Ever since writing the article about doing cardio like a child, I have received a lot of emails from family and friends asking for more. They had so much fun pretending to be kids again that they almost forgot they were working out.

I have come up with a way to get a couple more childlike exercises into the fitness toolbox.

One is simulating the climbing and jumping kids do on playground equipment. If you ever watch them, they are working every arm and leg muscle. To simulate this we are going to do chin ups, box jumps, and box runs. Get a box that is about knee high or use a set of stairs and work with the first two steps. Start by doing a set of chin ups. Then run to the next piece of equipment and run up the steps or the box and down again. Do this for 20 reps. Then back to the chin up bar. Do another set and return to the box or steps and jump with both feet to the top and back to the ground. Again do 20 reps. Repeat for three total sets.

The second idea is a bit more fun and requires some equipment and friends. Get a few Nerf guns that all use the same type of ammo. Go somewhere enclosed like a yard with clear boundaries or a fenced in area. Load up the guns, and let the war commence. The goal of having the same ammo is that everyone will have to scramble to load their weapon while not getting shot. I like to have a system in place to motivate not getting hit. For example, every time you get hit, you have to do 25 push ups and 25 jumping jacks. This allows the other person to steal your ammo and makes it even more of a challenge.

The first exercise feels more like a workout, and it will take some creativity to make it feel fun. It may help to yell ‘Yippee!’ or ‘Woo hoo!’ I know it is a reach, but it does help when you realize how ridiculous you sound yelling ‘Yippee!!’ as you are running up and down the stairs. The second exercise of a Nerf war is not a stretch at all. In fact, it took me back to my childhood with very little imagination required. I was even able to do this with my kids and spent some quality time while I was at it.

(Photo courtesy of Jasper Greek Lao Golangco)