Hopscotch

Do you remember playing hopscotch as a kid?

I was reminded of it the other day when I was doing a video workout which had me doing hopscotch moves!

The traditional kids game of hopscotch involves drawing a grid with chalk like in this picture. Then you jump across the numbers in order - hopping on the individual numbers and then jumping two feet down, one on each of the double numbers.  A stone or small object is also used and thrown into each numbered square in turn, with the player missing out that square, then as they turn and hop and jump back along the numbers they stop to squat down and pick up the stone.

Kids love playing this game - I remember happy times playing this myself as a kid - but finding it in my workout programme has made me appreciate the benefits of playing it too!

I read that hopscotch was originally invented as a training exercise for Roman soldiers! Whether or not that is true I don't know, but it is a good form of exercise!  Jumping and hopping is a good cardio workout.  Getting your feet inside the right squares helps your stability, core and balance.  Then there is of course the squats to pick up your stone! Great leg workout!

This ladder pictured here on the right is what I got as part of the package with The Asylum workout programme.  Here's a quick snippet of one of the workouts using it!  It's an amazing, tough workout - a lot of it mimics kids school yard games, for example hopscotch and skipping.  

Lots of different sports use ladder drills as part of their training - from soccer and football to hockey basketball and tennis!

So get your kids out there with a piece of chalk and a stone and get them playing hopscotch - it's a great foundation for future sports!

Traditional kids games really are great for keeping you fit and giving you a well rounded workout!  I should never have stopped as I grew up!