Activities directory

Circuit training

This week, we're suggesting a simple and flexible activity: circuit training. This type of

activity allows the girls to develop their cardiovascular abilities by focusing on both

strength and endurance. Composed of several sequenced exercises one after the other,

circuit training is designed to raise the heart rate by limiting or even eliminating the

recovery time between each exercise. Once the circuit is complete, you start over from

the beginning. The sequences give the impression that the training goes by quickly so

the girls will love it!

It’s very easy to set up a program for

your group and circuit training

provides great flexibility since it can

be adapted to everyone's abilities

and objectives. In its standard

version, circuit training is between 9

and 12 exercises for 15 to 45

seconds or 8 to 20 repetitions, and

the circuit can be repeated three

times or more so that the total training lasts from 20 minutes to an hour. So it's up to you

to set the duration and the number of exercises to tailor the practice to everyone’s

needs! For an effective program, be sure to suggest various exercises to work the entire

body.

You can use our FitSpirit training program to get ideas for exercises that require no

equipment while offering a complete workout. You can also integrate activities into your

program that the girls have already been doing, such as jump rope or hooping.

You’ll also find many circuit training videos online to inspire you in developing your

program.

Here's one that we liked: http://bit.ly/2fZHm7E

Don’t forget to add a bit of music to add to the fun!

TREKFIT programs

If you’d like to offer a complete, original, simple, safe and flexible outdoor training to your

group of girls, then we’ve got just the idea! Organizing a TREKFIT activity for your

FunFit group will allow them to discover a free and accessible way of training by

themselves.

TREKFIT training programs have been

developed for their outdoor fitness circuits which

are growing in popularity in parks throughout

Quebec and Ontario. You can use this map to

identify the training circuit closest to your school

or organization.

These programs and circuits have been developed by kinesiologists with the goal of

providing training that targets all muscles in the body using a minimum amount of

equipment. On each training circuit, you’ll find TREKFIT information panels with visuals

that describe how to do the different exercises. For each exercise, there are three levels

of difficulty to provide flexibility to users.

You can also think about doing your warm-up before arriving at the TREKFIT course by

getting your group to do a brisk walk or jog to get there.

For those who would like to create custom workouts or see the video demonstration of

the suggested exercises, you can download the TREKFIT app before your activity. It’s

available on Apple Store or Google Play Store. If you want more information on this

increasingly popular way to train, visit trekfit.ca.

Let's play Frisbee

The frisbee is a really simple object and very inexpensive, but it offers tons of

opportunities for training. Solo, duo or in a team, the girls in your group can try their

hand at it, and even invent games with the frisbee, all while developing their motor skills.

To start, you can use soft frisbees, which are easier to catch, and take advantage of

lunch hours to allow the girls to work on their throws and catches. Eventually, you can

suggest different games to try.

Here are some examples:

With frisbees and a hoop, make teams of three players. One of the players takes the

hoop and the other two work on throwing the frisbee. The goal is to get the frisbee inside

the hoop.

If you have pins (such as empty plastic bottles) at your disposal, separate the group into

two teams. Space them 10 meters apart and hand out one frisbee for every two players

and a pin for each of them. The goal is to knock down the pin of the player in front of

you. The girl must always stand behind her pin to throw the frisbee.

When the girls can easily manage the frisbee,

the intensity of the activity can be increased,

since the girls will be able to catch frisbees that

aren’t coming directly towards them, so they’ll

move more without even realizing it. Becoming

adept at throwing the frisbee will also encourage

them to use it during their own activities; they

can bring it to the park or the beach to play with

friends.

For the Fitspirit program leaders who want more of a challenge, you can also suggest

Ultimate Frisbee. Below, you'll find different comprehensive instruction guides to help

you teach this increasingly popular sport to your group.

French: http://www.montrealultimate.ca/files/Guide_mini_ultimate_FQU.pdf

English: http://afda.com/school-resources

Training with Hula Hoops or Hooping

This week, we've got another idea

that brings us back to our childhood

days: the hula hoop. The hoop,

which provides many ways to be

active, is enjoying a revival in recent

years. It is now used as part of a

complete physical workout that helps

people firm up, as well as improve their endurance and coordination. There’s an entire

community that has developed around this new activity, which is known as Hooping.

