweight circuit
Bodyweight Circuit may seem tedious to kids (and, let’s face it, to you too). But by renaming typical exercises with fun, kid-friendly terms, workout time will become everyone’s favourite part of the day. Show your kids how to do push-ups, crunches, squats, triceps, lunges, and Russian twists, and let them assign fun nicknames to each move. To make things even more interesting, write the name of each exercise on a piece of paper and take turns pulling the pieces out of a jar to determine what move you will make next. Do fifteen reps of each workout and aim for three rounds for a sweat session that will leave you, well, sweaty.
Hike
Find a nearby river or mountain and be on your way! Every workout enhances by getting out into nature. Hiking has many benefits: it strengthens your legs and abdominal muscles, reduces your risk of heart disease, and the outdoors is right for your mental health (most moms probably think they could use a little more). No hiking trails? Don’t worry: walk or jog your high school or gym track. If all else fails, take your dog for a walk around the neighbourhood. Chase your kids home on rainy days.
Dance
You don’t need expensive Zumba lessons or the Just Dance Wii game. All you need to do is watch YouTube videos of your favourite songs and dance in the kitchen. It may not sound like an adequate exercise, but you will be short of breath sooner than expected. Dancing is a great aerobic exercise that will get your heart racing and give you some effective cardiovascular workout. Let your teen teach you the final dance moves. If you want to see those empty eyes, show off the moves that were popular as a kid.
TV Exercises
Many families spend their time watching TV at night and on weekends. There is nothing wrong with relaxing, but when you think about all of the calories you are not burning, you may be more motivated to make the most of your time. Take your child’s favourite show and develop a suitable training program: We do high knees during the theme song. When Character A says his signature, we do ten double squats. During the commercial break, let’s see how many sit-ups we can do. You can also try moving your treadmill or elliptical in the same room as the television.
Training is often complicated and tedious, but it doesn’t have to be! Take a bodyweight class with a fun twist, exercise, go for a walk, dance around the house, or work out while watching TV. Whatever you do, the crucial thing is to involve your whole family and have fun getting fit.
Sports
If your children play sports, offer them to play with them, but with a different touch. Maybe your son plays football for your high school team like you do. However, instead of teaching you, let him teach you. You will hone your skills by trying to think of unfamiliar football techniques that will allow your brain and legs to work effectively. You can also set up nimbleness drills and sprints that mimic the extra conditioning your child’s trainer assigns in practice. If your kids aren’t interested in going to the plaza or the field, go out into the garden and throw a Frisbee or invent a new game like a day with pool noodles.
