POWER PLAY The Super U Fitness Way: 10 Practical Tips and Simple Strategies for a Fun Family Workout that Gets Results 9781772774047, 1772774049

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POWER PLAY The Super U Fitness Way 10 Practical Tips and Simple Strategies for a fun family workout that gets results

Renita Lobo

POWER PLAY The Super U Fitness Way www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com Copyright © 2021 Renita Lobo ISBN: 978-1-77277-404-7 All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without permission of the publisher or author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission from the publisher or author. Limits of Liability and Disclaimer of Warranty The author and publisher shall not be liable for your misuse of the enclosed material. This book is strictly for informational and educational purposes only. Warning – Disclaimer The purpose of this book is to educate and entertain. The author and/or publisher do not guarantee that anyone following these techniques, suggestions, tips, ideas, or strategies will become successful. The author and/or publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to anyone with respect to any loss or damage caused, or alleged to be caused, directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book. Publisher 10-10-10 Publishing Markham, ON Canada Printed in Canada and the United States of America

FITNESS DISCLAIMER AND LIABILITY WAIVER By using the information shared in this book and accompanying websites, blog, e-mails, social media or any associated programs, services, or products, you implicitly signify yours and all participants agreement to all parts of the disclaimer and liability waiver below with reference to the author, the publisher and the associated business, super U fitness. General -The author and the business super U fitness will not be held responsible or liable in any way for the information that you understand, receive or request through this book, accompanying website, blog, e-mails, programs, services and/or products. In no event will they be liable to any party for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, equitable or consequential damages for any use of or reliance on this book, accompanying website or blog, e-mails, programs, and associated services, and/or products, including, without limitation, any of the participant’s personal injuries, accidents, lost profits, personal or business interruptions, misapplication of information or any other loss, malady, disease or difficulty, or otherwise, even if we are expressly advised of the possibility of such damages or difficulties. The author, the business super U fitness and the publisher make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and disclaim all warranties including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. Personal - Renita Lobo is not a doctor, medical health practitioner or mental health provider and is not holding herself out to be one in any capacity whatsoever. The information provided is based on in depth personal and professional experience. The information contained in this book and accompanying website, and other services and/or products is for general information and educational purposes only. It is just a guideline made available to you as a supplemental self-help tool. Although she is a fitness professional, Renita Lobo is not your personal trainer or personal fitness coach. Reading and using this book does not create a trainer-client relationship between you.

Medical – You, your family members and all other participants should consult a licensed physician or other health care professional before starting this or any other fitness program to determine if it’s right for your needs. This is particularly true if you (or your family) have a history of high blood pressure or heart disease or if you have experienced chest pain when exercising in the past month or when not engaged in physical activity, smoke, have high cholesterol, are overweight, have a bone, muscle or joint problem that could be made worse by a change in physical activity. Do not start this fitness program or any other if your physician or health care practitioner advises against it. If you experience faintness, dizziness, pain of any kind or shortness of breath at any time while exercising, you should stop immediately and get checked by your doctor or health care professional. You understand that when participating in any exercise or exercise program, there is the possibility of physical injury. If you engage in these exercises or exercise program, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in these activities, assume all risk of injury to yourself, your family members and all participants, and agree to release and discharge Renita Lobo and the business super U fitness from any and all claims or causes of action, known or unknown, arising out of your implementation of the exercise and programs mentioned in this book, accompanying website, and other services or products. Readers are expected to take full responsibility for their safety and that of all participants and know their limits. Do not take risks beyond your personal level of experience, aptitude, training, and comfort level. If you think you are having a medical or health emergency, call your health care professional right away. If you are in Canada or the United States, call 911 if you need to. Substitutability – Do not rely on this information as a substitute for or a replacement of professional personalised direct expert /fitness advice or licensed medical advice, diagnosis or treatments. The information here is meant to supplement, not replace proper fitness training. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you

