Family Fitness with Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldog's Inspired Workouts

Finding ways to stay active as a family can be a challenge. However, maintaining physical fitness is important for both adults and children alike. Exposing children to physical activity and fitness in their early years can yield a multitude of benefits. When it comes to family inspired workouts, the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have provided a list of Rugby League inspired workouts for families to complete together.

Within their training schedules, the Bulldogs’ routines are centred around a well-balanced approach to training incorporating strength, cardiovascular fitness and agility into their program. So, how can you integrate the Bulldogs’ training methods into your own family fitness regime?

Warm Up Drills

Start with slow and easy movements to warm up before heading into a fitness routine. These may include arm circles, yoga, walking lunges, jumping jacks or high knees. You may like to mimic the Bulldogs and place cones around the backyard or park and delegate specific movements around the cones. Such activities will ensure muscles are warm and ready for more intense movement to come.

Cardiovascular Fitness

Cardio typically requires the body to work at a moderate to high intensity for an extended period of time. This can be as simple as creating a circuit of different exercises such as push ups, pull ups, jumping jacks, mountain climbers and sprints and performing these with limited breaks between each set. Such exercises improve the performance of vital organs whilst also benefitting many aspects of well-being such as sleep, body weight, mental health and metabolism.

Strength Training

Also known as resistance training, children can engage in such exercises by utilising their own body weight. Strength training can teach children proper form when exercising, protect muscles and joints and strengthen bones. Be inspired by the Bulldogs’ body weight challenges that often include lunges, planks, squats and push ups. Remember to keep it fun for children to enjoy the experience. Perhaps consider teaming up and completing challenges in pairs.

Skill Development

Family fitness should not just focus on building strength but rather on overall fitness levels. Many sports that children participate in often require a degree of strategic thinking. You can therefore adapt a game such as Rugby League into Oz Tag or Mini Football to suit family fitness levels and space available.

Stretching & Cool Down

Cool down exercises should focus on stretching and slow movements, enabling the heart rate to return to normal. Dedicate some time to each muscle group through marching on the spot, skipping, jogging and galloping. Remember to encourage mindfulness activities such as meditation and deep breathing.

Beyond the physical benefits of engaging in family-style exercises, these activities will also promote family bonding, increased motivation and positive role modelling for children in their early years. Through incorporating these Bulldogs inspired workouts into your family routine, you can kick goals together achieving a greater level of fitness whilst promoting a sense of togetherness.

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