Summer Exercise Challenge

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Welcome back to our ongoing summer series: BOYS.  I have a soft place in my heart for boys, and for the moms who are raising them. Check out some of my other summertime boy-posts here.

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During the summer our boys play a lot... everyday. As a matter of fact, this morning they tumbled out of bed and into the pool before breakfast, and I'm typing this short post out just moments before we head to the beach for the afternoon. However, like the rest of their breed, there are plenty of afternoons when they'll whine over boredom and complain, "Why can't I just watch tv and play video games all summer? All my friends get to...."

{I don't think so.)

Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of couch-time in the summertime here in our world, but on the days we are home and lazing about, before they do any TV watching or video gaming each boy must read for half an hour and do a minimum of three dad-approved exercises.

The boys have a list that includes:

  • 25/25/25 - shorthand for 25 sit-ups, 25 push-ups, and 25 squats (50/50/50 for the teen boy)
  • 25 laps in the pool (50 for the teen)
  • 15 minutes boxing on the bag in the garage
  • 15 minutes on mom's elliptical machine
  • 2 sprints up the hill behind our home
  • 3 laps around the property - with 25 jumping jacks each time they pass the driveway
  • 5 minutes treading water (20 minutes for the teenager)

Reward

Over the course of the next 12 weeks, the boys must do a minimum of 3 exercises a day for a total of 240 workouts - this goal does not take vacations and guests into account, which means there are plenty of days they'll need to double-up to make it to the finish line. Once they hit their goal they receive 50 dollars! (You read that right) However, if they decide to take the challenge to the next level, they can work their tails off and aim for 480 exercises in the next 12 weeks, and earn $100.

We've printed up this list of exercises, and given them a posterboard to keep track of their exercises each day. Last summer our oldest and youngest got very competitive and earned as many as 15 points before 9Am some mornings!

Again, as with our reading challenge, the whole idea is to get you thinking creatively to keep the boys busy and healthy this summer, flexing their muscles and their minds!

[Tweet "Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. (Joseph Addison) "]

 

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How do you incentivize your kids to keep their minds and bodies busy in the lazy summer months?

Don't miss next week's Summertime post, all about getting your sons into God's Word. Sign up here, and we'll send it straight to your email inbox.