GET MOVING WITH THIBODAUX REGIONAL

from February 2020 - Family First Magazine

FUN FOR THE FAMILY

LET’S GET PUMPING FEBRUARY IS HEART HEALTH MONTH

Because children today have so many opportunities to use electronics, as parents, we need to focus on growing healthy hearts at home! Leading by example and showing children how to get their hearts pumping is a great way to let them know how much fun it can be to exercise!

Exercise time for adults is usually when we decompress before the day begins or after the day ends. It’s good alone time. It’s stress relief. But, when children see moms and dads working out, they want to do it too. What better way to set them up for lifelong healthiness! When they understand that mom or dad wants to take care of their body and try to keep it healthy and in shape, it motivates them to be healthy too. So, pick a day or two each week and work out together… enjoy the fun, bonding experience!

A few tips when working out together: work out at your own pace; don’t get your hopes up if your child, or yourself, cannot keep up. We’re not all American Ninja Warriors! It’s mainly an opportunity to introduce fitness to your children and give them a chance to have fun with exercise. Give them some pointers and try to help maintain good form with certain exercises, because learning to do it right is just as important as doing it. Let’s get started with a few at home moves that most families can accomplish together!

1. Planking Put your elbows on the floor, raise up on the tips of your toes, and keep your back straight and your abs tight in a line. Hold that position if you can. 30 seconds is pretty good if your kids can hold it that long.

5. Lunges Take a step. Touch your back knee to the floor, and make sure your front knee doesn’t extend past the toes. 2. Squats Put your feet shoulders’ width apart and do deep knee bends as if you’re sitting down on an invisible chair. Put your arms out. Make sure your knees don’t extend past your toes. 4. Crunches Sit-ups, but not all the way from floor to knee. Just curl your chest toward your knees.

3. Push-ups Keep your abs tight and your back straight; you can do this with a straight or bent knees.

6. Side leg raises Just like Jane Fonda used to do! Keep your legs straight.

7. Burpees Let’s get your heart racing! Squat, then put your hands to the ground. Kick your legs straight back behind you, landing on your toes. Then do a push-up, bring your legs back underneath you, and jump straight up off the floor.

8. Mountain climbers Start in a push-up position, then alternate bringing one foot at a time forward toward your armpit and then extend it back out.

9. Butterfly kicks Lie on your back. Keeping your abs tight, raise your feet just barely off the floor and flutter-kick them.

10. V-ups This one’s like a sit-up, but in the shape of a V. Lie back, extend your arms out above your head on the floor, then lift your legs and raise your torso and hands until you make a V. Reach toward your feet, then back down again.

Don’t forget to first start with a warm-up to get everyone limbered-up and ready. Maybe high knees, or jogging in place, pretend jumping rope, or jumping jacks. Then mix it up! Let each child assemble a workout by picking three of the listed exercises. Do 10 of each exercise and try to finish a circuit: three sets of those three exercises.

For more information contact the Thibodaux Regional Fitness Center, 985.493.4950. With a circuit-style workout, they can also look forward to an upcoming change with the next exercise. Nobody gets bored doing the same thing for a long period of time. And of course, don’t forget to turn up the music. Music always makes exercise more fun. •