There are BOYS in my Gym!

I've mentioned several times on this blog, that I'm super spoiled with my nice home gym (J&G'sGym). I love that it's right downstairs, so I can bop down multiple times a day, and that I don't have to put up with other people on the machine I want when I want it ... but recently, there have been BOYS in MY gym! Teenage boys!

Okay, one of them is my son. The others are his basketball buddies. It's the off-season now, so other sports (baseball/football) have first dibs on the school equipment. These guys want to stay in shape, and have been coming over EVERY DAY this week after school. In MY gym!  I mean, it's a nice size for a home gym, but still, four teenage boys in there at once?

My son did ask permission, and I gave it. I usually would hit my gym for a session on the elliptical, bike or treadmill in the hours after school ... but it's hard to turn them down when they want to work out (I guess it's some extra Zumba upstairs in the master bath for me during those times if I need a workout fix). 

They are mostly doing strength exercises, I don't think they are using the cardio machines. I told them they could move some of the dumbbells out into the hallway for a little more space (they could even do walking lunges). Sometimes they race upstairs, then sprint around the block a couple of times.

They play their music, laugh, talk ... and sometimes come raid the kitchen. A little chocolate milk or banana pre-workout. My son whips up a big batch of protein smoothie afterward.

These sophomores haven't been the only boys in the gym lately. My 14-year old told me he "I don't just want to sit around playing video games and stuff" here in the off-season. I told him it might be good work on his conditioning and stamina, running on the treadmill. He's hit it several times.  Even my 11-year old has put on a show and walked the treadmill to get more steps on his pedometer.

The Hubs does have a gym membership (near his work) and he enjoys running outside, so I rarely see him down in the gym. My oldest was putting in some time too, before he shipped off to Mexico. It's the younger boys now! So far my baby (nine years old) hasn't seemed interested in the gym, but he's quite active and gets his steps in through play.

This does just push me to make sure I get what I need to get done during the day when the kids are in school. It's good incentive anyway!  Linking up late with Workout Wednesday!

Fitness in the Schools

A month or so ago, I was watching my son's basketball game at a local middle school gymnasium. I noticed this sign up ... it made me glad I was NOT a 7th grade boy (I mean I'm glad I'm not for MANY reasons!) I have been incorporating a mile run (ok, jog) into my weekly workouts. Now admittedly, I stay somewhat comfortable at 5mph, which ends up at a 12 minute mile. According to this sheet, I'd get a D- ... Yikes!

Now I'm pretty sure if I pushed myself, I could run faster. A little faster ... I'm really not sure how much better I'd get (10 minutes maybe!). I actually remember being required to run a mile when I was in middle school as well. I remember pushing myself to finish first (out of the girls anyway) and then promptly throwing up afterward. I think I threw up three years in a row, during the first run of the season. I actually ended up running track, and doing good in the sprints. But a mile? That is distance, and I didn't (and don't) do distance.

I did have a 7th grade boy this last year. While he loved his physical education class, I do remember him moaning about the mile. I do think he squeaked in under 8:00 minutes.

As my fourth grader's school came to a close a couple weeks ago, they participated in the Presidential Physical Fitness Challenge. I do have vague memories of this too. Has it been around for a while? I mean if I am remembering it from elementary school, we're talking over 30 years ago!

My little guy suffers from anxiety. They did a "fun run" several weeks ago, and he stressed about that. He had complete meltdowns over the end of year academic testing. Ironically, he is at the top of his class academically and physically.  I wasn't surprised when he expressed concern about this Presidential Fitness Testing too. 

I just told him to do his best. It's never as bad as he thinks it is going to be. He came home and told me about the variety of different exercises they were measured on. He did really good on everything, except the V-sits ... he just isn't very flexible (me either!) I had to laugh though, as he complained about his "abs" for the next few days. Oh, such a workout!

To receive the Presidential Fitness Award, the student must rank in the 85th percentile of each exercise. My little guy missed it by one exercise (only two students in the class were able to get it). If the students are above the 50th percentile, then they still get the National Physical Fitness Award. He (and many classmates in the 4th grade classes) were able to get that certificate.

