Fitness Through Animal Movements: Mimicking Creatures To Stay Active And Healthy

Introduction

Fitness is a crucial part of remaining healthy and happy. A balanced diet and daily physical activity can keep multiple diseases at bay. Sadly, this practice needs to be revived among the current generation. As they have resorted to a sedentary lifestyle to cope with the stress and demands of a modern existence.

Since a sedentary lifestyle is the festering ground of chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and blood sugar, it is imperative to get kids active and running about. But with their busy schedules and dearth of open green spaces in the city, sufficient fitness can become a concern for kids.

Thankfully, all one needs to do is tap into their inner creature and let nature take the lead. It is hard to find a glucometer in the jungle, but it is harder to find a wild creature with diabetes or high cholesterol. This is because of the pure life they lead, full of unique, dynamic movements and a fresh and healthy diet.

Therefore, it is time to emulate some of the good qualities of Mother Nature’s more untamed creature, in a safe and fun way. Introduce your kids to fitness by mimicking animal movements and explaining the virtues of each for their health. This will make the experience both fun and engaging for them while fulfilling their daily fitness goals.

Animal Movements Kids Should Try To Stay Fit And Healthy

Frog Jumps

A fun way to challenge kids and train their upper thighs and lower abdomen muscles, this exercise also strengthens their bones and joints. Frog jumps are a full-body workout that can be as mild as intense, depending on age and utility. To do this, all your kids need to do is squat and crouch on the ground, before pushing off the ground with their feet muscles and jumping forward into the same squatting position.

Crab Walk

The crab walk is all about traveling sideways and reminds kids about the importance of fitness and agility. To do this animal movement, your kids need to sit on the ground in a deep squat pose and be ready to move sideways. If they are moving to their right, then put their left hand on the ground first, with their right hand following its actions immediately after. Then, they need to jump with their left leg ‘kicking’ the right leg up, with the left leg landing first on the ground, for balance. They should land in their original deep squat pose, before repeating the movement to walk like crabs.

Scorpion Moves

The scorpion moves are an exercise that offers fitness to the entire body. To begin doing the movement, ask your child to place their hands and feet together on the floor and lift their hips upwards, at the ceiling. Your child should be resembling a downward-facing dog’s posture. Then, ask them to lift one leg and revolve their foot over towards their hip. After finding their balance, ask them to gently take their left hand off the floor and rotate it in a circle over their body to touch their collarbone. As they do so, ask them to bring the raised leg down and extend it fully, by twisting their body. Then lift their leg back up, twist and change sides to bring it back to the next leg and repeat with the opposite side and limbs.

Ducky Steps

The duck walk may have been created with military personnel in mind, but ducky steps and races are fun and appealing for all kids, despite similar fitness demands. This exercise helps strengthen various leg, hip, and buttock muscles while maintaining healthy bones and joints. To do this physical activity, ask your kids to sit on their hips back on their ankles and be in a half-squat position. Keep your arms at chest level and away from the ground. While keeping knees bent and being in the half-squat position on the ground, ask your kids to walk or waddle forwards and backward like ducks do. This exercise also improves balance in kids like magic.

Panther Stalk

A fun yet easy exercise, panther stalk is responsible for enhancing balance and coordination skills in kids, while boosting their core and leg muscle strength. This exercise also helps improve upper body strength in kids and improves agility and mobility in them. To do this exercise, your kids need to get down on the floor in the knee-crawl position. The only difference is their knees do not touch the ground. When stalking and slinking around like a panther, guide them to move their opposite arm and foot simultaneously, while flexing and clenching core muscles. Try to keep their backs straight and still, while their core and limbs do all the work.

Conclusion

Animal movements are more than just playtime endeavors. They improve fitness and muscle endurance in kids while boosting their strength and stamina. Therefore, it is time to put down devices and get down to some monkey business daily with your kids to ensure they remain fit and healthy in anything they do.