Parents ‘aren’t fit enough’ to play outside with their kids during summer holidays
We are always encouraging you parents to get involved at Cloud 9 and join in the fun with the kids. Not only are our inflatables great fun and a way to get the family together, but bouncing is a great way to get fit too. We were really interested to read this article from The Metro with findings from a survey by Argos about how parents worry about their fitness levels and how to keep up with the kids this summer. Cloud 9 is the perfect place for the whole family this summer holidays.
Having kids is exhausting. When you’re not chasing them away from busy roads or hazardous stairs, you’re taking them swimming, playing football in the park or helping them climb trees.
But how many parents actually have the stamina to properly play with their kids? More than half of parents have said they’re worried about how they’ll keep up with their children over the six-week summer holidays because they’re not fit enough.
A study, conducted by Argos, has revealed that many parents are experiencing ‘fitness anxiety’ when it comes to playing with their children outside. 85% think their kids are fitter than them and 90% agree that they would be fitter if they were as active as their children.
Obesity in children is a growing problem in this country – and its harder than ever to tear kids away from their screens and get them active. This means it’s, at least in part, up to parents to set a positive example and show kids the benefits of being healthy and moving every day. But to do that – you’ve got to be fit. Busy, working parents don’t have loads of time to spend in the gym or going for morning runs – but personal trainer Tyrone Brennand has the answer.
Tyrone has put together the perfect workout for parents to do while spending time with their children at the playground. The aim is to get the heart rate racing, increase the number of steps being taken, and burn some serious calories. Try this workout in the park with your kids
Piggy monkeys
Give your child a piggy back, run from one end of the playground to the other. After this, pop your child down and run to the monkey bars and hold on for as long as you can. Challenge your child to beat you to make it more fun.
Stuck in the Squat
Kids love playing stuck in the mud. To make it tougher, when you become ‘stuck in the mud’, squat non-stop until you’re rescued out of the mud. 15 minutes of this will burn 140 calories and your heart rate will reach 169.
Hop Scotch Run
Hop Scotch is a classic playground activity. Do this with your kids then race them round the roundabout and you’ll burn 113 calories in 12 minutes, with your heart rate reaching 174.
Jump Rope Challenge
Skipping is a key exercise for boxers and top tier athletes and is a great way to keep fit. To make it more competitive and exciting, challenge your child to do more skips than you. For 10 minutes of skipping you’ll burn 146 calories, with a heart rate reaching just below 180.
Piggy Back Squats
Squat with your child on your back and if you have another child, challenge them to do more squats than you in one go. Swap them around and go again. If you repeat three times, you’ll burn roughly 60 calories and your heart rate will hit 163.
The research also found that 93% of parents wish they were fitter than they currently are. When asked why this is, 64% wanted to set a good example for their kids and 57% wanted more energy to play outside with their children, so this workout is a great way to start putting that into practice. ‘Doing a little bit of exercise everyday such as playing with our kids can make a huge difference to our fitness and wellbeing,’ says Tyronne. ‘As a parent, you want to stay fit and healthy to watch your children grow up.’ So next time you take your kids to the park, rather than retreating to a bench with an ice cream – get your trainers on and get involved.
So next time you book a session at Cloud 9, make sure you book a session for yourself too. Cloud 9 great inflatable fun for all the family.
Read more: https://metro.co.uk/2019/07/29/parents-arent-fit-enough-to-play-outside-with-their-kids-during-summer-holidays-10473748/?ito=cbshare
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