Rock climbing. I was at a race in Chicago when my baby girl who was 5 years old at the time asked to jump up the wall with the thingies sticking out of it. “Oh, you want to rock climb,” I sarcastically replied. To my surprise she reached the top in no time with aplomb. Since then she and her sister excitedly take on any wall in view at similar sporting events or amusement parks. We also head to indoor rock climbing facilities as often as possible. Both coordination, upper and lower body strength and confidence are built up as climbers head for the top.
Building a home gym. If you’re able, dedicate a few hundred bucks to creating your own home gym in the garage. The essentials could include a boxing bag, weights, a bench, jump ropes, ab rollers, pull-up bar, kettlebells and dumbbells. Once or twice a week my wife and I hit the garage and knock out a 45-minute workout. I also incorporate the kids by using them as human weights for squats, lunges and ab work on the incline bench.
There are many more fitness activities to integrate into your family’s life during cold winter months. Consider bowling, dance-offs or a Wii Fit Plus if you simply cannot live without a gaming consul. The unequivocal scientific evidence is clear as daylight: A family that exercises together stays together!
Kimatni D. Rawlins played running back for Georgia Institute of Technology and is now the founder of the health, fitness and wellness website Fit Fathers (@FitFathers). After shedding 50 pounds through daily workouts and a plant-based diet to regain his high school weight of 201 pounds, Kimatni became a certified fitness trainer and received certification in plant-based nutrition from eCornell.com. Today, the married father of two young girls enjoys running, cycling, hiking, obstacle courses, boxing, basketball, yoga and strength training.
Article Appeared @http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2013/12/23/7-family-fitness-ideas-for-winter