Grade(s): 4- 6
Facility: Classroom, Gymnasium, Multipurpose, Outdoors
Materials:
- Audio equipment and energizing music
- Resistance tubing (1.5 – 2m long) or Dynabands (resistive latex bands)
- Instructions cards
Activity Description:
Fit Camp – is FUN! Take your classes through a series of energizing fitness exercises to challenge and help increase their individual level of fitness. This activity can be done almost everywhere and with little to no equipment. Get started at school and encourage participants to do this workout at home too!
Overview:
Before beginning the activity, demonstrate or review each of the exercises. Start the activity with a quick warm-up - jogging on the spot. Call out the following exercises below and the number of repetitions you want students to complete (e.g. 10 chair-squats). After completing the number of repetitions for the exercise, have the students run on the spot as fast as they can until you call out a new exercise. Students should be running on the spot for at least 20 seconds between exercises.
Example of some exercises you can do:
Chair squats: Begin in a standing position. Sit down and back, like you are about to sit in a chair, then stand up again (arms are extended straight out in front of the body and are level with shoulder height)
Push-Ups: Lying down on your stomach, placing hands just outside your shoulders on the floor, feet are extended behind you hip width apart or together. Push the body up and off the floor with the arms, while keeping the body straight from the head to the feet.
Chair Toe Taps: Stand facing a chair and lift alternate feet, taping toes on the top of the chair.
Calf Raise: Stand facing the back of a chair and use the backrest of the chair to help maintain your balance, alternate from rising up on toes and lowering your heels back to the floor.
Bicep Curls: Grabbing the two ends of the tubing or band, stand in the middle of the tubing and let your arms hang at your sides. Slowly lift hands up towards your shoulders, while bending at the elbows. Try to keep both elbows from moving forward while your hands move up. Slowly return to starting position and repeat.
Tricep Extensions: Sitting on a chair, grab one end of the tubing and feed the other end under the seat of the chair and grab hold of the other end with your other hand. Keeping one hand holding onto one end of the tubing at your side, pull the other end of the tubing with your other hand above your head, straightening out your arm but keeping both your hand and the tubing behind your head. Slowly drop the hand that's up back down from the elbow. Repeat. Do this with both arms until you've completed the same number of reps on each side. Do not let your elbows flare outward when you pull up on the tubing.
Fast Feet/Slow Feet: Run quickly on the spot for 20 seconds then march on the spot with high knees for 10 seconds, repeat.
Shoulder Press: Feed the tubing under the seat of a chair. Sitting on the chair, firmly hold onto both end of the tubing and extend your arms straight up over your head. Let your elbows drop out to the side and to shoulder level before extending your arms up again. Repeat.
Bicycle: While sitting on the edge of a chair, lean back a little bit and simulate riding a bicycle (pedaling action). Hold onto the seat of the chair for balance.
Seated Bench Press: Start by wrapping the band around the back of the chair. Sit down and grasp one end of the tubing in each hand. Lift your elbows up and out to the side to shoulder level, arms are bent at 90 degrees at the elbow. Slowly push your hands straight out in front of your body, so your arms are parallel to floor. Repeat.
Kick Box: Alternate right and left hand punches and alternating leg front kicks.
Upright Row: Grabbing the two ends of the tubing or band, stand in the middle of the tubing. Leading with your elbows, pull both hands straight up to chin level. Slowly drop the hands and elbows back down in front of your body so that arms are straight again and repeat.
Source: DPA Activity Card 2007/2008, September, Junior