There are several sizes of hoops available for sale online or in specialty sports stores.

It’s recommended that beginners use a big hoop, 110 cm in diameter. They’re usually

priced between $20 and $55. You can also make one easily for under $6 thanks to this

simple tutorial that requires little in the way of materials.

Once the equipment is sorted out, you can get started! Here are two videos that can

help you organize a fun little activity to get the girls interested in trying it.

Basic skills

Express workout (10 minutes)

If you want to take it further, a little research on the Web will help you find a host of

DVDs that offer more comprehensive training. You’ll always have fun hooping, and

everyone can mix it up by learning to swing it around their legs and arms, or use it like a

cord to dance, all of which increase the intensity and variety of workouts.

All you have to do is try it and you'll be hooked! Plus, it’s a good thing to try if you’re still

looking for an activity that will get your group of girls revved up for something fun.

Aerobic dance classes on DVD

Music and dance are something girls love! So why not organize a dance class for your

group? There’s a simple way to do it that requires no expertise in this area and which

will suit almost every group: aerobic dance classes on DVD. You’ll need a computer, a

projector, some space to move and you’re set! This type of training is accessible and

easy to do, and also lets you take advantage of professional fitness expertise at a low

cost.

Dance is a stimulating group activity for girls, but it also provides an opportunity for them

to discover a fun way to train at home. What’s more, it’s a workout that suits lots of

different people since there are a multitude of DVDs on the market at various prices

offering a whole range of different styles of dance lessons.

Here are some examples of DVDs that you could offer your group which focus on having

fun while being active:

So You Think You Can Dance Get Fit: Cardio Funk

This DVD features dancers from the popular American TV show

presenting the basis of different dance styles such as hip hop,

contemporary dance and disco in a series of dynamic exercises.

Once you’ve mastered the movements, you’re challenged to do

an energetic choreography routine that will increase your heart rate. The DVD is

available at most big box stores for $14.88.

Zumba 101 – Can’t Dance?

On this DVD, you’ll be taken through the basic steps and the different rhythms used in

Zumba. You’ll then have the opportunity to put what you’ve learned into practice by

doing an energizing thirty-minute class. The DVD sells for $20.95 on the Zumba website.

Training with Kangoo Jumps

The Kangoo Jumps trampoline boots are something that the girls will find really

interesting and they could prove to be a great addition to your FitSpirit activities. They

adapt to a number of sports and can easily be integrated into existing activities. In fact,

the Kangoo Jumps boots are designed to boost any walking or running activity, or even

raise the challenge level for a bootcamp or aerobic training. They’re versatile, and can

be used on all surfaces, both inside and outside. They’re safe to use, and training with

them means less impact on joints, but with the right amount of intensity and fun.

You can find information online about

the services available, from hiring an

instructor to taking part in organized

courses. Some centres also offer boot

rental at a cost of $5 per person. For

example, we’ve found one in Toronto

(kangooclubtoronto.com) and one in

Jonquière (Centre éducatif Pépita).

Kangoo Clubs exist in various regions, you just have to dig a little to find one. For

Quebec, you can find a list of the official Kangoo Jumps centres on

kangooclubquebec.com.

A workout with Kangoo Jumps is an option that could provide a fun and out-of-the-

ordinary experience for the girls in your program.

Jump rope

A jump rope activity will certainly bring out the child in every girl in your group! This

activity, familiar to so many of us from growing up, is simple, accessible and requires no

special physical skills. Using a jump rope is inexpensive and can be done in a variety of

places, inside and outside.

Keep in mind you have to choose the right type of jump ropes. Many stores have a

range of jump ropes adapted to different needs at prices ranging from about $10 to $30.

Once you’ve purchased different lengths of

jump ropes, each girl should choose one that

is well suited to her height. To figure out the

best length, the girls should place their feet in

the middle of the rope and hold the ends of

the rope towards the top of their body. The

rope should land somewhere between the

bottom of the hips and the armpits.

A beginner should opt for a jump rope that goes up to armpit level and then use a

shorter rope as their skills progress. The choice of handles is also important: for comfort,

handles adapted to the shape of the hand are recommended. In order to make it easier

to use the rope, you can also choose ball-bearing handles.

