The third season of Australian Ninja Warrior begins tonight and I am planning to cash in on the hype with my own kids.
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While the bubble-wrap mum inside of me doesn't want them launching themselves off all kinds of stuff after watching a couple of episodes, setting up our own "Ninja" style courses at the park and in the backyard through the holidays will be one way I keep them active.
According to www.health.gov.au, there are some guidelines around activity for kids.
"For health benefits, children aged 5-12 years should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity every day," the government website says.
"Children's physical activity should include a variety of aerobic activities, including some vigorous intensity activity. On at least three days per week, children should engage in activities that strengthen muscle and bone."
It also recommends reducing sedentary behaviour as much as possible by limiting screen time to no more than two hours a day and breaking up long periods of sitting throughout the day.
Setting up your own Ninja course is a fun way to engage your kids, get them active and have a laugh doing it together.
It does not have to be anything too extreme either.
My kids are happy with a backyard course that might include climbing on to the trampoline for 20 jumps, crawling a set distance on the ground, jumping over a couple of toys set up in a line, hopping through "a maze" (also just some toys set up in staggered fashion), 10 star jumps and a running lap of the yard.
You can get creative at the park too. Some parks have more equipment than others such as nets to negotiate and climbing walls. Let the kids take turns of mapping out a course as well that everyone, including the parents, have a go at. Do it a few times each and try to beat your own times.
This ongoing wet weather of late has meant training for my soccer team has been indoors more than out and we booked a session at the Ninja Parc in Cooks Hill for one of them. I had seen the kids have a go but that was the first time I had been through the obstacle course and it was quite the all-over workout and I don't think I will be making an appearance on Australian Ninja Warrior any time soon.
At the Ninja Parc there are structured fitness classes with an instructor you can do to add some variety to your own training program, there are organised kids holiday camps or you can book a casual free play session which does not have an instructor but there are Ninja Rangers on course to help. These sessions can be done as a family. You can find out more at www.ninjaparc.com.au.
There are no shortage of running events coming up in our region and most have a kids course as well.
These include Raffertys Coastal Run on July 13 (1km), Winery Running Festival on July 21 (2km) and Lake Macquarie Running Festival on August 25 (4km). You can practise at parkruns around the region on Saturday mornings or map out a course at the park to do during the holidays.
Winter Workouts Week #6
Keep the kids amused through the holidays with a "Ninja" workout. This might be an obstacle course at the park which involves scaling a net, climbing a ladder or climbing wall and running a set distance or you can pick five to 10 activities such as:
10 hops on each leg; bear crawl 10 metres; 10 star jumps; run 20 metres; 10 lateral jumps over a skipping rope on the ground; 5 push-ups; 10 high knees; bear crawl backwards 10 metres; 10 lateral hops over skipping rope or chalked line; two cartwheels; 20 metre sprint.
Depending on your location, you can incorporate your surroundings into the course.
Make it a family challenge to add to the fun.
Upcoming Fitness Events
Raffertys Coastal Run, Lake Macquarie, July 13: This event features 12km, 22km and 36km trail runs through Lake Macquarie and along the stunning coastline of Catherine Hill Bay.
The Bloody Long Walk, Newcastle, July 28: A 35-kilometre walk from Belmont to Newcastle beach to raise funds and awareness for Mitochondrial Disease.
Lake Macquarie Running Festival, Lake Macquarie, August 25: Celebrating its 35th year, this running festival offers a range of distances and a good winter training challenge. There is a 21.1-kilometre half marathon, 10.5km and kids 4km.
Send your health and fitness news to r.valentine@newcastleherald.com.au.
Renee Valentine is a writer, qualified personal trainer and mother of three.