Everyday Paleo (55 page)

MUSCLES USED: Pectoralis, Deltoids, and Triceps

1)
Jaden starts with his arms fully extended. His tummy is tight and he is squeezing his fanny and leg muscles.

2)
Jaden slowly lowers himself down to the ground, staying as tight as possible from head to toe!

3)
Jaden pushes back up to the start position, making sure that his arms are fully extended before he begins another repetition.

Plank Push-Up

In this sequence Jaden demonstrates a plank push-up. If this proves too difficult for your child, have him or her switch to the knee variation, which lessens the load. Just remember to cue your child to tighten his or her tummy and legs during the movement.

MUSCLES USED: Abdominals, Quadriceps, Gluteals, Pectoralis, Deltoids, and Triceps

1)
Jaden starts in the same position as the push-up.

2)
Keeping his back straight and tummy tight, Jaden lowers down to his right elbow.

3)
Jaden lowers down to both elbows, achieving the plank position. He keeps his body tight and strong from head to toe.

4)
Jaden comes back up onto his right hand.

5)
Jaden comes up to his left hand. He finishes with his arms fully extended and his body tight.

Bear Crawl

Most children love crawling around on their hands and feet, acting like a bear. In addition to being an extremely fun movement, it also develops shoulder strength. There is really not a right or wrong way to perform this movement. By simply moving around on your hands and feet, you get your heart rate up, strengthen your body, and get a good sweat going. For this reason, it is one of the most popular movements at NorCal Strength and Conditioning—both with children and adults! That’s right, I said adults. If you decide not to partake in this movement with your child, you will be missing out.

MUSCLES USED: Overall body movement

1)
Jaden starts with his feet and hands on the ground. He is looking down and slightly in front of his hands.

2)
Jaden first moves his left hand and right foot forward together.

3)
Jaden then moves his right hand and left foot forward together.

4)
Crawling along like a bear, Jaden continues to move forward by walking on his hands and feet. Have your child start out slowly, but I guarantee you will have some pretty speedy bears crawling around once your child gets the hang of it! Bear crawl races in the living room anyone?

Crab Walk

The crab walk is another fun movement that you and your child can do together! First a bear and now a crab—see if you and your child can come up with other silly ways to move your body from one place to another! Rowan’s favorite is leaping around like a frog! Of course he makes us all join him for frog races! Other family favorites are skipping and galloping, both great movements that help with large motor skill development and coordination.

MUSCLES USED: Another great full body exercise

Jaden pushes up on his hands, tummy facing up, and he supports his legs with his feet flat on the ground. He keeps his tummy and back muscles tight, and he uses his thigh muscles as well as his fanny to keep his back up off the ground.

Jaden moves his left foot and right hand forward at the same time.

Jaden moves his right foot and left hand forward.

Jaden repeats this movement as he scuttles around like a crab.

Jumping Pull-Up

By simply turning off the TV and video games and making routine visits to the nearest park, you and your child can find a fun and relaxing way to unwind and exercise together! You can both use the playground equipment to simply play, which is the best form of exercise for all children, and you can also take the opportunity to show your kids some of the movements you have learned earlier in the fitness section. The jumping pull-up is great for kids. It helps them build their leg muscles, which is important for the growing and changing body of a child, as well as for supporting strong skeletal growth and development.

MUSCLES USED: Latissimus Dorsi, Trapezius, Deltoids, Hamstrings, Gluteals, Quadriceps, and Calves

1)
Standing directly underneath the bar, Jaden grabs the bar at slightly wider than shoulder width with his hands facing away from his body.

2)
Jaden reaches his fanny back and bends at the knees like he would if he were performing a squat. He drops down until his arms are fully extended.

3)
Jaden jumps quickly off the ground and raises his chin over the bar.

4)
Jaden lets gravity take him back down to the ground, landing with bent knees and his weight in his heels.

Knee-to-Elbow

Most kids will naturally swing, twist, and turn their bodies while playing on monkey bars, and the knee-to-elbow is a natural movement that most little kids will do without even being shown how. I remember when Rowan was barely walking, I would let him hang from the rings at the gym and the first thing he would do would be to kick his toes all the way up to his hands, laughing like crazy! Showing your child how to do a knee-to-elbow will help strengthen his or her abdominal muscles while reminding your kid how fun it is to just be a kid!