Active Spelling
If you want to have a try at active spelling with your kids, here's a quick explanation of each exercise. I know most of these are self explanatory and don't need any explanation but I've included one just incase.
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A. Squats: Arms on hips or straight out in front, back straight, bend at knees until quads are are 45º.
B. Sit up: Lie on the floor, knees bent, heels on the floor, arms crossed over body with hands on opposite shoulders. Sit up slowly with no jerky movements. You can also do this as a crunchy with the feet in the air.
C. Side Plank (Left side): Place you left fore-arm on the floor and raise up keeping your other arm straight and resting on your body. Your legs and your body should be nice and straight with no sagging towards the floor.
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D. Front Plank: Lie on your front with your elbows bent and forearms on the floor, hands holding a fist. Back should be straight and no wobbling!
E. Star jumps: Stand to attention, jump so feet are apart and hands out to the side when you land. Then jump and land back at attention.
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F. Side Plank (Right side): Place you right fore-arm on the floor and raise up keeping your other arm straight and resting on your body. Your legs and your body should be nice and straight with no sagging towards the floor.
G. 180º Jumps: Stand legs shoulder width apart. Jump and spin 180º landing facing the opposite way. Jump again and spin 180º again landing back to the starting point.
H. Flossing: I don't need to explain how to floss! The parent or coach needs to join in!
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I. Go crazy: Go crazy is just that! Have a shake out and go crazy by shaking the arms and legs, jumping, spinning...whatever you can think of!
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J. Jumping on the spot: Double foot jumping on the spot.
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K. Right leg hop: You know what to do!
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L. Lunges: Start standing feet tougher. Large strep forward and lower your front leg knee to the ground. Then raise up and walk forward with a large step and lower the other knee to the floor. That's two lunges.
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M. Fast feet: This is running on the spot but lifting the feet off the ground only slightly so that you can do it really fast! You can gradually shuffle forwards.
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N. Press up: Hands on the floor just wider than shoulder width apart with your back straight. Lower down keeping your back straight until your elbows are bent to 90º. As you lower down and raise up try and keep it slow and controlled without wobbling and bouncing.
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O. Burpees: Stand shoulder width apart. Jump in the air arms up as you land bring your hands to the floor and perform a squat thrust. (See W for squat thrust explanation)
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P: Run on the spot: I think you know how to do this!
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Q. High Knees: This is the same as running on the spot but bring your knees up really high. Ideally your quads should be parallel to the floor.
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R. Tuck jumps: Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Now do a double foot jump and bring the knees as close as you can to your chest.
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S. Skipping: If you have a skipping rope use one to skip but if not just pretend you have a skipping rope.
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T. Left leg hop: You know what to do!
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U. Punching into the air: Bounce around on your feet and punch into the air.
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V. Can-can: Just like the French dancers - kicking alternate legs out in front with straight legs.
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W. Squat thrust: Hands on the floor just wider than shoulder width apart. Feet together with legs crunch up and forward so your feet are close to your hands Then thrust both feet backwards so your legs are straight. Then bring the legs forwards again back to the tucked up start position.
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X. Heads, shoulders, knees and toes: With two hands rapidly touch the head, shoulders, knees and toes.
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Y. Circling your arms: Circle both your arms - maybe forwards for a few and then change direction.
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Z. Above the head hand claps: Arms at your sides. Raise them to clap above your head and return them to your sides.