Child’s Play

Childs Play

Workouts don’t have to be dull—try these fun ‘exercises’ to feel like a kid again

KIDS. THEY’RE SPUNKY little tornadoes of nonstop energy. You watch them make a game out of running circles around a stump in the backyard and think, “But they don’t even drink coffee … how is that possible?”

The truth of the matter is, their boundless enthusiasm for exercise isn’t just related to their age or the fact that they’re not old enough to have discovered happy hour yet. They’re running around because it’s fun. As adults, fun can become an elusive concept in our ever-busy, oh-so-responsible lives. Especially when it comes to exercise. “Fun” got eaten up by the dusty treadmill in our basement and the workout video where that woman with abs of steel yells at us.

It’s time to take back the fun. Use your next workout to channel your inner kid again. Giggling is optional.

TRY THIS: HACKY SACK

FOR REAL? It’s a recently renewed phenomenon, says exercise physiologist and American Council on Exercise spokesperson Alice Burron. The Hacky Sack has been around since the ’70s, but Burron says it’s catching on with adults again. The game involves constantly kicking a small bag to keep it from touching the ground. “You’re kicking with the inside of your foot, the top of your foot or your knees ” says Burron, who adds that, as an exercise bonus for those who aren’t very good, there’s also a lot of bending over to pick it back up.

CALORIES BURNED: 300 per hour
ON PAR WITH: Playing volleyball for an hour (292 calories)

TRY THIS: DANCING, SPECIFICALLY ZUMBA

FOR REAL? Sure, just dancing around your living room to Madonna is going to burn calories, but if you want to join a class, Burron says the Latin dance craze Zumba is a surefire hit. “You don’t even realize an hour has gone past,” she says. Bonus: The rapid hip movements strengthen your core and tone your midsection.

CALORIES BURNED: 500 per hour
ON PAR WITH: Playing racquetball for an hour (511 calories)

TRY THIS: PINGPONG

FOR REAL? Not only does the on-your-feet constant motion burn calories, but pingpong is also great for brain health and improving hand-eye coordination, Burron says. “It’s a really good one for older people. It helps keep their brains sharp.”
CALORIES BURNED: 180 per hour

ON PAR WITH: Walking for an hour at roughly 2 mph (183 calories)

TRY THIS: JUMP ROPE

FOR REAL? “This is my favorite,” Burron says. “It makes your heart rate skyrocket within a minute. It’s so good for your heart.” Though, just a warning, adults, it may not be as easy as you remember. “Do one minute, then two,” she says. “Work your way up to 10 minutes—it’s tough.”

CALORIES BURNED: 121 calories in 10 minutes
ON PAR WITH: Water aerobics for 30 minutes (146 calories)

TRY THIS: MINI-TRAMPOLINE

FOR REAL? Turn on some music and Burron says the exercise possibilities are endless. “You can do the twist, bring your knees up in the air, do a cross-country ski motion, butt-kicks or jumping jacks.” She recommends picking five or six different exercises and doing two minutes of each. Before you know it, a 30-minute workout is complete.

CALORIES BURNED: 182 calories in 30 minutes
ON PAR WITH: Low-impact aerobics for 30 minutes

—By Amanda Myers

Massaging Away the Pain

Want to work out but have a nagging injury? “I recommend massage for my clients who have previous injuries that haven’t gone away,” says Alice Burron, exercise physiologist and American Council on Exercise spokesperson.

“Massage can keep that area supple and decrease the risk of new injury.”

Pint-Sized Workout Partner

Have you noticed that kids say and do the darnedest things? And have you noticed that those things they say and do usually imitate something you’ve said or done? That’s because your actions largely influence your children’s—and your health habits are no exception.

What better way to set a stellar example for a healthy life than to get your kids moving along with you? After all, childhood obesity rates continue to rise and video games don’t work out much more than your children’s thumbs.

First step: Make exercise appealing.

“I bought a hula hoop about a month ago and before I knew it, the kids were having a blast,” says exercise physiologist and American Council on Exercise spokesperson Alice Burron. She went out and picked up two more and soon, it was a hula-hooping competition.

“Hula hooping is good for the core and it’s good for the brain,” Burron says, “especially if you do it in both directions.”

Another fun family activity Burron recommends is Frisbee, which involves a lot of walking and running, hand-eye coordination and stretching—for all those times you have to bend over to pick it up.

Burron also notes the benefits of letting kids lead your workouts. She says she got into karate after signing her kids up for classes. “We do the moves together,” she says. Karate burns 360 calories in just 30 minutes for a 150-pound person. “Whatever your kids are into, you can do too,” she says.