should always consult with your physician before moving forward with the fitness program. Do not delay, disregard or avoid obtaining medical, health or fitness related advice from your health care professional because of something you may have read in this book or accompanying website and related products/services. Please review the information you want to use from this book and accompanying website carefully with your professional healthcare provider. Results – Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy in representing the exercises, programs and their potential for results. There is no guarantee that you and your family members will experience the same results and you accept the risk that the muscle building, cardio, stretching and general fitness results differ by individual and by family. Every person’s level of risk and success with each exercise differs. Each individual’s health, fitness, and nutrition success depends on his or her background, dedication, desire, appropriate exercise execution, and motivation. As with any healthrelated program or service, your results will vary, and will be based on many variables, including but not limited to, your individual capacity, life experience, unique health and genetic profile, starting point, expertise, and level of commitment. The information shared in this book represents what is possible and have been previously achieved with these programs, exercises, and/or products. They are not intended to represent or guarantee that anyone else will achieve the same or similar results. Changing information – Ongoing developments and discoveries in medical, fitness and nutrition research may impact the associated information and advice that appears in this book. No assurance can be given that the advice, information and guidelines contained in this book will always include the most recent findings or developments with respect to the particular material. All information provided in this book, accompanying website and related services and products is provided in good faith. There is no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability availability or completeness of any information on this site, accompanying website and/or related products or services.

Inadvertent errors - Although the author and publisher have tried everything to ensure that the information in this book was correct at press time, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, injury or disruption caused by typographical or other errors, inaccuracies and/or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. Links - Reference or links in this book, accompanying website, and associated programs, services or products to any other business or entity’s information, opinions, advice, programs, services, or products do not constitute our endorsement or recommendation. We are not responsible for the contents of any off-site fitness trends, fitness equipment, workout styles, web pages, companies, persons linked or referenced in this book, accompanying website, and associated programs, services or products. If this disclaimer scared you or dissuaded you from taking action then my information and services are not for you. However, if this disclaimer inspired you to step up, take action and make an honest effort at incorporating the fitness solutions I offer in your workout schedule; congratulations! I look forward to working with you and helping you become a Power Play Champion!

TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD – BY RAYMOND AARON ..................................................XI CHAPTER 1: HOW POWER PLAY CAN HELP YOU ................................1 WOW!!! THAT WAS A WIN!! IT’S TIME TO CELEBRATE!..........................3 WHY I CHOSE TO WRITE POWER PLAY FOR YOU ..................................5 WHAT THIS BOOK WILL DO FOR YOU ..................................................7 6 WAYS TO GET THE MOST OUT OF POWER PLAY ..................................9 WHAT MAKES THIS BOOK SPECIAL ....................................................12 CHAPTER 2: PREPARING TO PLAY WITH POWER ..............................17 EXERCISE – WHY DO YOU NEED TO WORK OUT? ..............................19 DIFFERENT KINDS OF EXERCISES ........................................................25 WARM-UP IDEAS ................................................................................27 INTRODUCING BASIC BODY WEIGHT STRENGTH EXERCISES TO YOUR FAMILY ..............................................................................................29 UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF AEROBIC AND CARDIO ACTIVITIES ..........................................................................................45 GETTING YOUR FAMILY TO STRETCH ..................................................48 ADDING BALANCE IN YOUR LIFE ........................................................51 CHAPTER 3: PLAYING WITH PYRAMIDS ..........................................55 WHAT PLAY MEANS TO ME ................................................................57 EXERCISE – PLAY PYRAMIDS ..............................................................58 GETTING TO MY SUPER PLAY PYRAMID ..............................................65 THE HEART OF THE MATTER ..............................................................70 CHAPTER 4: MY GAME PLAN ..........................................................71 EXERCISE – MY FAMILY’S PERSONALLY CUSTOMIZED PLAY BANK ......73 AND IT’S A GOAL! ..............................................................................77 EXERCISE – MY SUPER S.M.A.R.T. POWER PLAY GOAL PLANNER ....78 CHECK-UP TIME ................................................................................84 THE FUN REVOLUTION TRAINING METHOD ........................................85 YOU HAVE THE P.O.W.E.R...............................................................87 EXERCISE – MY SUPER FUN POWER PLAY PROGRAM TRACKER ..........93