Many videos are available online and offer a wide variety of training for jump rope at

different levels. To start off on the right foot (no pun intended!), you can show your group

a video like this one (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zvk23rzlJnU) - FRENCH on

basic techniques, which shows the right posture to adopt, the movements to master, and

a few basic jumps. As a really good cardio workout, jump rope is also a good fit in a

more complete workout, as shown in this video

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jda4WQN5uR0) - FRENCH, by alternating between

jump rope and strength-training exercises. And to encourage girls not to give up, a video

like this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMSqCGHbS7k) - ENGLISH might be of

interest. It starts with simple jumps and progresses to more complex and impressive

jumps, and even Double-Dutch ropes for those who really want to take it further.

Dynamic Yoga

Yoga is definitely on an upward trend: new yoga centres are opening up all the time,

there are more and more instructors, and online videos abound. So there are plenty of

resources to help you organize a session at your school! Good for the body and mind,

yoga is ideal to help you focus while at the same time providing a workout. At exam

time, it could also be a valuable tool for the girls in your group to help them deal with any

stress they’re going through.

There are many forms of yoga so you

have plenty of options to choose from. For

teens who have a lot of energy to burn,

more dynamic types of yoga can be the

answer. Power yoga, hatha flow and

vinyasa, for example, are all about

flowing, sequenced poses which help you

work on your muscles as well as your

breathing.

If you’re interested in finding out the costs and conditions of hiring a certified instructor,

check with your local yoga centres. You can easily find these online. For a more

economical and simple solution, you can opt for online videos, available on different

platforms. The myvirtualyoga.com site is a great resource if you want to integrate yoga

practice into your group’s activities on a regular basis. Through a monthly subscription,

myvirtualyoga.com gives you access to a whole range of videos available in English and

in French. The user-friendly platform allows you to search for videos according to

several criteria, such as the type of yoga or the goal (abdominal work, relaxation, etc.),

the difficulty level and the duration of the video. There’s also an index of postures and a

guide describing the different types of yoga, which are practical tools for beginners.

YouTube also has yoga videos of all kinds and can be a good option if you’d like to work

in an occasional yoga practice with your group.

The latest trends in group fitness classes

Group classes are outdoing themselves

these days with training options that are

more original and exciting than ever. The

latest trends in courses, which are often

the result of mixing two or more

disciplines, will certainly rally the girls in

your group who are looking for a unique

experience.

This week’s suggestion—if you have money in your budget—focuses on getting your

group to take part in one or more of these classes. For some courses you’ll have to

organize your group to get to a specific gym or facility where the classes are offered.

Some activities, however, don’t require much equipment so you can opt to have an

instructor come to you to give the course instead of going to a sports facility. There are a

ton of options! Here are a few examples:

Piloxing: training that combines Pilates and boxing exercises with dance.

PiYo: intense practice of the most effective Pilates and yoga movements combining

rhythm and speed.

Pound: a mixture of dance and Pilates movements using sticks to keep the rhythm —

like playing the drums—while doing the movements.

Zumba Toning: cardiovascular and strength-training exercises combined with Zumba

moves. This type of Zumba is done with toning sticks (light sticks) to keep the rhythm

and tone the body.

Strong by Zumba: music-led, high-intensity interval training (HIIT).

TrampoFit: cardiovascular training on a trampoline.

TrapFit: high-intensity interval training (HIIT) using a trapeze.

Check with the gyms or sports centres in your area to find out more about what they

offer!

Other ideas!

1 Zumba Dance

2 Yoga

3 Walking club

4 Muscle-strenghening-exercise

5 Dance Training

6 Hiking

7 Obstacle Course

8 Geocaching

9 CrossFit

10 Rock Climbing

11 Running

12 Spinning

13 Soccer

14 Swimming

15 Self-defense

16 Badminton

17 Basketball

18 Gumboot dance

19 Kangoo Jumps

20 Piloxing

21 Tabata

22 Dodgeball

23 Interval Training

24 Relay Race

25 Frisbee

26 Jumpfit

27 Bubble Soccer

28 Hockey Cosom