Stay healthy and fit this festive season with the whole family, with our #MedshieldMovement 10-Day Festive Family Fitness Challenge!
We’re more than just a medical scheme, we’re here to help you and your family live a healthier, better lifestyle. And this summer, we’re introducing the #MedshieldMovement 10-Day Festive Family Fitness Challenge! According to the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, studies show that family-based physical activity can enhance bonds and encourage long-term healthy habits.
This Challenge is designed to keep you and your family active during the holidays and can be started, rotated or restarted at any point.
It’s easy to follow, family-friendly, adaptable to all fitness levels, and can be started at any time.
Whether you’re at home or on holiday, tick off your daily goals, and share your journey with us on social media using the hashtag #MedshieldMovement!
Day 1: 15-Minute Morning Stretch Session
Kickstart the challenge with a light family stretch session to improve flexibility and prepare your bodies for the days ahead!
Try any of these stretches from our resources:
– Easy yoga stretches great for your back
– Yoga for better sleep
– Yoga poses you can do with your baby
Day 2: Family Walk or Hike
Head outdoors for a scenic walk or hike and enjoy bonding over conversations while enjoying nature’s beauty.
Looking for some inspo or direction on how to get started? Read these:
– Walking workouts for weight loss
– The health benefits of daily walks
Day 3: Dance Party!
Turn up your favourite tunes and dance it out! Dancing improves cardiovascular health and is a great mood booster.
Looking for a dancing workout? Try our online dance class with Mapule:
– Mapule’s Dance Workout
Day 4:Homemade Circuit Training Challenge
Create a mini circuit in your garden that includes a series of body-weight workouts and allow each person in the family to lead an activity or perhaps a muscle group, if they like. Include workout moves such as squats, star jumps, planks, sit-ups and if you have equal numbers, try creating partner workout activities.
Looking for some garden workout inspiration? Try these:
Weather not great outside? Try this indoor Lounge Pilates workout.
Day 5: Water Workout
Take a visit to a public pool, your local gym pool or try a natural ocean pool and do a water workout! Swimming is a full-body workout that’s gentle on joints.
Here is a great aqua aerobics workout to try: Aqua Aerobics For Any Pool!
Day 6: Family Sports Game
Choose a family-favourite sport like soccer, tennis, beach cricket, padel or volleyball and spend the day playing together. Some of these can easily be set up on a beach or in a garden or local park area.
Day 7: Obstacle Course Adventure
Set up a DIY obstacle course in your garden or living room. Time each family member and celebrate their efforts.
Incorporate everyday furniture pieces, like benches to jump over, or tables to crawl under. Rope in the kids to help design the course too.
Day 8: Strength Training with Household Items
Use cans, bags of flour or washing powder or water bottles for fun strength training exercises.
Incorporate exercises such as:
– Biceps curls
– Shoulder presses
– Sit-ups or Russian twists with the weighted items.
Looking for a workout to try in your lounge? Wall Pilates is a big trend and requires no equipment. Check out our Wall Pilates workout here. Or what about an ab-focused day? Try this workout featuring a variety of core exercises.
Day 9: Family Relay Race
Create a fun relay race in your garden or at a park or the beach. Rope in the neighbourhood for fun! This should inspire a sense of teamwork and it gets everyone moving!
Think of activities like:
- Skipping
- Egg and spoon races
- Hopping on one leg
- Crab walk or bear crawl relay
- Wheelbarrow race
Day 10: Festive Fitness Finale: Scavenger Hunt!
Set up a scavenger hunt where each clue leads to a fitness task, like 10 burpees or push-ups or squats or sit-ups before the person is able to unlock the next clue. It’s a great way to combine problem-solving and exercise. Create a list of items that need to be collected as ‘clues’ or a chaselist, like a flower, a leaf, something hot, something cold, something pink, a stick or stone.
Think of a desirable prize to add to the end.
We hope you enjoy this family-friendly festive fitness challenge! If you take part or do any of our online workouts or videos, share and tag us on social media #MedshieldMovement