Challenge #10

The Shoe Balance Challenge

(Maybe you've seen this one before?) 

Check out a short, step by step How to video below from our Favourite PE Specialist, Benjamin Landers. If you like, record yourself doing the challenge and send it off to your gym teacher - we can post it to the blog or we can view it privately. Just let us know! GOOD LUCK!

Sent in by one of our fine 2nd graders, Shuaib is featured on the right successfully completing the challenge! Bravo Shuaib! Fantastique!

Anyone else out there want to show us your skills?

Simple, everyday PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES you can do with your family....

Hello Panther Nation!

With the pandemic drastically changing how we live our lives, it is important for us to keep not only our bodies physically fit, but also our state of mind. Trying to keep a positive outlook can sometimes be challenging when what we do, whom we see, and where we go is so limited. In the list below you will find some great ideas to keep your family moving while at the same time really focussing on togetherness. This week, try to pick at least one activity to do each day with your family, if you can squeeze in more than one, well that would be great! 

1. Mom or Dad runs while kids run or bike ride along side
2. Do a circuit workout in the house, driveway or yard
3. Take a family bike ride
4. Head to a high school track and do bleacher runs 
5. Play soccer or kickball in your backyard
6. Have wheel barrow races
7. Play hopscotch at the local playground, your driveway or on the sidewalk
8. Play freeze tag - when you are frozen, jog in place
9. Go hiking on trails
10. Have a Tickle fights!
11. Do relay runs at a local high school track - make it interesting and turn it in to leap frog or crab walk 
12. Sprint up and down your street
13. Jump rope - solo or with a group
14. Have a dance party!
15. Have a trampoline? practice your tricks!
16. Do some Yoga - Cosmic Kids and Yoga Kids are good recommendations
17. Create an obstacle course in your yard
18. Walk to the store 
19. Play Just Dance
20. Have rollerblades/rollerskates?  - go for a roll in the neighbourhood!
21. Have a pillow fight
22. Balloon Toss keep up
23. Have a pool? Swim laps!

Challenge #9

EXERCISE CHALLENGE

It's time to put your thinking caps on.  We're looking to our Clairlea students to have their input on Junes Fitness Activities.

 Here's how it will work: 

This week, we want you to select your favourite exercise moves and create a 5 minute fitness blast routine.  Don't forget to try out your own routine and make sure to send them in to your gym teachers by Friday.  We will review all the routines and those selected will be used as part of Junes fitness activities. 

Remember:

• create a routine that does NOT require equipment but rather everyday household items (should you wish to incorporate items into your routine).
• ensure your routine can be done in limited space 
• try to create a routine that focuses on the whole body
• get your family involved...ask for input!
• you DO NOT need to send in a video of your routine - but you can if you wish!
• send your routine outline to jason.church@tdsb.on.c  OR jessica.lowen@tdsb.on.ca

Everyone, find a partner!

This week, you'll need a partner to do these exercises. Anyone will do! 

With your partner, you're going to keep each other motivated while you work through any of the moves below that appeal to you. We've provided you with a number of examples to try. 

Create your routine using your top 5 favourites. 

Perform your exercises for 30sec-1min each and add a short rest in between, if you need to. Repeat your routine 3 or more times for a really good workout.

Join your gym teachers this 

FRIDAY

and do their top 5 along with them!

Challenge #8

SQUAT HOLD CHALLENGE

The goal of this challenge is to sit at the bottom of a squat and hold it, unassisted for as long as you can. Grab a member of your family and challenge them to this squat hold! Can you beat their time? Can you beat OUR time?  We want your pictures and videos! Send them in and we will add them to this post...Check out your Gym teachers attempt below!

BENEFITS TO HOLDING A SQUAT...

·       Helps you to gain mobility and strength in the hips, knees, ankles, and spine

·       Helps to improve your overall mobility 

·       Helps with other athletic, functional movements

Enjoy watching your gym teachers battle it out for the longest squat hold.  We both held onto it for about 2 minutes...what's your best time??

TEACHERS UNITE! Check us out....

Challenge #7

The 100's Challenge

Take a look at the list of exercises below. Choose a different one each day and aim to bang out 100 repetitions (our younger viewers could cut that number in half and do 50)

Can you do all 100 at one time? Or will you break it up into smaller sets over the course of the day? 

Either Way, don't forget these important safety considerations:

• Choose the exercises that are right for and that please you
• Dress in clothing designed for the activity and the climate
• Use good form and posture
• Listen to your body and take breaks when you need to
• Be aware of sore muscles and joints
• Drink water before, during and after exercise to prevent dehydration
• Avoid exercise if you are tired or sick

Here is a fine example of one of our very own Clairlea kindies doing a set of 10 Burpees!

Jumping Jacks	Cross Jacks	Front Jacks
High Knees	Low Kicks	High Kicks
Jump Squats	Squats	Squat Pulses
Plank In & Outs	Plank Jacks	Plank Up & Downs
Burpees	Push-Ups	Mountain Climber Planks

May's Weekly Fitness Blast with Your Gym Teachers

Ok Everyone...May is here...Join us every morning this week for a fitness blast!