CHAPTER 5: WORKING OUT TO THE SOUND OF LAUGHTER ............97 FUN WAYS TO HELP YOU PLAY ............................................................99 SOLAR SYSTEM ................................................................................100 ANIMAL PARADE ............................................................................100 BURPEE FREEZE ................................................................................101 MYSTERY EXERCISE ..........................................................................101 SUPER STATIONS ..............................................................................102 SPOT IT ............................................................................................102 MUSICAL YOGA................................................................................102 LET’S TAKE A HIKE, LITTLE TYKE ......................................................103 CHAPTER 6: 3…2…1…BLAST OFF! ..............................................105 YES, YOU ARE READY TO LAUNCH! ..................................................107 MY HEART IS PUMPING ....................................................................109 10 PRACTICAL TIPS FOR A SUPER POWER PLAY WORKOUT ................110 YOUR CHAPTER 1 ............................................................................114 GIVE ME A SUPER U HIGH FIVE!........................................................119 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................121 ABOUT RENITA LOBO ......................................................................141

I dedicate this book to my family: Deren, Dana, Derrick, and Myrtle. The fun we’ve had playing and getting strong together has been so stupendous, I just had to write about it. I dedicate this book to you and your family. Kudos to you for choosing to learn new ways to show your family that fitness can be fun! Slap your hand on the image of mine below and give me a “Super U high five!” You got this.

“Life doesn’t get better by chance. It gets better by change.” – Jim Rohn (American Entrepreneur) ix

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FOREWORD “You need to write a book,” I counselled Renita in one of our coaching sessions. Renita was hesitant at the time, even though she has so much to offer. Since I’m the author of multiple bestselling books, I offered to guide her through the bookwriting process, and she agreed to do it. She’s worked tirelessly to write this truly valuable resource you are holding in your hands. It is now with great pleasure that I am writing the foreword for Power Play, The Super U Fitness Way. From the very beginning, Renita has impressed me with her passion, dedication and deep motivation to help you, and share her knowledge with you. She has over two decades of coaching experience in the dance and fitness industry, and has worked with and helped thousands of students internationally and in every possible age group. Now Renita has chosen to help you in your fitness journey by writing this book. As a proud parent and involved father, I relate directly to the family aspect of fitness that Renita encourages in this book. The insights and action steps she shares are simple to follow and can dramatically change the way you view family fitness. It will inspire you to revolutionize the way you and your family experience fitness. “Drop and give me 20!” instructed my wife. I complied, doing my push-up quota for the day. I knew she was only following my request to her, to help me reach my monthly fitness goal. xi

Get vital bonuses at ... I’ve been a transformational leader for over 30 years, and I value fitness in my life. I vouch for and personally practice goal achievement on a monthly basis. I have witnessed miracles when goals are written, and a plan of action is made to achieve them. Simply put, I easily relate to and endorse what Renita talks about in this book. She gives you a step by step action plan to get your children moving, strong and agile at the same time as you strive towards your own goals. Power Play gives you invaluable tools, practical tips and simple strategies that you can use on an ongoing basis during your fitness journey. Read it, apply the information, and transform your life! Raymond Aaron New York Times Bestselling Author “Your life is a product that you can improve.” - Raymond Aaron (Co-author, Chicken Soup for the Parent’s Soul; successful contestant in The Polar Race, one of the world’s toughest races, a 350 mile foot race to the North Pole)

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CHAPTER 1 HOW POWER PLAY CAN HELP YOU

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My Notes for this Chapter

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1 WOW!!! THAT

WAS A WIN!! IT’S TIME TO CELEBRATE!

