Why a Kid on a Playground Will Teach You Everything Need to Know About Exercise
Remember when you were a kid and the recess bell rang? You didn’t check in with your trainer about the day’s routine. You chased your friends, climbed the jungle gym, swung on the monkey bars, soared on the swings, and tried to jump into Double Dutch. It was 30 precious minutes of life in motion. No one had to tell you what to do.
You can still use the playground to work out. It has everything you need and just as many options as the gym. Use your imagination. Run around. Go crazy! Let your inner kid out. It’ll be a blast.
While you’re at it, bring your kids along to get them off the couch and make your workout more challenging. Here are some suggestions:
Jump Rope
Get your heart rate up and warm up those muscles with some cardio. Doing one-minute intervals between the strength training exercises that follow will really kick up your workout. Ask your kids to compete against you. Challenge: Who can jump the longest? I’ve always enjoyed some kid-friendly competition.
Monkey Bars
Do some pull-ups. Keep your legs straight, core tight, glutes engaged, and pull your chin above the bar. This move fires up your abdominal muscles. Keep at it—you’ll get stronger the more you do it. Maybe even swing from rung to rung and get those deltoids firing.
For a bigger challenge, try those monkey bars with your own monkey (or your kid, if you don’t own a monkey) on your back.
Park Bench
Push-ups are basic and I love them. I do 100 every morning. They are great for your chest, and help define your abs, triceps, shoulders, and torso. A park bench gives you a few great options.
If you’re a beginner, elevate your hands. Walk your feet back a few steps so your body forms a diagonal line away from the bench and lean your torso forward, hands firmly placed on the bench, elbows tucked in.
Looking for a major challenge? Reverse it! Feet on the bench, hands on the ground. Or put your kid on your back. When you’re finished, do a series of jumps on and off the bench.
Tire Swing
Try a swinging knee tuck. Get into a high plank position, and hook your feet to the inside of the tire. Next, pull your knees in toward your chest, and reverse. This is so good for your core.
Finish with a healthy game of tag. It’ll get everyone’s heart rate going. You’ll feel like a kid in no time—and be healthier for it.
Joe I swing on the monkey bars a couple times a week. I'll be on the monkey bars this afternoon -- in between heavy carries, planks, tire flips, pikes, swingin a Leo, and more. And it's entirely 100% because you made me do it. Aroo.
Owner / Founder at TRiGGER-PiN! LLC
7 年Great post, Joe. Important insight!
Explore. Dream. Discover.
7 年This article reminded me of the first obstacle course race I ran. It was 1975 and I was in fifth grade. The elementary school I was attending in rural Maine held an annual Olympic competition and the most popular event was the obstacle course. I was small, slight of build, and disliked recess because the bigger, tougher boys intimidated me. However, years of playing outdoor, climbing trees, buidling mazes out of hay bales in the hay loft, gave me enough strength and stamina to take the gold. Forty years later I finally got to run another obstacle course race and haven't stopped racing since. Thanks for bringing obstacle course racing to new heights, Joe!
Senior Pastor / Personal Fitness Trainer
7 年Goodness gracious, I was just in my garage the other day looking to see how I could install some rings on to the big wood cross beam... but the local park sounds much better many more options to play like a child.... I have TPPS so this will be great for me...! TTPS > Terminal Peter Pan Syndrome.... I gotta crow now, see ya later!!!
Good on you Cindy! I have to admit my first response was, thank goodness I am now an adult!!