6 Simple Exercises For Everyone

Kids and parents alike enjoy a bit of friendly competition, so gather your family in your living room or garden and challenge everyone to these five simple moves.

See who can do each move for the longest amount of time. You can tailor the moves to suit the different ages in your family. Winner gets to choose a healthy dessert or what to watch on TV!

Wall Sits

Targets: core and lower body strength

How to do it:

1. Stand with your back flat against the wall.
2. Walk your feet about 2 feet in front of you and slide down the wall until you are sitting at a 90-degree angle with your feet 6 to 8 inches apart.
3. You should feel like you are sitting in an invisible chair with your shoulders flat against the wall.
4. Fold your arms or let your hands drop beside you. Beginners can place hands on thighs which makes it easier.
5. Hold your core tight and try to keep the position as long as you can. Beginners should aim for 10 to 15 seconds. Intermediate level is 30 seconds and advanced is 60 seconds or longer.

Tree Pose

Targets: balance

How to do it:

1. Stand with your arms at your sides and distribute your weight evenly on both feet.
2. Shift your weight to your left foot. Bending your right knee, grab your right ankle. Place your foot alongside your inner left thigh and rest your foot either above or below your knee.
3. Adjust your position so your pelvis is centered over your left foot and adjust your hips, so they are aligned.
4. Lengthen your tailbone towards the floor and press your palms together at chest height with thumbs resting on your sternum.
5. Bring your gaze to the wall in front of you to help keep your balance.
6. Square your hips to the front of the room. Beginners should try to hold for 10 to 20 seconds and work up to one minute.

Planks

Targets: core strength

How to do it:

1. Lie on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Curl your toes under.
2. Push your body weight up, ground your toes into the floor and squeeze your glutes for stability. Beginners can rest on their forearms to do a forearm plank.
3. Look at a spot on the floor one foot in front of you to neutralise your neck and spine. Beginners should try to hold for 20 seconds with the goal of eventually holding up to a minute or more.

Push-ups

Targets: arms, upper back and core

How to do it:

1. Start in a plank position on the ground.
2. Straighten your arms and legs.
3. Lower your body until your chest almost touches the ground.
4. Push yourself back up.
5. Beginners can do pushups with their knees touching the ground. Beginners should aim for 10 pushups, advanced should aim for 20 or more.

Burpees

Targets: cardio and strength

How to do it:

1. Start from a standing position and squat down placing your hands in front of you.
2. Kick both your feet behind you so you are in a push-up position.
3. Do one push up.
4. Kick your legs back under you so you are in a squatting position.
5. Jump up and then repeat from the beginning. Beginners should aim for 10 burpees.

Squats

Targets: core and lower body strength

How to do it:

1. Stand forward with your chest up.
2. Place your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. Extend your hands straight out in front of you to help keep your balance. You can also hold your hands at chest level or place them behind your head.
3. Bend at your knees and hips, sticking your butt out like you're sitting on an imaginary chair. Keep your chest lifted and your spine neutral, and do not let your lower back round.
4. Squat down as low as you can, keeping your head and chest lifted. Keep your knees over your ankles and press your weight back into your heels.
5. Keep your body tight, and push through your heels to bring yourself back to the starting position. This is one rep. As a beginner, aim to do 3 sets of 12-15 reps daily.