Cone drills, playground sweat sessions and hula hooping are flooding socials. No, this isn’t some sort of weird time warp. It’s reality – almost like 1998 P.E. and 2021 fitness had a baby. These nostalgic activities have muscled their way into our routines lately for good reason: they’re a bridge between lockdown and going full speed into a gym, says Leeja Carter, an Association for Applied Sport Psychology executive.
Plus, there’s comfort in doing activities we know. With #Throwback modalities, “There’s no learning curve,” says Carter. “Your brain and body remember the movement.” It’s safe to say that many of us craved stability as we were plunged into uncertainty in recent years. “Engaging in physical activities like hula hooping – things that let you move your body in different but fun ways – positively impacts mental health,” Carter says. It changes your mindset by tapping into the playful part of your brain and physically it boosts power, endurance and agility.
To amp up your coordination… Hula Hoop
Hula-hooping revs your heart rate and challenges your mind-body connection. Your brain has to sync with your core and hips and tell your muscles which direction to move in.
Try this
Set up a hula hoop on one side of a field or beach. Run to it, do 50 rotations of the hoop, then run back to the start. To test your abilities more, walk back the length of the course while hula hooping the whole way. If the hoop falls, do five burpees. Can’t remember the last time you picked up a hoop?
You’ll want to start with a weighted one, says Ryan Wilke, founder of Throwback Fitness, as heavier hoops are easier to use than lighter ones. If you’re looking for a challenge, move up to an unweighted hoop or try one that’s smaller in diameter.
For a whole body resistance workout…Hit the Playground
You can often find exercise equipment (think: dip and pull-up bars) at playgrounds or along walking paths. “Stopping by a park is an awesome way to add variation to your bodyweight exercise routine while getting some vitamin D,” says Wilke.
Try this
When you’re out for a walk or run, squeeze in a set of push-ups or pull ups – just hang from the bar if you can’t do one yet – or equipment-free moves, Wilke says (like walking lunges or squat jumps).
Pro tip
To make push-ups easier, put your hands on a park bench and keep your feet on the ground. Need more difficulty? Place your feet on the bench and hands on the ground. We see you, superwoman!
For a better workout overall…Plyometrics
Warming up with plyometric drills – like the pogo jumps and hurdle hops you did in P.E. – fires up the central nervous system, which sends messages from your brain to your muscles. Speeding this up helps you move faster and more efficiently.
Try this
Warm up for any routine with two sets of 10 hops on the balls of your feet (keeping a soft bend in your knees), five squat jumps, and five tuck jumps or high knees. To progress, add sets or mix in some bounding (jumping off one leg and landing on the other).
To boost cardio endurance… Skipping
Use a rope to add a metabolic burst between strength intervals, says personal trainer Ava Fagin. Your body works hard to go from an elevated heart rate right into strength work at
a lower rate, she says, using more energy and upping your burn.
Try this
Do 60 seconds of skipping instead of resting between rounds of strength training.
Pro tip Hop with ease. “Be light on your toes, and let the forearms relax while the wrists rotate,” Fagin says.
To Give Your Joints Some Love… Cone and Ladder Drills
Moving quickly in all directions helps build healthier tendons and joints, Fagin says, and trains your body to react quickly.
Try this
The T-test! Set up a base cone, then three cones 10 metres ahead of it, to make a T-shape, with the cones at the top of the T each five metres apart. Sprint from the base to the middle cone, laterally shuffle to
the one on the left, then to the far right, and back to centre, then backpedal to the base cone. That’s one rep. Do two sets of two reps in each direction with 30 seconds of rest between reps and two minutes of rest between sets.
To work on your agility… Shuttle Run
Shuttle runs are an indication of aerobic fitness, speed, and agility (the ability to change directions fast). Doing them regularly increases cardiovascular capacity – making your lungs more efficient at taking in oxygen and using it as fuel, and your heart more effective at pumping blood through your body – so you can push harder during other cardio activities.
Try this
Set up cones 20 metres apart. Time yourself as you sprint from one to the next as fast as you can, six times. Rest, then repeat for another round. Calculate your average for the two attempts.