 

I do love being a mom to five active boys! They love recess, and PE class ... it was interesting to get a little peek into some of the physical fitness requirements the schools are expecting from the youth today. You seem to see the stereotypical "rope climb" and dodge ball and such when school fitness is featured in films or TV programs. Does anyone actually have to do the rope climb? I pretty sure I'd fail miserably at that as well!  Just Thinking Out Loud about school fitness today *Ü*

Even though school has ended for us ... I've been doing the ol' school carpool still because of basketball camp. #2 is working out with the cross-country team in the mornings, then staying for the basketball clinic from 10:00-1:00. I make a trip to the school at 1:00 to pick him (and friends) up, and to drop off #3 (as the different ages have different times). Then take #2  back at 4:00 for a "shooting clinic" and then I go back at 5:00 to pick up both boys. But today is the last day of that ...

 

SuperBALL?

The "theme" for Motivation Monday this week is healthy Superbowl treats. Now, honestly, "healthy treat" is pretty much an oxymoron to me ... if we're eating treats, they are not healthified in any way. I did make some sugar cookies decorated like footballs several years ago (pictured above). Just so I feel like I'm contributing a BIT to the actual theme, here's a link to some Baked Mozzarella Bites that look pretty good.  Here are a few other "Super Superbowl Snacks" you might want to check out from Barb, Sarah, Giselle and Ashley.

Our family just isn't a football family, we really don't even watch the Superbowl. BASKETBALL ... now that is a different thing all together. While the boys really love watching all the NBA games, they also all play. Basketball is a huge part of our life (Basketball Mom). It actually wasn't a great basketball week this week. Six games ... six losses. A heart breaker Saturday night in overtime. But it's all good. Losing teaches important lessons as well, and basketball keeps my boys moving and active! 

Of course we have a hoop out in front of the house ... it doesn't get too much action in the winter with the cold and snow. We also have a couple hoops around the house to keep the kids busy and moving even indoors. While writing this post, I can hear the sounds of a wild game going on. I snuck out and grabbed a couple pictures (the ones on the right) ...

There ARE sacrifices to having hoops in the house ... the picture at left is in the basement hallway. We attempted to repair the wall, only to have it broken again. The second hole is more recent (#5's shoulder ... he's ok, the wall, not so much!)  In the action shots, you can see a hole in the door as well. But it's better than them just sitting around playing video games or watching TV (although admittedly they still get plenty of those in too).

In addition to the physical damage to the house, the sound of the game ... the ball crashing into the hoop, the kids yelling, the slam of bodies and the pitter patter of feet ... it CAN get to me (it gets to Daddy pretty quick! The kids know to shut it down pretty quick once they get the stink eye from father!) I must admit I love it when the warm weather calls the kids outside.

We have the standard hoop out on the street (we are located on a circle, not much traffic). The first hoop we had was getting rather battered, so we invested in a new one ... but never got around to getting rid of the old one. The kids played on both, and then last year we moved the old hoop to the backyard by the trampoline. The boys really enjoyed bouncing, jumping and dunking the ball.

We also have a smaller hoop, 

the boys play on it almost as much as the big one!

So ... football isn't a big deal in our family. Basketball is. Knowing what your kids enjoy and providing them with an environment to keep them motivated to move will help keep kids happy and healthy! I LOVE watching my boys play ...want to see them in action?

My three oldest on one team (playing church ball).

My boys are numbers 11, 2 and 14

I'm feeling Motivated this Monday, but alas, it an off-kilter day. I started a moving/cleaning/organizing project yesterday that isn't done (and the house still needs a ton of work) and hubby and I have tickets to a show today (which will have me sitting for a few hours) ... so I doubting that I'll get to goal today. I'll just have to keep calories in check as weight is up as usual after the weekend. How about you? Ready to start the week? Link up with Grab Your Kicks, A Life in Balance, RunawayBridalPlanner, and of course MY Motivation Monday Team ...

Link up with Motivational Monday.
Share your story. Anything that motivates you or others!

My kids noticed the picture of the football cookies on my blog.
Now they want me to make them on Sunday ...