Me: “Enough, this has gone on for way too long. It’s time to stop... NOW! My kids in unison: “Noooooooo!! Mummy pleeeeease... Just 5 minutes more! ” I froze. Stunned. What had just happened? Now, I know you as a parent or guardian are thinking, “What’s the big deal? I have heard these words and been in this situation a million times myself.” Yes, I’m sure you know what it feels like when you say stop, and your kids plead for more. It happens all the time. However, this situation is different. It is special. Here, my children were asking to work out more!!! Yes, I mean an actual adapted workout. This request was not for watching TV or playing a video game. It was not for playing with toys, hanging out in the park with their friends, biking, or anything similar. My children were in fact pleading with me to do more burpees, and work out for 5 more minutes!

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Get vital bonuses at ... “Remember to celebrate milestones as you prepare for the road ahead.” – Nelson Mandela (former president of South Africa)

Yes! This was a win! I turned on my music and did my “happy dance,” to the amusement of my kids. They watched, giggling and elbowing each other, loving the show, but not really knowing why I was doing it... and guess what; they ended up joining me in my celebration!! After that, of course, I “gave in” to their pleas and “allowed” them to do another whole set of 10 burpees, 10 seconds superman, 30 seconds jump/twist/dance, and 10 planks. Then we laughed some more, stretched, and ended in a playful heap on the floor. This memory of my win marked the start of a whole new life for me and my children. I am at a point I only dreamed about some years back. We are now dedicated to supporting each other and are focused on getting strong as a family while simultaneously making lasting memories. It was not always this good. Believe me, I know your struggle. I feel your pain. I have been there. I’ve been at a loss for what to do—knowing what was right but feeling powerless to make it happen. I have made tremendous progress since. I want to share with you my stumbling blocks and my successes. I am going to warn you in advance of the pitfalls I faced, and how I overcame them, so you don’t make the same mistakes. In this book, you will find helpful tips, watch points, and simple strategies that I used to make this dream come true. I want to help you any way I can, and help you succeed, just like I did.

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com Read on to discover how my professional experience, combined with my parental experience, gave me the motivation to create the magic of Power Play.

WHY I CHOSE TO WRITE POWER PLAY FOR YOU I have been in the professional dance and fitness industry my whole adult life. I taught my first dance/fitness class to a children’s class at the age of 17, and from then on, I was hooked on training and coaching as a career choice. My passion has always been to share my knowledge and my experiences so that you can benefit from my insights. From all kinds of dance forms and basic exercise instruction, I expanded my repertoire to personal training and yoga instruction. I lived my passion. I loved my life. Being healthy and fit meant everything to me. I appreciated it more because I knew what pain and injury really felt like. I successfully made it my mission to help, encourage, and train as many as I could to achieve fitness goals and a more enjoyable quality of life. I thought I knew everything about motivation and how to get my clients excited about working out, celebrating their dedication and their wins. Yes, my friend, I was confident I had seen it all... .... and then, I was blessed with 2 children, and life as I knew it changed.... You know how helpless you feel when your children refuse to exercise? I do! They would much rather sit in front of the television or play video games instead of sweating it out with you. Strange, huh? It was a struggle to get my children up and going, even though I’ve been a fitness enthusiast my whole life.

