Remember how much fun you had playing chase as a youngster, or mastering those skipping rope routines during school lunch breaks? As well as being enjoyable, these childhood activities were a great way of getting our blood pumping and stretching the limbs too – so why not revisit them as an adult?
MONKEYING AROUND
As a youngster, being able to swing along all the monkey bars in the park was cause for celebration. Recapture the joy of the monkey gym as a grown-up and gain improved strength in the process.
If you don’t have access to suitable bars, check out classes offering a similar workout like Virgin Active’s Queen-Ax Fast Class. The 20-minute sessions, centred around equipment reminiscent of playground climbing frames, incorporate suspension training, oscillation and support training, as well as stretching and joint mobility exercises.
“The monkey bars on the Queen-Ax frame are an excellent way to improve overall functional fitness, upper body strength, flexibility, core stability, motor skills and all round coordination,” says Alan Holl, product innovation manager at Virgin Active.
“People might think that ‘monkey bars’ simply work out the shoulders, but in fact you can work numerous muscle groups with just a few simple exercises. Chin-ups are great for working the biceps and strengthening the posterior. Dips focus on the triceps, while swings are excellent for building core strength, improving stability and toning forearms and pectorals.”
If you want to go full-on monkey and swing from the trees (well, an outdoor gym at a local park), Holl suggests: “To see significant improvements, aim to do four to six solid reps before resting. If you’re aiming to build lean muscle, do eight to 12 reps before resting.”
CHASING TARGETS
Whether it was ‘kiss chase’ or good old-fashioned tag, dashing around outdoors meant that as kids we were often getting our hearts pumping without even realising.
“We all used to chase each other as children, but who knew how beneficial this stop-start type of activity actually is?” says Chris Ward of Fitness First (www.fitnessfirst.co.uk). A great adult equivalent is interval training – incorporating speedy bursts into your run.
Sprinting is a form of anaerobic exercise, Ward explains – the body can’t take in and use oxygen quickly enough to meet the intense demands of the activity, which triggers lactic acid formation, which ultimately leads to soreness and having to slow down or stop.
Including sprints in your workout can help push up your ‘lactate threshold’, basically meaning you’ll be able to “run faster, for longer, before you feel that burn”.
“Over time, sprint training can increase your maximum heart rate and the output of your heart (the amount of blood pumped per beat) as the cardiac muscles get stronger, allowing you to work out more efficiently,” adds Ward.
A thorough warm-up is essential, and watch that technique: “Sprinting isn’t about either having a longer stride or a higher leg turnover – it’s a combination of both, so stay tall, use the upper body and try to drive quickly through each stride, and land with the ball of your foot (not your heel!), just underneath your body so as not to ‘reach’ too far.”
SCOOT-A-HOOT
Scooters are all the craze on the school run – and if you can’t beat them, join them! Adult scooters, like the Floral Adult Micro Scooter, from £159.95 (www.micro-scooters.co.uk), are a nippy way to get about and if you’re looking to boost your activity levels, you’ll struggle to find a way that’s more fun – though it’s harder work than it looks!
“I use my scooter when I pick up my little girl from school,” says mum and journalist, Claire Spreadbury. “It makes me feel like a child again! You have to suppress the urge to giggle when you’re whizzing down hills. My daughter, Rosie, absolutely loves it, and it’s brilliant for both our fitness levels.”
Personal trainer Laura Williams (www.laurawilliamsonline.co.uk) is also a scooter fan.
“Scooting’s a great way to get more exercise into a busy daily routine – gym visits aren’t always possible but a scoot home from school or work usually is.
“Because it’s more fun for children than walking, it’s a fitness activity that you’ll probably have more luck getting the whole family involved with too. Not only is scooting quicker than walking, it burns a few more calories too (around 350 an hour). It’s also a great way to work leg muscles, as well as your bottom and core. Be sure to switch legs so both legs get a workout.”
BE HOOPFUL
Top marks if you actually managed to master the hula hoop, but even if you didn’t, chances are you still had fun trying.
Polish off the hoop again now and not only will you revisit having a good giggle, you”ll also get a toned core and bum.
“Hula hooping gets your midsection working to the max. Weighted hoops are also available these days, to challenge you even more,” says personal trainer and health coach Mollie Millington (www.ptmollie.com).
“Treat hooping as you would any other session; warming up is key,” she adds. A brisk walk, jog or star jumps for one to two minutes is a good start, followed by a set of squats, lunges, hip rotations and arm circles and shoulder rolls.
“Hooping will strengthen the muscles on your stomach and lower back. Hooping also works your hips and bum to give you a firm appearance from behind. It’s a fantastic low-impact workout that will also help improve your posture and flexibility.”
Hooping for 10-15 minutes, four or five times a week, is a good start. “Once you’re more confident with the movements, try adding on an additional five minutes each week,” suggests Millington. “Your goal should be 30-45 minutes three times per week.”
SKIP TO IT
The humble skipping rope – a simple invention but one that certainly kept us entertained for hours as schoolgirls. A favourite with boxers, rope-skipping builds up fitness and stamina fast.
“Skipping ropes will quickly raise your pulse,” says Millington, “and work on your motor skills and coordination. You can also build up muscles in your legs by trying to jump higher on each skip.”
However, if you’re a beginner, go easy to start with.
“If you’re quite unfit, definitely build up to it. Exercise should be fun so if you feel like you are about to die, you might be discouraging yourself from trying it again,” says Millington.
“Start by setting a timer for five minutes and see how many times you can skip without having to start over, or try out a few different methods – with a hop, without a hop, skipping forward, on one foot, bringing the rope around twice on a single skip. See how you feel when the timer goes off. If you are smiley (and a bit sweaty) go for another five minutes.”
Another bonus is that skipping is so versatile. “It’s a very efficient warm up, a convenient exercise to take travelling, a fun game, and a way to work on speed and balance,” notes Millington.
It’s a speedy calorie-burner too. “Keeping in mind that the more intense the workout the more calories you will burn, a women who weighs 60kg will burn between 120-200 calories just by rope-skipping for 15 minutes.”