In our age of technological progress, we all feel the lack of full-fledged communication. This is especially true for children who, due to the busyness of their parents, spend all their free time with gadgets. Lack of parental attention greatly affects the child, and this can affect their future. However, there is a great opportunity to establish contact – and these are joint training. And as a bonus, you will receive good health.
How to engage the whole family in fitness at home, read below.
What are the benefits of family fitness?
Physical activity, especially when combined with healthy nutrition, helps prevent disease, strengthen immunity, maintain a healthy weight, reduce stress, improve school and work performance, and much more.
Moreover, by taking care of the whole family, parents become even greater authorities and role models. And knowing that the child is watching parents seeking how to get in shape, adults become motivated.
For children, early exposure to healthy lifestyles is a blessing. While they are young, it is easier for them to instill good habits. And of course, the biggest advantage is the strengthening of personal relationships in the family, which arises through joint active games.
9 ways to engage the family in sports
When a family goes in for training, you can safely call your household members a sports and friendly team. Is it worth adding that regular indoor sports play into the hands of every family member, rallying everyone into one team, which is capable of conquering any challenges? Psychologists agree with this statement, saying that sport only strengthens family relationships.
But how exactly do you get your family involved in sports?
- Make a plan together
Making a family fitness program doesn’t have to be difficult or tedious. Ask each family member which exercises they like best. Perhaps some will like the swing of the press, and others, light stretching. Combine all of the mentioned exercises, and don’t forget to end your workout with a massage.
And yes, be sure to track your progress in workout tracking applications in order to understand that everything is not in vain.
- Offer dancing
Dancing is considered to be the most popular and typically family sport. So, mother and daughter will surely like oriental dancing or aerobics. The young couple will definitely adore the joint stretching exercises.
- Try active games
Remember childhood games like catch-up, “the floor is lava”, hopscotsh or rope games? All of them can be used at home as fitness if the area allows.
- Buy a board fitness game
Going in for sports is always difficult: it takes consistency and willpower. Playing sports is another matter. Some board games create an environment full of interaction, rivalry, emotion, and excitement and bring families together.
A set usually includes several cards with visual training instructions, and by combining them, you can create unique workouts that involve all major muscle groups.
Children can get bored doing the same thing every day. Also, everyone loves surprises. And a new combination of exercises will give better results every time.
In case you don’t want to spend money, use workout apps with the same features as an alternative.
- Watch fitness webinars
Fitness trainers often host webinars for beginners offering simple yet effective online workouts.
Record a set of exercises with a screen recorder with no watermark if the authors give you permission to record. This will give you a finished workout that you can use in the future.
- Create small family traditions
A great option is family morning exercises: wake up with the whole family, perform uncomplicated movements to cheerful rhythmic music. If it is not possible to do this daily, then find time for it at least on weekends.
- Entice family members with fun accessories and sports gadgets
A beautiful tracksuit, illuminated sneakers, jump ropes with interesting handles, or a built-in jump counting system will appeal to children. The husband will probably be interested in a pedometer. Of course, it’s not a fact that after a few exercises with new gadgets, your family members will be eager to continue their training, but who knows – maybe they will get involved?
- Create a small fitness corner
If you have a family of couch potatoes or after a long day outside the house, the only thing you want is to be in your “castle”, then you can equip a sports corner right in your own home: buy wall bars, dumbbells, horizontal bar, resistance bands, hoops, fitball, etc.
- Create a progress board
Create a journal or board where you will share your achievements, goals, and also pin photos from bonding activities. Want to lose 5 kg? So write it down here. Have the children write or draw their goals for learning to run fast – great job! What family members will know about your goals will serve as an additional trigger to continue exercising.
Final say
A happy family life with children includes many aspects. Proper nutrition and adequate sleep are vital factors. Intellectual development and comfortable living conditions are also important. But it is family fitness lifestyle habits with the emotional support of the closest people that gives the deepest and brightest memories that the child carries through their whole life. Be close, be together, and love sports!