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Get vital bonuses at ... I haven’t always been fit. I’ve had my ups and downs. I had a near-fatal, life-altering accident as a child, which left me bedridden with no expectation of complete recovery. I’ve been very sick, in hospital many times, injured, had crippling chronic back pain for years, was on bed rest for one pregnancy, and the lows go on. The one constant in my life is that I always got back up no matter what, and I hit the ground running. Here, for the first time, I was almost ready to admit defeat. I couldn’t motivate my kids to get active to the level I knew was good for them. Training them myself in any way seemed impossible. These adorable little wonders who, with puppy dog eyes and charming ways, often got the better of me. With despair, I saw my gym and super-fit days disappear into thin air. I loved my kids, but parenthood, for me, was a roadblock when it came to fitness—not because of anything they did, but because of my emotional involvement. I just couldn’t leave my kids. I no longer wanted to do anything without them; but with them, working out was madness... I couldn’t do 10 reps right; and forget about sets. It doesn’t matter what age your kids are. It takes grit and determination to get and stay fit as a parent in today’s world. It is even more difficult and overwhelming if you don’t like working out, or because you know you should but just don’t know where to start. After a tiring work/parenting day, it’s so tempting to plop on the couch. It is so easy to give up and forget your old “fit” life as you get swamped by things like nappies, crying babies, play dates, and homework. The concept of a family fitness workout seems impossible. However, I had a dream and just kept working at it.

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com “It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” – Babe Ruth (former American professional baseball player)

Guess what? I did it! Through constant trial and error, but never giving up, I created magic. This is an action plan with strategies and ideas to get fit as a family, adapting to ages, preferences, and fitness levels. I call it “Power Play!” Keep reading to discover how it can help you.

WHAT THIS BOOK WILL DO FOR YOU 1. Get you unstuck and motivate you to rethink family fitness and give it another chance. 2. Help you get a basic understanding of some exercises I think are essential, what general muscle groups they work, and how I think you can get them to strengthen you. This can help anyone who wants to learn some essential movement principles, get started on fitness, or support other family members, children, partners, or seniors. 3. Give you tips on how to explain these exercises to your kids, and examples of fun games you could incorporate to help them understand these concepts better. 4. Enable you to create your personal family fun fitness program with the help of my unique program building

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Get vital bonuses at ... chart. Your family could include toddlers, kids, teens, adults, or seniors. The “Power Play” way is all inclusive. 5. Share with you practical tips of what to do and watch out for to reduce the risk of injury. 6. Give you strategies on how to unlock your creativity and invent fitness games. 7. Show you ways of combining fitness, yoga, and dance so that your family has fun. 8. Empower you with proven strategies to effectively handle setbacks. 9. Learn how to get a powerful workout for yourself, even with your children around. 10. Make memories with your family while getting stronger together. 11. Get your kids in the habit of fitness, and help them make it a way of life. 12. Help you look like a superhero in the eyes of your kids. “If you want something you’ve never had, you have to do something you’ve never done.” – Thomas Jefferson (third United States president) Keep reading to discover the secret to how you can master the strategies I share in Power Play.

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6 WAYS TO GET THE MOST OUT OF POWER PLAY This book is not meant for a one-time read. It is a keeper. I have written it to inspire you with ideas on how to get the most from your family workout on an ongoing basis. There is no other family in the world exactly like yours. The workout you create for it needs to be as unique as your family. This is why Power Play is not a “do it like this” book. You will need to constantly adjust your workout and personalize it to your family member’s individual and changing likes/dislikes, attention span, and fitness levels. In addition, your fitness goals will keep evolving as your family grows in number, age, and/or fitness level. I thought about you and the above point, and so have come up with 6 ways for you to really master what this book has to offer. 1. Take breaks – I know you are excited about powering through this book. However, to get the most benefit from it, you need to pause reading often. Allow what I have said to sink in. Reflect about how you can take my insight that has originated from my experience, and change it around so it can apply to your unique family scenario. 2. Jot it down – Don’t rely on your memory, as you will get many different ideas as you read the book. Keep a paper and pen handy, and once you have figured out how you can adapt my ways to create a powerful workout for your family, write down your thoughts and inspirations before you forget them. Please remember that there is no magic potion here. Everything you think of or try may not work. Success comes from trial and error. Failure here just gives

