The 3 Best Workouts for Kids
Here are some fun and engaging workout ideas designed specifically for children. These workouts are not only beneficial for their physical health but also help foster a positive relationship with fitness. Whether your child is a budding athlete or simply needs a fun outlet for their boundless energy, these are the 3 best workouts for kids to stay active that are sure to keep them entertained while building strength, coordination, and confidence. Remember to warm up before any workout! This can include jumping jacks or a quick jog.
1. Animal Walks
Animal walks are a set of exercises inspired by the movements of various animals. These exercises are not only fun and engaging but also help improve overall mobility, coordination, strength, and flexibility. Animal walks can be done by people of all ages and fitness levels, making them an excellent addition to any workout routine. Click here to watch a fun video that demos most of these walks.
Set up: Place 2 cones or other markers 25 feet apart. Kids do each exercise from one marker to the other.
3 Rounds:
25 ft. High Bear Crawl
25 ft. Inchworms
25 ft. Bunny Hops
25 ft. Low Bear Crawl
25 ft. Frontwards Crab Walk
25 ft. Backwards Crab Walk
25 ft. Duck Walk
25 ft. Frog Hops
End with 20 Butterfly Kicks
2. Tabata Mash Up
Tabata is a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercise that follows a structure of 20 seconds of work, followed by 10 seconds of rest. This style of workout can be applied to various exercises, such as bodyweight movements, cardio exercises, or weightlifting exercises but we’ll keep it simple here by doing some fun and simple bodyweight movements. Here’s a free online Tabata timer to use or you can download the app to your mobile device.
Set up: Place 5 cones/markers about 10 feet apart as “Tabata Stations”. Perform the following exercises for 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest:
4 Rounds (as many reps as possible during 20 seconds of work):
Push-ups
Air Squats
Situps
Lunges
Burpees or Squat Thrusts
– Rest 30 sections before repeating for 3 rounds –
3. Ladder Sprints
The last exercise of the 3 best workouts for kids are ladder sprints, also known as shuttle runs or beep tests. Ladder sprints are a type of high-intensity sprinting exercise that involves running back and forth between two markers at increasing distances. They are commonly used in sports training, particularly in team sports like basketball, soccer, and football, to improve speed, agility, and endurance
Set Up: Place 6 cones/markets about at 10-yard intervals on the sprint area or use existing game lines if on a field. For example, use cones on a basketball court or the 10-yard lines on a football field.
5 Rounds:
Run to first marker, touch the ground and turn around before sprinting back to start marker. Run to next marker before sprinting back to start marker. Repeat until last cone is reached then sprint back to start marker.