HIIT, or high-intensity interval training, is a training technique in which you give all-out, one hundred percent effort through quick, intense bursts of exercise, followed by short, sometimes active, recovery periods. This type of training gets and keeps your heart rate up and burns more calories in less time.

In our videos, one of us will be doing a modified version of the exercises, one of us will be doing a more intense version. Choose the one that suits you best!

MONDAY's

Exercise Sequence:

Jog on spot

Squat jumps w/ a Jab

Plank Jacks

Bicycle legs

Split Jumps

TUESDAY's

Exercise Sequence:

Butt Kicks

Side Lunge 

Mountain Climber Planks

Bird-Dog

Half-Jack w/ Upper cut

WEDNESDAY'S

Exercise Sequence:

High Kicks

Low moving Squats

Plank Shoulder Tap

Lunge-Squat

Skater Jumps

THURSDAY'S

Exercise Sequence:

Front Jacks

Standing elbow to knee

Plank Up & Downs

Russian Twists

High Knees

FRIDAY'S

Exercise Sequence:

Cross-Jack

In-Out Abs

Slow Jog

Superman

Jump Squats

It's Music Mondays!

Hey everyone! One our very special staff members, Mr.Farquharson, put this awesome video together.  Check out this special tribute from all of us, to all of you! We miss you Panthers! 

Challenge #6

7-Day SQUAT Challenge

Start today with 20 squats...add 5-10 more each day. (So, on Tuesday aim to do 25-30 squats, on Wednesday 30-40 and so on).

If you add 10 more each day, by the end of day 7 you will have done 350 squats! 

Adding 5 each day will get you to 245 squats!

Felling SUPER pumped today? Feel like you can start at a higher number and bang out 50 squats in day 1? Do it! and Don't forget to share your thoughts in the comments below. (btw, by day 7 this will get you to 560 squats!) 

Whichever you choose, your legs will definitely feel stronger and more powerful by this time next week. Follow the image below for proper squat form.

Benefits to Squats

Builds Muscle

Improves mobility and balance

Improves running performance...makes you faster!

Prevents injuries

Provides better circulation

Helps regulate digestion

Strengthens the core

Improves flexibility

That's a Wrap!

It's May 1st and we have come to the end of our April Fitness Routine! Today's challenge is to complete all 19 exercises for 10 seconds each.  

• Too easy?  run through all the exercises twice! 
• Too hard?  take a 10 second rest between each exercise.

Here you'll fine a list of all 19 exercises we did throughout April and if you scroll further down, you can click on my video and join me as I move through each exercise!  Good Luck!

Jumping Jacks

planks

high knees

squats 

russian twists

jog on the spot

frog jumps

high kicks

superman

mountain climbers

jabs

plank mountain climbers

ski jumps

side shuffle

v-sit

side lunge

wall sit

plank shoulder tap

ankle taps  

April in Review - Live from the News Desk...

Hello Clairlea People! April is a bit of a blur don't you think? For a recap, please enjoy this 7 minute, unedited, amateur-ish video we made just for you. Next month, we'll try to step up our editing game to make things a bit more exciting. For now, coming to you live, from the sunny south...

Challenge #5 - BURPEES Everyday

Benefits of doing Burpees EVERYDAY!

1. Targets all muscle group

2. It's a full body exercise!

3. Makes you stronger
4. Helps you perform better in everyday activities
5. Trains strength and endurance at the same time
6. Improves reaction time and coordination
7. Improves heart health
8. Burns calories
9. Improves agility

Take 10 minutes to watch the video below. It will guide you through how to properly execute burpees and give you suggestions on how to increase OR decrease the difficulty.  We have taken this burpee challenge for 5 days now and are truly feeling a dramatic improvement in our overall strength and endurance.  We decided to break up our 50 burpees by doing 5 sets throughout the day. It is very easy to forget to fit them in so we set a timer to remind us every hour.  We do two different types of burpees.  Mr.Church adds a jump and a push-up, Ms.Lowen adds a tuck jump and leaves out the push-up…for now. J

Tips for Success!

1. Start slow - don't rush

2. Take deep breaths

3. DO NOT arch your back while in plank position - could cause injury

4. Maintain good posture

5. Have a supervisor to ensure you're executing the movements properly

Friday Fitness Fun!

WHAT'S YOUR NAME?

Spell out your FULL name and complete the activity listed for each letter. For a greater challenge, include your middle name and do each one twice! For a variety you can use a favourite character's name or the name of your best friend!

Challenge #4 - Keep Up

Time to switch gears...

  All you'll need for this challenge is a rolled up pair of socks, a partner (or group) and a little bit of space. What better way to spend some quality time with your family than working on your counting (French or English) and hand-eye coordination. This is The Keep Up Challenge.  The challenge is simple - choose your starting point from the chart below based on your comfort levels, and try to work your way through the stages. Don't forget to celebrate your success with your partner! 

