Making Fitness Fun: A Summertime Family Circuit
Circuit training is a fantastic way to get the whole family moving together. Since summer is in full swing, why not merge the gym with the gorgeous outdoors and set up your circuit stations in the backyard? Just be sure to stay hydrated and slather on the sunscreen.
All of the family circuits presented in The Fit Family include stations labeled “Cardio,” “Muscle,” or “Fun.” The “Fun” stations will often focus on coordination and balance, but sometimes they may just be excellent, ancient-fashioned fun. Older kids may delight in coming up with a fun station in addition to those I present here. Just make sure what they choose is a safe and effective exercise.
As a mom, I realize circumstances don’t always allow you to accomplish everything you have plotted. In reality, you may not have the time, space, or energy to make the perfect family circuit. Remember that any activity is better than no activity. So leave out a couple stations or improvise if needed. The goal is to establish healthy habits for your family by allocating time to go and sweat together.
Here’s what you’ll need for an outdoor summertime circuit:
- Sidewalk chalk or hula hoops
- 2 buckets
- Potato sack or ancient pillowcase
- 6 cones
- 4 sticks
- Battery-operated bubble blower
Set up the circuit stations in your backyard, and pump up your favorite summertime tunes. Warm-up together as a family for five minutes, then hit the stations.
Station 1 : Cardio
Hopscotch: Use the sidewalk chalk to draw a hopscotch on your cement patio. No patio? Use 5 or 6 hula hoops to mock a hopscotch on the grass. While at this station, do the hopscotch back and forth as quick as you can. Designate one space where you have to stop, bend down and touch the ground while balancing on one foot.
Station 2 : Muscle
Bicep Curls: Fill buckets with water (or sand from the sandbox) to make weights. Determine how much water to use by whomever is lifting the buckets. Fill them to the rim for Dad. Do bicep curls at this station by bending at the elbow to bring the buckets of water towards your shoulders. Practice proper form and you won’t get wet!
Station 3 : Cardio
Solo Sack Race: Nothing screams summer like backyard potato sack races. For a guaranteed aerobic workout, jump inside a sack and hop your way through a line of cones. If space is limited in your yard, use just one cone and hop around it. Reverse directions if you get dizzy.
Station 4 : Muscle
Tree Push-ups: Find a tree in your yard with a large sturdy trunk to perform modified push-ups. Place your hands on the tree at chest level, then scoot your feet back to the point where you’re resting your weight on the trunk of the tree. Bend at the elbows to bring your face towards the trunk, then use your pectoral muscles to push yourself back up to starting position. If there are no suitable trees in your yard, try using a wooden fence or a brick wall.
Station 5 : Cardio & Muscle
Leapfrog: Use the sticks to mark lines about five feet apart in the grass. Start at the first line and do a frog jump to the next line. If your knees are healthy, touch the grass at each line and use your quads to propel yourself into the air to the next line. When you reach the last line, turn around and frog jump your way back. You can place a plastic bowl of water between each line for an added challenge.
Station 6 : Fun
Bubble Blast: Set up a battery-operated bubble blower on a small table. It will cost about $20.00, but you’re sure to use it a lot if you have kids. Set a perimeter around the machine, so the person at this station can’t get too close to it. The object is to pop as many bubbles as possible without entering the boundary.
A excellent length of time at each station is about 30 seconds. Family members can take turns being in charge of watching the clock and yelling “Next station!” Repeat the circuit until you get in a excellent twenty minutes of activity. Fun music will help you and your kids to stay motivated. End with a five-minute cool down and a summertime treat, like popsicles.
