Family-friendly summer workouts

Getting active: Family-friendly summer workouts                  

Exercise isn’t just something adults should do at the gym: the whole family needs to get plenty of movement in their everyday lives, both for their physical and mental health. The good news is that during the summer holidays, you have a great opportunity to exercise as a family, as you not only have the time but also (hopefully) the weather.

So, whether you’re looking for something to entertain the kids or get the grandparents involved too, the experts at Fitness Superstore have shared five family-friendly workouts to get you all moving this summer.  

Hiking

While the typical idea of a hike might include steep inclines and rolling mountains, any time you’re walking in the great outdoors can be considered a hike. This makes it a universal, accessible form of exercise that you can tailor to your family’s fitness levels and physical abilities. Plus, it’s every parent’s favourite thing: free! As well as being an excellent form of full-body cardio — great for building stamina and getting the heart rate going — hiking also gets the whole family away from screens and out into the sun and fresh air, which is an important habit to impart to your children.

To make this workout family-friendly, make sure you do your research and pick out a trail that will suit your children’s age range and fitness level. There are a host of useful online resources where you can find hiking routes for all abilities and filter the results according to your family’s preferences, such as AllTrails, The National Trust, Walking Britain, and National Trails, just to name a few.

It’s also wise to spend time picking the right trail when hiking with older relatives such as grandparents, although this will depend on their fitness level. If you want to take regular hikes with older family members, walking sticks can be a great investment (or a Christmas present) as these can reduce the pressure on joints like knees and ankles. Whichever route you choose, always pack plenty of essentials so you’re never caught out, such as water, food, a first aid kit, sun cream, waterproof layers, and a map of the local area.

Swimming

If your child can swim (or is in the process of learning), this can be an excellent way to get the family active. Whether you opt for an indoor pool or outdoor spots like a lake, swimming is not only a great form of cardio but is also an important life skill for your child to learn. If you plan to swim outdoors with children, only ever choose spots that you know to be safe and free from strong currents. It’s also wise to bring inflatables such as armbands in case your little ones need a helping hand when they get tired.

Swimming is also a great form of cardio for older relatives to join in with. This is because the water supports their weight, meaning there is less impact on the joints, but it still gets the heart rate going and burns plenty of calories.

Yoga and stretching

While it may not get your heart rate going as much as cardio or strength training, flexibility is an integral part of physical fitness. Much like hiking, this is a free, accessible activity that almost everyone can get involved with (unless they are advised otherwise due to mobility issues). All you need is a good-quality yoga mat to cushion hard floors, but you may also benefit from tools like a yoga block or straps to help those who are less flexible.

The great thing about stretching is that even a few minutes a day can make a huge difference in helping the muscles recover. This can be particularly useful if you have younger children, as their attention span won’t be as long as yours!

Similarly, adults who sit at a desk frequently or older relatives who have less range of movement in their joints will also feel a great benefit from regular stretching, particularly in their hamstrings, lower back, and knees. So, before or after an active family day out, take five or ten minutes for a stretch session — you might use a beginner’s yoga video or a flexibility guide to help with this, both of which you can find for free online.

Bike rides

Once your child knows how to ride a bike, family cycling trips are a surefire way to make cardiovascular exercise fun. Try to plan a route and distance that suits everyone’s abilities, and be sure to break it up with plenty of rest stops at cafes or parks to give younger children an incentive to keep going. To get older children interested and involved, you might task them with picking out the route, as this can be a great exercise in responsibility too. Finally, remember to pack plenty of supplies and make sure that any baby or toddler seats are secured and comfortable for your little one.

Garden Games

If you and your family prefer to exercise with less structure, then keep it simple with some summer games. Even when we’re older, the best workout often doesn’t feel like one: so, get your kids excited about physical activity by hosting your own Garden Games. Invest in bats, balls, cones, and nets so you can play games like rounders, cricket, and basketball, or create your own obstacle course with home gym equipment like skipping ropes, benches, and even weights for the older children and adults. A bit of healthy competition is sure to get everyone motivated, and you can even make your mock Olympics official by giving a medal to the victor. Let the games begin!

-        Keoghan Bellew, Personal Trainer at Fitness Superstore comments:

“Staying active is important during every stage of our lives, so the whole family will benefit from incorporating more physical movement into their day. School holidays and more favourable weather mean that summer is a great time to start, so as well as tailoring your chosen sport to your family’s age and fitness level, make sure that above all, the goal is to get moving and have fun. Any movement is better than none!

“Regular exercise is great for our physical and mental health, and even more so if you get active outside. So, try to plan plenty of outdoor activities like hiking, cycling, and playing games in the garden this summer — not only are they free, but getting fresh air and vitamin D will be beneficial for the whole family’s health.”