Happier kids,
fitter you
Creative ways to engage everyone in the family
April 21, 2020Creative ways to engage everyone in the family
April 21, 2020Got kids? Well if you’re anything like us, after weeks of “home schooling”, you’re likely running out of ideas on how to keep them entertained and healthy, not to mention yourself! If only every home had a home-gym. That would definitely help. Then again, you could use your kids as workout equipment. Justus Scharowsky, PUMA Head of Licensed Business Motorsport, did just that. Together with his kids, he came up with a clever way to cope with the current situation.
Justus knows that physical movement is key to mentally balanced kids. So the former Olympic field hockey player and his 3 daughters came up with a solution intended to prevent parents from “going nuts and getting fat“, despite not being able to do sports outside and/or visit friends. Have a look at these five exercises, then schedule a few minutes into your day to try them out with your little ones!
1. Sit-ups with weight
Lie on the floor facing the ceiling with your feet in the air slightly bending your knees, hands touching your head by the ears. Then place your mini-me on your shin-bone for an additional challenge. Begin lifting your upper body and return to the start position. To get the most out of this ab exercise, you need to perform the exercise slowly and repeat it at least ten times. The sit-up is easy and probably the most classic abdominal training exercise, which will strengthen your abdomen and boost your core strength.
2. Modified bench press
The bench press is perfect for training your upper body. Here’s how to perform Justus’ version: Lie down on the floor and press a weight (i.e. your child) upwards while extending the arms. Then lower the weight to chest level and lift it up again to the starting position. You can repeat this exercise about 10 to 15 times.
3. Weightlifting
You can also include your kids in the next exercise: a simple weight lift. They’re going to love it! First, choose the appropriate child, to make sure you have a suitable amount of weight. Remember that heavy weight and low reps will increase your muscle mass, while a light weight with high reps supports your muscle endurance. Take a standing position and when you´re both ready, lift the kid straight up from the floor towards the ceiling and slowly drop it down again – while ensuring that your child is still comfortable (and ideally, giggling). For a beginner, 10 to 15 reps are perfect.
4. Squat with weight
Start from a standing position with your feet a little wider than hip width, then lower your hips while flexing your knees. Once you reached the ankle point, start extending your knees again until you´ve reached your initial position, repeat this 10 to 15 times. Your leg muscles (including hamstrings, quadriceps and calves) will greatly benefit from squats. If you want to modify this exercise, you can add resistance by placing a weight on your shoulders – in this case your child. This exercise is bound to get you all fit, not to mention laughing!
The girls were laughing their heads off during our workout session. For me it´s easy to engage my kids, because they're interested in everything and have even started liking and playing my sport, field hockey. This makes me so proud! My experience has been that if you give kids some freedom, they'll come up with some super funny ideas.
5. Push-up
Start in a traditional plank position, by placing your hands on the floor, slightly wider than the shoulders. Then raise and lower your body, using your arms, and ensuring that your back stays flat and your core stays strong. Traditional push-ups are a basic exercise that will help you to effectively build upper body strength and train your triceps and pectoral muscles. If you want to challenge yourself, vary this exercise by adding weight – or kids – onto your body. 10 to 15 reps is just the right amount to make sure you see some quick improvements.
Find a Workout Which Suits Your Family
PUMAs with teenage children will likely not be using their kids as weights. But you can still find ways to incorporate them into your fitness routine, or join in on theirs (many schools are sending home activities for children to complete for Physical Education / Sports). There are countless ways to engage your kids in a healthier lifestyle, and when things get stressful, these strategies can prove essential. The key: trust, a pinch of support and guidance and some freedom. So get creative with your mini-me’s and find ways to turn this challenging time into a rewarding time.
MINI PUMAs: The DACH "Kids Challenge"
DACH Area General Manager Matthias Baeumer and his team came up with another great idea to include kids in a fun way, and relieve the load on parents, who are having to home school and entertain their kids. They created a seven week long PUMA DACH challenge, starting with a "Kids Challenge", encouraging the next generation of PUMAs to join in on the contest by showing their creative ideas. And the results were impressive, as in kids singing, playing music, dancing, running obstacle courses and even designing. Of course, there was a big reward, too: all the participants will be going to the stadium once the stadiums are reopen, and those kids who fulfilled the requirements will have the chance to be a player-escort.
