Kids return to school next week, meaning early morning and late afternoon routines will once again need to be prioritized. No more sleeping in late in the mornings or hanging out at the nearest pool or park until whenever.
It’s time to set up the daily drop-off and pick-up routines and a great time to develop a fitness routine for National Wellness Month in August.
Workout Anytime Hixson Fitness Director TD Argo said it only takes a 15-minute routine to boost your health, energy and peace of mind. “It’s really about being active,” he said.
Depending on your schedules, parents can fit a 15-minute routine in before taking the kids to school, immediately after getting home in the afternoon or even during their work lunch break. “Fifteen minutes is more than enough time to kind of get your blood flow and oxygen going,” Argo said.
And you don’t need to purchase any fancy equipment or weights. “They can do some calisthenics, which are body weight exercises,” Argo said. “A simple chest and triceps exercise would be push-ups. Your legs can get a workout by doing squats, which can be done without weights.”
Argo, who has a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Cumberland University, said planks help build a strong core, can be done anywhere and helps to improve balance and posture.
Argo said you can use household items to work out your arms like doing bicep curls with a gallon of milk or water.
Exercise benefits people of all ages and Argo said parents should involve their children into their 15-minute fitness routine using games. “Make it fun and competitive, like who can do the most jumping jacks for 30 seconds or who hold a plank longer,” he said.
Argo said if you’re able to stick to a consistent routine for 21 days or more, exercise becomes more of a daily habit, like brushing your teeth. “That’s when you start getting past the thought process and you start looking forward to it,” he said. “We tend to make time for everybody else, but we rarely make time for ourselves and the key here is to make time for yourself and to give in to the fact that self-care is just as important. A lot of people don't realize the impact that'll have, especially in a family setting. Having active parents and your kids seeing you being active every day. They start to see that as a norm and not a chore.”
Argo said young active kids will cognitively start to realize they are doing something that is good for themselves and enjoy it more.
Argo said learning proper form is important, especially for children. He said children wanting to weight train should wait until they are roughly 10-12 years old, not because weights stunt their growth. That’s a myth. It’s because not knowing and using proper form can cause injuries. “If they don’t know what they’re doing, they might pull a muscle or worse,” he said. “The same applies to adults. They need to learn proper form.”
If you’re interested in learning, Workout Anytime Hixson has personal training experts that can help. When you exercise with proper form, you reduce the possibility of injury while getting the maximum benefit from your workout. Your coach will help you achieve your goals. If you’ve always wanted to lose those last few pounds, tone up your body, or just be a healthier person but you haven’t been able to get there on your own, a personal training coach can help keep you on track.
Once you perfect technique, the flexible 24/7 hours of Workout Anytime Hixson allows you to train anytime you want.
Workout Anytime Hixson
- 6210 Hixson Pike, Suite 112, Hixson, TN
- (423) 870-9878
- workoutanytime.com/hixson/