Watch a group of children at the local playground and you won't hear any complaining, whining or groaning about having to 'exercise'. Why? Because they are having to much FUN and that is the key to staying fit at any age!

Playgrounds offer the golden opportunity for adults to turn loose and be a kid again! Chase your little ones around the playgrounds. Climb the monkey bars and do pull ups and chin ups, hand over hand swinging from one bar to the other and see how many muscle groups you suddenly discover!

Don't have children to take to the playground? BORROW some! Everyone has cousins, nieces, nephews, friends who would appreciate you taking their kids to the playground so they can get adult time to themselves!

The simple act of picking a young child up and down from one piece of equipment to another can give your upper body and back muscles a workout.

Run circles pushing one of those 'merry-go-rounds' full of children for just a few minutes and you will see an increased heart rate to equal even the most grueling cardio workout. Using that for your warm-up, you are all set to join the children in roller skate, skateboards or biking along the pathways.

The most important thing to remember is to have FUN! You don't have to have perfect form, great skills, or even any prior experience. Follow a young child's lead as they play on all the equipment and chase each other around all day. When the two of you head home and you sit back in your recliner nursing sore muscles, you can feel good knowing you are on step closer to grasping an improved fitness level while you and your child had fun in the process!

Learn more about this author, Debra Cornelius.
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