Family Exercise

In the early 70s, The Partridge Family sitcom depicted a family with a knack of sticking together. As a single mom, Shirley Renfrew Partridge managed to keep her family strong. Their music kept them close and allowed them to share their love for one another through their bond.

In today's world, a far cry from the early 70s, it could be any number of shared activities that bring families together. But for many families, that shared activity is exercise.

The Bond of Exercise

"[Exercise] brings the family together by giving them a common interest," says Dana Lockett-Harrison, certified personal trainer and owner of Hoboken Family Fitness located in Hoboken, NJ. "If a family enjoys spending time and doing things with one another, then they will naturally have warmer feelings toward each other."

Lyn Lomasi, a mom to four children and step-mom to two residing in Houston, TX, shares this sentiment. Enjoying the benefits of an instant support group, they keep each other motivated in a positive way. "Working out together...encourages teamwork. Teamwork is a very important aspect of a family," says Lyn.

Even if exercising is not your favorite thing to do, having the whole family involved can make a dreary task more palatable.Working out with your family also proves beneficial in combating family challenges. If there is a foundation of teamwork, the lines of communication are already in place. "Working out together has helped avoid any major conflicts [because] we know how to work as a team," says Lyn.

Keep It Interesting

Going to the gym is just one of many ways a family can workout. The main goal is to make the idea of exercise fun. "Make it an event. Register for a walk-a-thon or race for a charity," says Dana. "Make training for that event part of your daily/weekly workouts."

Erica Nicole, a mother of two girls residing in Katy, TX, enjoys bike riding and playing at the park regularly with her kids. "[The girls] love outdoor activities and want me to participate," she says.

Physical activities come in many forms and for all ages. For families with older children, riding bikes, swimming, hiking, and playing a sport are some of the fun exercises that you can do together. Also get the family involved in relays, roller skating, or even jumping rope.

Younger children can easily be included in a lot of physical activities. "My 4 year old daughter loves to ride her bike while my husband and I jog with our 11 month old daughter," says Dana. "We've also gone hiking together (baby in baby carrier) and ice skating with our older child."

Yoga is another fun relaxing exercise to do as a family. " Even babies can participate in yoga," says Dana. Another simple and family friendly sport is tag. But, don't stop at the traditional activities. Try creating some of your own. Make up relays and indoor/outdoor obstacle courses.

Making the Change and Staying Motivated

There are many small lifestyle changes that your family can gradually implement. Use stairs instead of the escalator or elevator. "Leave the car parked and walk more," says Dana. "Although this may not be a huge change in burning calories, it can be a big step in the right direction for some sedentary families." A change in attitude towards exercise is what challenges many people. Be more active. Making little changes will help achieve those fitness goals.

Keeping your family motivated to workout is hard work. The best way to do this is to switch up the activities by making sure everyone gets to do what they enjoy most. Be patient. Even if it is not your favorite thing to do, show interest anyway. Showing respect and appreciation for those in your family is important in bonding with them. Your children will learn to respect others by following your lead.

Finding A Gym

With the ongoing rise in childhood obesity, there is an increased trend for fitness centers to offer more children's programs. Many fitness centers are following the lead of the YMCA by catering to the needs of the entire family. "Look for programs such as children's/youth swimming, tumbling, tae kwon do for kids, yoga for kids, sports-conditioning, and so forth," says Dana. This makes working out at a fitness center more appealing to many families. Daycare services and a variety of children's programs are often included in the affordable membership fees.

Don't Forget to Relax

Keep workouts non-competitive and stress free. There's enough stress to handle outside of the home. So, make relaxation and having fun the theme of your family time. "We have always worked out together," says Lyn. "Our family is pretty peaceful...I wouldn't be surprised if family fitness had something to do with it."

Sources:

The Partridge Family Bio http:/www.imdb.com/title/tt0065333/
Interview with Dana Lockett-Harrison on 1/11/08 by email