| QUICK, FUN AND BENEFICIAL GAMES/ EXERCISES TO DO AT HOME |
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HIGH FIVE
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KNEE TAG
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REBOUNDER
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SQUAT CITY
This exercise builds upper body endurance and strength and will help you to throw further, swim faster, swing harder, and play longer, not to mention the benefits it has on core strength and stablilty. This basically means that any sport or activity where you use your arms or abdominal muscles in any way (every activity) will benefit from this challenging yet fun exercise
You can do this with a partner, or you can just high five a chair leg that is placed directly in front of you, if you are on your own.
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Partners get on hands and knees and face each other (hands should be approx 20cm away). Lift the knees off the ground so only your feet and hands are touching the ground.
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The whole body weight is supported by the upper body and core muscles.
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Each partner lifts their right hand and high fives the other partner (each succesful clap = 1), the they lift their left hand etc, etc .
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Individuals need to high five the leg of the chair.
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The whole body must be in a straight line from the feet to the shoulders IE no bums high in the air, or sagging on the ground. As soon as this happens, the challenge is over.
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That is your score and you can start again and try to beat it.
On GO, partners start high fiving as fast as possible. their goal is to try and keep high fiving for as long as possible without losing form ( knees hit ground, butt raises in the air, butt sags.)
Other options -
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1 minute challenge - see how many high fives you can do in one minute.
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1 arm - just high five with the left arm, see how many you can do before losing form. Have a rest, and try the other arm
Kids should try these exercises once to twice a week, with a friend, parent or by themselves.
This player vs player challenge bulds speed, agility, imprves reactions and coordination. It works on stability and definitely gives the old cardiovascular system a wicked work out.
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Get a partner (friend). Stand 2 to 5 metres away from each other.
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Both players have the same goal. On GO, they both run towards their partner and try to tag one of their partners knees, with either of their hands.
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The first partner to touch a knee gets 1 point.
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Players can block other players attacks, but cannot grab hold of another player. As soon as a point has been won, both players must stop, walk back 2 to 5 metres and then run in again.
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Make it a first to 5 or 10 pont game.
Options - 1 hand must be behind their back at all times and the kids can only try and hit their partners knee with their free hand.
This individual, partner or team challenge, builds hand eye coordination, agility, improves judgement and reaction times, and can be an extreme workout, once the basic catching and throwing skills have been mastered.
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1 Player - grab a ball, tennis ball or even better a soft rubber ball that is easy to catch. Find a wall in your house ( a free bedroom wall, garage door, outside house wall, or anything with a flat surface.
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Player must take 2 steps away from the wall ( once you get better just increase the distance and take more steps), and cannot step over this line or the challenge is over and must start again.
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On GO they are timed to see how many times they can throw the ball against the wall and catch it, within 3 minutes. If they drop the ball, they must pick it up and make sure they are behind the line before they quickly start throwing again. Every successful catch receives 1 point.
Options
1 hand and opposite hand catch -
Different timed challenges -
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Instead of gong for 3 minutes, try 1 minute or 30 seconds, or start the clock and see how many successful throws you can make before you make a mistake.
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Through the legs - Once these skill become too easy, through the ball between your legs and then catch it with the opposite hand, then throw it between the legs with the hand that caught the ball and catch wilth the opposite hand.
Increase the distance -
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Aim to get 30 consecutive succesful passes within 2 minutes from a certain distance away from the wall. If you are successful, take one large step back, and attempt to do the same from the new location. Repeat these steps until you reach a distance that is challenging.
Partners -
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Use the same challenges except 2 players stand 2m apart on the line ( once you get better just increase the distance between both the wall and the partners).
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Player one throws the ball to hit the wall and bounce off into their partners hands. The partner catches the ball and then throws it back. every successful catch = 1 point.
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Try to get as many points as posible within either a set time limit, or go until you get 50 points. Once 2 partners get 50 ponts standing at a certain distance from the wall they should each take one step back form the wall, and one step away from each other.
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Now try to get 50 points from this distance. Every time you can get 50 points, keep stepping away until you reach a distance that is challenging
Trios -
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Players stand directly behind each other in a line. the first player throws the ball against the wall and immediately runs to the back of the line.
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The second player catches the ball and throws it against the wall and immediately runs to the back of the line ( remember not to step over the line you have set as your distance from the wall).
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Keep going until 30 consecutive throws are made ( or do a speed challenge and see how many throws you can do in one minute). Once 30 throws are made, increase the distance fom the wall.
Trios super hard challenge -
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Players stand one behind the other.
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Put the player that is the best catcher and thrower at the back of the line. the first person in line throws the ball against the wall and then ducks down, the next person catches the ball and throws it agianst the wall so it will bounce back to the person behind them.
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After they throw the ball, they duck down and the last player catches the ball. they throw the ball, so it will bounce off the wall into the front players hands. Every successful catch = 1 point. this game can be played with 2 players too.
Parents should get involved in these games as it really encourages their children to persist when they are finding the skill difficult ( this is the most important period of learning a new skill, a small bit of persistance and parental guidance here can mean the difference between a child who will want to exercise and try new skills and experience and a child who (seretly wants to) avoids participation because they lack confidence in their ability.
Obviously, a simple catch and throw game back and forward [ without the wall bounce] is your first progression. Every time a player catches the ball they take one step back. every time the ball is dropped they must come back into togehter.
This is the ultimate lower body endurance exercise that is guaranteed to help joint stability, improve bone mineral density, improve strength and will help kids run faster and jump higher.
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Stand with legs shoulder width apart, hands high above your head.
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Bend down so that your butt goes way out behind your heels and your hands go forward in front of your chest.
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Keep bending until your knees are at 90 degrees, touch the ground with your hands.
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And then stand back up until your body is in the start position with your hands way above your head. That is 1 repetition
Get the clock ready and and see how many complete repetitions you can do within one minute. Your goal is to get as close to or over 60 repetitions as possible.
Options
Kids should try these exercises once to twice a week, with a friend, parent or by themselves
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