|
Hip Hop Housework
After a hard day at the office or school, the last thing on every
parent�s mind is housework. However, if done correctly, Hip Hop
Housework can be quite a workout. This article provides some
activities that both child and parent can do to make exercise fun
and get the house clean at the same time.
It is essential that you start with a general warm up. Music can
make the workout more fun and useful.
Gardening
Digging gives your arms and legs a workout. It also develops
muscles in the shoulders, arms and biceps.
Waxing the Floor
Extend your torso and exaggerate circular arm movements.
Mowing the Lawn
Mow the lawn and walk fast to keep your heart rate up by making the
activity aerobic.
Rake and Twist
This movement works whether you are raking leaves or sweeping the
floor. The key is to take long, steady strokes, while turning at
the hips and raking or sweeping toward your body. Done this way,
your arms do not have to do all the work. Make sure you do this
exercise by sweeping both from left to right and from right to left.
Unload and Lift
Daily dishes are a great opportunity to stretch side and back
muscles. As you take dishes out of the dishwasher, turn your body
from side to side, allowing your hips and torso to twist while you
reach to put the clean dishes away on high and low shelves. To make
the most of this stretching exercise, put the dishes and silverware
away one at a time. Remember, the further the distance between your
dishwasher and your cupboards and drawers, the more exercise you
receive from this activity.
Washing the Windows
Concentrate on up and down movements using the back and shoulder
muscles.
Laundry Toss
It is all in the spin of your hips! Turn the mundane task of laundry
into exercise for your abdominal, lower back, and hip muscles. Stand
about 10 to 15 feet away from the washing machine. Hold the dirty
laundry basket about waist height on your left side with the washing
machine on your right. Pick up pieces of the dirty, dry laundry and,
while turning at the hips, pitch the laundry into the open washer.
After you have mastered this, move on to pitching wet laundry (which
is heavier) from the washer into the dryer.
Laundry
Use your hamstrings and quads and do squats and lunges while folding
and putting laundry away in drawers. Separate the piles of laundry
and make frequent trips up and down the stairs.
Cleaning and Washing the Floors and Countertops
As you clean floors and countertops, do arms circles clockwise and
counterclockwise. This is a great way to build up the chest,
shoulder, and arms.
Garbage and Grocery Resistance
Take out garbage and bring in the groceries quickly, doing bicep
curls and/or shoulder shrugs as you bring them into the house.
Organizing Fun!
Reorganizing your closet is a great way to make space and use your
arm, shoulder, and lattisimus dorsi muscles.
Stair Climbing
Stairs have more potential than just as an aerobic activity. They
are great to use for assisted pushups and triceps dips. For an extra
challenge, add a chair and try to have all the weight balanced in
the triceps.
Perfect Picture Posture
Remember to keep your back straight and not hunch over as you are
cleaning the sink, countertops or floors.
Exercise with housework can be done at any time of the day and is
great to break up the monotonous habit of simply cleaning. Family
bonding and fun will happen when the whole family works and
exercises together. Housework can help relieve stress by completing
a task and burning calories.
References:
Adding Fitness to your Everyday Routine
http://health.discovery.com/centers/nutritionfitness/nwhrc/fitness/fi
ttreatment.html
Health Benefits to doing Housework
http://www.diynet.com/diy/cda/article_print/1,1983,DIY_14040_2273017_
ARTICLE-DETAIL-PRINT,00.html
Household Chores to Build Functional Fitness
http://health.discovery.com/centers/fitness/housework.html
Household Workout: Intensify cleaning and outdoor task to improve
fitness
http://www.ajc.com/health/content/health/0404/06housework.html
Housework Workout
http://www.botany.uga.edu/courses/btny4930/housework.html
Making the Time to Exercise
http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=1323437
The Housework Workout
http://www.lifeclinic.com/focus/nutrition/articleView.asp?
MessageID=1711
The House Workout 2
http://www.metabolife.com/healthyliving/fitness.jsp?id=693
|
