Useful exercises at the jungle gym

Useful exercises at the jungle gym that are worth showing your child

Even the most useful thing in the world will only be an ornament if you do not know how to use it properly. Let us tell you about the best exercises of varying difficulty that your children can do on the climbing wall.

Even simple climbing on the wall bars helps to relieve stress, get rid of muscle cramps that appear from motionless sitting at a desk or in front of a computer. Regular exercises that kids perform on the wall bars stimulate their immunity, as well as the development of physical and intellectual abilities. Separately, it is worth mentioning that climbing up and down the stairs strengthens the arch of the foot, which prevents flat feet.

Depending on the purpose for which it is used, the wall bars will become a stretching coach, a  reason for morning exercises or a way to relax before bedtime. The main thing is to show your child (maybe by personal example) how to use it with benefit and pleasure.

Morning exercises

Mini pull-ups: we put our feet against the base of the wall bars, put our hands on the bar at shoulder level and straighten them completely. Then we pull ourselves up to the bar closely, grip can be changed, for example, if you put your arms narrower or wider, grip from below, not from above - it helps to use all small arm muscles. Perform mini pull-ups 10-15 times.

Warm up feet: stand on the lower bar, hold hands at a comfortable height. Walk slowly for a minute, as if you were walking on the spot. Then move feet forward / backward - from toes to heels.

Bends to the wall bars: put your left hand on the wall bar at shoulder level or slightly below and stand sideways to it. Then bend your body to the left, trying to reach the bar with your straight right hand, without turning your body. So we do it 10 times, and then repeat it 10 times more for the right side of the body.

Squatting on the bar: stand with your feet on the bottom step of the wall bars, grip the bar with your hands at chest level and squat 10-15 times.

Before and after morning exercise offer the child at least 20-30 seconds to hang on the bar. Exercise seems simple and even boring, because you do not have to do anything - but it is one of the most useful for straightening the spine and strengthening the back, shoulder and arm muscles. Increase the duration of the hang gradually. Being able to hang for 5 minutes is top notch!

Exercises for a healthy back and correct posture

Stand with your back to the wall bars, breathe calmly and evenly, and concentrate on how each bar touches your back.

Hang on a bar that has a comfortable height for a minute. If you can do it longer, great!

Hang on the rings (if there are any) - this variation of a hang introduces a variety to the usual training program and involves the muscles that do not work when hanging on a fixed bar.

Do plank. To do it, catch with your feet on the first or second bar, put your hands on the floor or on the mat and stand motionless for at least 20-30 seconds. It is important to execute the technique correctly:

Make sure that the child's lower back does not bend down, and the pelvis does not go up. The correct plank is straight.

Hang facing the wall bars and move your pelvis and straight legs away from it. Fix this vertical position for 1-2 seconds, then return to the starting position. Repeat 5-7 times.

Stand facing the wall bars, put your feet near the lower bar, grip with hands at waist level or a little lower. Then bend forward, pulling the body and pelvis back, and keeping the back straight. Fix the position at the extreme point for 2-3 seconds, then return to the initial vertical position. Repeat for 5-7 times.

Exercises for strong muscles

Stand with your back to the wall bars. Grip the bar high enough so that your feet do not touch the floor, and hang by the hands. Slowly, without jerks, lift your legs bent perpendicular to the body. Repeat 10-15 times.

Starting position is the same as before, so raise straight legs 8-10 times.

Starting position is the same as before, alternately pull up the knees to the opposite shoulders. Repeat 8-10 times on each side.

Starting position is the same as before, alternately lift straight legs to the sides 10-15 times on each side.

Face the wall bars, grip with hands high, hang and then bend your knees, trying to touch the buttocks. Repeat 10-15 times.

Stand with your right side to the wall bars, put your straight right leg on the bar at pelvis level or a little lower (the higher the bar, the higher the exercise load, so choose the height according to your child's physical fitness). Squat on the left leg 5-7 times. Then turn to the left side and squat on the right leg. It is important to distribute the load correctly: the load should not be on the knee joints, so make sure that the child keeps the back straight and during the squat moves the pelvis back, and the knee does not go far forward.

Do lunges: stand with your back to the wall bars, step your right foot far forward (angle of the knee - 90 degrees), then lunge with your left foot. Repeat 5-7 times for each leg.

Lie on the mat perpendicular to the wall bars, fix feet behind the lower bar, do 10-15 sit-ups for the abs.

Endurance exercises

For children at the age under 3-4: climb to the very top of the wall bars, then go down. Repeat 3-5 times.

For children at 4-6 years old: climb to the top of a rope ladder (if you have one), then go down. Repeat 3-5 times.

For children aged 7 and above: climb a rope (if available). Repeat 1-2 times.

Exercises for flexibility development

Facing the wall bars at a distance of an outstretched leg, put your right foot on the bar and leaning towards it the body. Repeat three to five times. Do it in two rounds: first with rounded back, then with straight back.

"Pendulum": use your hands hanging with your back to the wall bars, swing your legs from side to side, keeping them together. The amplitude should not be large. Make sure that the child's movements are not abrupt, impetuous.

Make a crab posture: stand with your back to the wall bars at a distance of 2 steps, grip the bar with one hand, "step" lower with the other - and so on, as long as you can stretch. Do not hurry to make a full crab posture, wait until the child's muscles stretch and get stronger, and he or she will not feel fear, hanging in an unusual position.

Stand at arm's length facing the wall bars and grip the bar with both hands. Feet together. Keeping your arms straight, bend forward, then in turn slightly bend your legs.

Fun exercises for the little ones

"The monkey is having fun": we hang on the bar, hold on to the bar with both hands for 10-15 seconds, then "step" (hang for a while by one and then by the other hand, while the parent is preventing the kids fall). Repeat "steps" 3-4 times for each hand.

"Clock is ticking": do the exercise "pendulum" - swing slightly from side to side, gripping with both hands. Legs together and straight.

"The fish swims": hang on the bar and make rotary movements with your legs. 2-3 circles clockwise, then 2-3 circles - counterclockwise.

"The grass grows": hang on the bar and pull up to it (at the same time a parent is ensuring and slightly pushing the child up). Repeat 2-3 times.

"Spaceman climbs into a rocket": climb the rope ladder. Repeat 1-2 times.

"Pirates attack": climb the rope (with the help of a parent) or swing on the rope, holding on to it tightly with your hands.

"Swallow flies": stand with your feet on the lower bar facing the wall bars. Hold your hands at chest level. Lift your head up, arch your back and pull your straight right leg back as far as possible. Hold the position for 1-2 seconds, then raise your left leg.

Safety

When exercising with a child on the wall bars, follow some simple rules.

• Be sure to warm up before doing exercises: perform rotary movements of the head, shoulders, arms, hands. Rotate your feet. Rise on your toes. Make 2-3 body bends to each side.
• Take care of a soft landing: put a quality, thick mat near the wall bars.
• Increase the complexity of the exercises and the number of sets gradually. Make sure you have the right technique for doing the exercise.
• Finish your workout with a short stretching.
• Do not force! Exercises with no desire will be of little use.
• Do not train right after a meal. Wait at least 30-40 minutes.
• Do not work on the wall bars, if the child is overexcited: concentration decreases, and the risk of injury increases.
• Refuse to exercise if you are not feeling well.
• Ensure your child: a child under 4-5 years old - all the time, older children - when performing difficult exercises and when climbing to a height.