Right-O. Today let’s cover the ways you can get granite thighs and booty while spending quality time with your child at the park. Think of it as parent-child-bonding your way into a better body. That’ll be the name of the workout video as well. (Hey, at least it’s better than Tae Bo.)
The exercises at this point involve external weight: your child’s weight. These are best performed with children toddler age or older, though you could probably do the first one with the Bjorn or a backpack. You probably can’t do these with your teenagers, ahem. But the big bonus here is that your kid (hopefully) has fun, though mine was really annoyed by the airplane exercise. She has not yet learned to sacrifice her feelings for the sake of FF. But she will learn. Oh yes.
Monkey Squats
Have your child climb onto your back. (Okay, ask him/her to hold on by looping one arm over your shoulder, and the other under your arm, then locking his/her hands. This helps you avoid the choking death grip of little arms wrapped around your neck.) Bending from the hips first, go down into a squat, sticking your ass and chest out like the Sports Illustrated swimsuit model you were meant to be. Your weight should be on your heels, and if you don’t know if you’re doing it right, wiggle your toes and you’ll find out right quick. Also, your knees should not stick out over your toes. Form is important, parents! Then stand up. Repeat three sets of fifteen, give or take, depending on the weight of your child and the strength of your legs.
Does this kid make me look fat?
Airplane Leg Press
Have your child climb up on your feet for the old airplane game. Tuck your knees, then straighten them into a leg press. Um, don’t let go of your child unless you want to give him/her a serious fear of playing with you. Also, my kid advises that you do this without shoes, because “it’s less hurty”. Do sets until you can’t do anymore, your kid barfs on you, or the grass mites devour you alive.
For a bigger challenge, try airplaning your partner. Oh, that guy isn’t my partner. I don’t even know who he is.
Horsey
If you want good legwork that has a nice cardio element to it, try horsey, a.k.a. the weighted run. Just have your kid climb on you and run or gallop away. You do this anyway, right? Well, instead of cutting the session short when you get out of breath, think of this as your own little marathon. Your kid will love you for it, even if he/she becomes bowlegged.
Oh, now that was some fun for the whole family. Any parent-child exercises you’d like to share with the rest of the class, hmmm?
how about kid sumo deadlift to press? have your child lock his/her arms (bent at elbows) make sure they are facing away from you, squat behind them grabbing at their elbows lift up, straightening legs and then press them over head! don’t drop now, that would be baaaddd. if you can’t press over-head, just deadlift to chest level. repeat until giggley child becomes to wiggley.
juliet
January 24th, 2007
How about kid step-ups? Find a bench. Have kid get on your back as described in the other exercises. Stand facing the bench, starting on the right leg, step up on to the bench and then step off. Switch sides. Repeat until your legs fail or until the guy sleeping on the bench gets pissed off and yells at you.
Shari
January 24th, 2007
1. Ok, this morning I did what I think would be called benchpresses (?) with my 22 month old. It was like the airplane but with my arms. He laughed and laughed.
2. I also do lunges holding him on my front. He loves this one too. We lunge to the beat of whatever music I put one. (This is if you’re at home.)
(Can I note here that I’m home from work today, hence the multiple posts.)
Joanna
January 24th, 2007
oh yeah, LEGS. forgot.
Joanna
January 24th, 2007
No, no, I think you should post for any and all body parts. Hey, take a picture too. Is that too many photo requests? I’ll take the preggers ones first.
kelly
January 24th, 2007