Summer Fitness

As we come to the last couple of weeks of our summer holiday I always feel as if I should be getting fit again after not doing too much in the way of activity.

Last year, during the month of July, we started a fitness program as a family which I called '10'. This meant picking ten exercises without weights and doing ten repetitions of each. We would then add one repetition for each day. We carried this out every day for the whole month.

During the month we did decide that we wanted to adjust some of the activities as we were getting a bit bored. This helped keep up the interest and motivation. Having all four of us participate in this daily morning activity worked really well as we encouraged each other to finish what we had started.

Wembury Beach, Devon.

Grande Plage, Ile-de-Oleron, France

This year we have found it hard to start anything. I think my biggest problem is motivation and trying to find something new. As the PE teacher in the family, I am looked upon to find the ideas but sometimes I just want to switch off from organising activities.

I have instead encouraged us to go out for walks, go swimming and take some classes. We went rock climbing the other day for a couple of hours. My son will take part in some football sessions with Plymouth Argyle and my daughter will take part in some gymnastic and trampolining sessions at the local sports centre.

'Hiking in the Somerset levels'. Wearyall hill in Glastonbury with a view of Glastonbury Tor. 

Alternative way of using a bodyboard - but a great way of improving your fitness. Running along the beach.

As my parents have recently retired and are not very actively minded, I have taken it upon myself to take them out and get them moving. They have actually responded positively to this and are thinking about what they should be doing in the summer before the cold sets in.

One activity I am going to encourage when I get back to school is for students to participate in the @100ActiveDays and the @burp_it_on initiatives

I think at the end of the day, everyone has different needs and wants when thinking of fitness and summer fitness. What do you want to achieve over the summer? How would you plan a program for yourself? Do you have something to plan for or do you just want to use the time to improve fitness?