Raking Leaves & Leaf Jumping
Posted by Charity on Oct 1, 2011 in Move of the Month | 0 comments
The weather is starting to turn and its getting cold outside, but that doesn’t mean you have to be confined to your home. In fact, you can embrace the season, get some work done, get a workout, and have fun with your kids! Unconventional, yes, but this month’s move of the month will get your heart rate up if you give it your all – raking leaves and leaf jumping.
According to the National Institute of Health, raking leaves is a “moderate intensity activity, on par with walking at a brisk, 15 minute mile pace. A 150-pound person can burn about 94 calories in just 20 minutes of raking.” * Raking also builds upper body strength. It is any easy activity for your kids to join in too. Engage their creativity to make it more than just a chore. Make a game out of it by challenging your kids to create the biggest leaf pile ever, or create a pumpkin shape out of the pile of leaves. Or if your kids are up for a different challenge, create a raking race by timing how fast they can rake the leaves into a big pile or individual piles. It will be a fun way to bond with your kids and get the heart rate going.
Once the raking is complete, you can keep the heart rate up (and the fun factor) by jumping in the leaves. This may seem counterproductive as you have worked hard to get all those leaves in neat piles but this will be a memory your kids won’t forget. Running to the pile and jumping will increase the workout from moderate to more intense. Plus the laughter that will ensure will create an added health benefit. According to Mayo Clinic, laughter has numerous health benefits including: “reducing stress, improving your immune system, relieving pain and increasing personal satisfaction.” **
After you have had a substantial amount of fun jumping in the leaves, you can move to the cool down portion of your exercise. Rake up the now-loose leaves in to the pile and put them into your yard waste bin. Repeat this exercise as often as necessary throughout October. Your kids will love it and you will too!
For more information on rakes and which is right for your “Move of the Month”, check out our review.