This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sports Authority for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.
I played football throughout my childhood. I played when I was young, starting at age 8, until I graduated college at age 22. It was a sport that I loved and although I didn’t realize it at the time, it was what kept me in shape.
Fast forward a few years (about 11, if we are being specific)- we now have four kids and I hadn’t worked out in a while. I would go on a jog now & then… maybe go to the gym a few times a week, but nothing specific.
One day, I looked at our kids and heard them ask my wife “Where is Dad going?” When she said “The gym” and they replied “Mom- you go to the gym… not dad.” I knew that I had to change things again. I started working out again and I have been going every day, on a routine, and feel so much better. I have more energy, feel better all around and my back feels great (I had back surgery a few years ago).
The reason I went back? I once read a book and there was quote that read “kids will not always listen to what you say, but they are always watching what you do.” With that in mind, I wanted our kids to follow my example. I wanted them to want to be healthy and active, too. Guess what they asked us a month later- “Mom? Can we join a gym, too?” It was the greatest feeling.
Today I want to share my 5 favorite workouts with you, each one taking less than 5 minutes, but will make a life long impact for you and your kids.
1- Play football outside with your kids.
Here you can see my son and I playing football. Our outfits are the new kind of Champion. We have a Sports Authority’s near us, so we bought some Champion GEAR exclusively at Sports Authority (tech-driven performance: seamless comfort, compression to support and comfort your muscles, advanced moisture-wicking fabrics and reflective details). To top it off, they are VERY comfortable. Our son was so excited to get his new outfit and get out there to learn from his dad!
2. Use your kids as a “weight”.
Our son would run to me and I would “tackle” him. He loves being picked up and could be tickled, played with and picked up all day long – this is just a good way to take advantage of that. Plus, it makes you work up a good sweat! Thankfully, the new Champion GEAR is perfect for getting the whole family fit and healthy in a comfortable and affordable way. I tell the kids that we are “Champions” in our Champion GEAR because it is an “all gain, no pain” type of thing!
3- Push ups and pull-ups.
Let the kids use the monkey bars to play, while you use them to work out. Do as many pull ups as you can or do a hanging crunch (pull your knees up to your chest).
4. Do jumping jacks as quickly as you can –
try to do 20 jumping jacks, then go right into squat jumps. Do 20 of these. Take a 10 second break and do it again. Each time, go low on your squat jacks and do the full range of motion on the jumping jacks. These are great because the kids can do these with you (just not at the speed that you are doing them).
5- Have fun and play with your kids.
The best way to get a good workout is just to play! Run, jump, catch… and then take a few minutes at the end to sit down and talk to them. Teach them something.
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