Note: Before you start, determine how many tosses you'll need to do in a row before moving on to through the stages. Younger students should consider setting goals of 10-20 tosses, older students 40-60.

Tips for Success...

• keep your eye on the object being thrown to you
• let your partner know when you are ready
• reach out and trap the object in your hands
• pinkies together for a low pass, thumbs together for a higher pass
• make sure your partner is ready before throwing the object back 
• use a larger garment like a t-shirt or hoodie, rolled into a ball if the sock roll is too small.

The video clip below shows a variation of the challenge above.  

April in Review...

Are you checking in for the first time?  Here is quick reference of the various things we've been doing this month. 

April's Daily Family Fitness Calendar 

New Morning Routine 

Challenge 1 - Wall sit

Challenge 2 - Crow Pose

Challenge 3 - Headstand

 2min Plank Challenge -  with Guest Appearances!  

30-Day Plank Challenge

We hope that you stick with us to help maintain your physical and mental well-being during this pandemic.  Also keep this in mind - practice mindfulness and take deep breaths, stretch or meditate. Try to eat healthy meals, exercise regularly and get plenty of sleep.  Check back every Monday for a new Challenge.

Friday Morning Pick Me Up!

Mr.Farquharson - this is fantastic! Thank you for sharing your musical talent with us all.  This song rocks, just like you.   

2 MIN Plank Challenge Accepted! Who's In?!

Who's going to join us?  We took on Mrs.Carson's challenge to hold a plank for 2min.  

Mlle. Bauman has accepted our challenge!! 

Mr.McGilvray and Fam are in on it too! Take a look...

Following this plank challenge, Mme Trott and family attempted the 2minute challenge and it was a huge SUCCESS! Bravo!

Mrs.David accepts the 2min Plank Challange...except...she turns it into 2min 30 sec!

Mrs.Callahan and son Cal --- Thanks for joining the challenge!

Plank Pics...

We know a lot of you will be joining us in the 30day Plank Challenge - so send in your pictures to jessica.lowen@tdsb.on.ca OR jason.church@tdsb.on.ca and have them added to this post!

Anyone up for a 30-day Challenge?

So we've got our weekly challenges on the go, and now we're going to throw something else out there. It would seem that we all have a little extra time on our hands these days so we thought why not 'do' a little extra? We are feeling that we could certainly be doing more when it comes to being active, so we're going to give the 30-day Plank Challenge a try --- Will you join us?

Planks are popular for many reasons, including engaging multiple muscles at once, therefore benefiting the core strength of our body. A strong, stable core is the foundation we need to not only prevent injury but to move freely and strongly in every activity -- especially when attempting those crow poses and headstands...and who knows what else is in store! 

Take a look at the 30 day challenge below. Each day, we get a new plank workout move that builds upon the last, leading to new challenges at the end of each week.

BEFORE you start, it's important that you visit the link below for an explanation of how to properly perform each new move and for how long. It is not stated how long you wait in between sets but anywhere from 1-2 minutes is acceptable. 
Important to note: this challenge was created for an adult - if you are in grades k-3  and finding 45 seconds to much, cut that in half (22sec-23sec). 

30-Day Plank Challenge Break Down

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Challenge 3

Headstand Challenge

10 Awesome Benefits to the Headstand

• Relieves Stress
• Increases Focus
• Improves Blood Flow To The Eyes
• Increases Blood Flow To The Head And Scalp
• Strengthens Shoulders And Arms
• Improves Digestion
• Helps To Flush Out The Adrenal Glands
• Decreases Fluid Build-Up In The Legs, Ankles, And Feet
• Develops Strength in Core Muscles
• Stimulates the Lymphatic System

IMPORTANT - please make sure you are attempting this pose with an adult supervising you. To get started, make sure you protect your head with a thin pillow or mat and clear the space around you. Start off using the wall as support, making sure you leave a few inches between your head and the wall. Seek out someone to hold your legs if you're unable to hold them on your own in the beginning. Lastly, watch Ms.Purvis' awesome video below to be inspired!  Thank you Ms. Purvis, your headstand is impressive!

Headstand Challenge!

Hey Team!  I miss you all so much.  Ms. Lowen and Mr. Church have been doing an amazing job at posting fun challenges for us.  My Crow Pose is bad.  It's really, really bad.  However, I'm not going to give up.  I'll keep practicing!

For now, I'm going to focus on the positive.  I learned how to do a headstand when I was in grade 4.  I remember it took a lot of time and perseverance.  These days, they're not so hard (unless the floor is hard, then it's really hard).

Let's see yours and thanks for the challenge, Ms. Lowen!

____________________________

1 week later.....
Hi everyone..Ms.Lowen here.  I'm so excited to tell you that after a few days of practice I finally got into and held my headstand for quite sometime.  I made sure I followed the guidelines in the challenge and I was successful. The videos below are from some of our own Clairlea students - they're Pros! 

Take a look at Mlle. Jang-Narus in her impressive headstands!