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Get vital bonuses at ... you a deeper understanding of your family. Take it into consideration; come back to the planning stage. Reset, rethink, and come up with another idea. If one way doesn’t work, another one will. Keep going. It’s easier if your ideas are already written. 3. Highlight your main points – Not all my suggestions will feel relevant to you at the same time. Some will resonate way more at one time in your life, while others will give you your “Aha” moment at another. The best way to easily find your personal important tip is to put a mark next to it for easy future referral. 4. Don’t stop at one read – Keep coming back to refer to this book after you have read it once. You will get new insights every time you read it. So open it after you celebrate a win and want to move to another level. Open it again to get new inspiration to try a different approach when the workout didn’t go as expected. Open it if you just want to clarify or fine tune an exercise or game suggestion. Anytime you open this book, I am sure Power Play will have something to help and inspire you. 5. My super-secret weapon to help you win – The way to unlock the full power of this book is to access its website! It is listed at the top of page 11. Once there, you will open a treasure trove of priceless information that will help you truly experience the “Wow!” factors I have planned for you in this book reading experience. I have designed the book website to powerfully supplement what I am sharing with you here. It will give you the unique ability to:

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See important pictures in full color. (Please note, the pictures on the website will not have the detailed accompanying explanations found in the book. You need both this book and the website to get the “VIP” experience I have planned for you.) View, download, and print specially designed forms and charts that really helped me create the magic of Power Play. And yes, there is more! There are more fun activities, motivational quotes, and other supports to help you on this journey.

6. Table top position – The best way to feel the power of Power Play is to keep it on your desk for easy referral. This book is powerless to help you when forgotten and collecting dust on a bookshelf. Please refer to it often and, with its help, you will be amazed at what you can do! “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill (former prime minister of the United Kingdom) Now, continue on to discover what makes Power Play so unique and useful for you.

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WHAT MAKES THIS BOOK SPECIAL The challenge – While personal training, I discovered that while my client’s individual goals were unique, there seemed to be a similarity in accompanying challenges. Chronic back pain (especially the lower back), knee pain, shoulder pain, tight shoulders, and weak core muscles were common complaints. My friend, if you are experiencing even one of the above, you are part of the reason and inspiration for my book! I was worried as the kind of pain mentioned above ends up being very restrictive and affects the general quality of life. If you have ever stopped yourself from doing something you really wanted, just because you were scared of the possibility of resulting pain, you know what I mean. I couldn’t figure it out. I dug deeper, looking for answers to the source of this challenge. My discovery – These challenges were mostly rooted in incorrect movement patterns and faulty posture that started during childhood. Absence of timely correction, coupled with a lack of knowledge, awareness, and understanding of how your body should move, led to muscle imbalances and chronic pain as adults. Corrective exercise can definitely be incorporated into your workout program. The challenge is often that the problem isn’t identified before you feel pain. At this point, it is hard to reprogram your muscle movement to prevent further injury. I was concerned. Damage has been done to your body, which could possibly very easily have been prevented if spotted and addressed earlier.

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com How do you feel knowing this? I’m sure you would do anything to prevent your child from feeling this kind of pain as an adult. As a parent, I care deeply for the future of my children and their friends. “Be the change you want to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi (Indian inspirational leader) I chose to take action. I started a new phase in my life. Now I also teach physical literacy to children. What exactly is physical literacy?

“Physical literacy is the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge, and understanding to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life.” – The International Physical Literacy Association, May 2014.

In other words, when you are physically literate, you have the ability to understand and use different forms of movement patterns safely, competently, and with confidence. This concept goes much deeper than just losing weight, building muscle, or getting fit. It focuses on how you do so. It aims at creating a knowledge bank of good posture and physical movements that can lead to a better quality of life. My solution – I have made it my mission to spread the concept of and teach physical literacy to as many children and adults as

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Get vital bonuses at ... possible. I started my own company, super U fitness, and made it my mission to help children get a better understanding of basic movement patterns in a unique, super-fun, and memorable way. Now, in addition to the usual adult personal training and group fitness classes, I also go around teaching dance, yoga, and fitness to daycares and schools. I also coach all family members in their homes in the form of small group training. I have included some of my most important pointers in my “Power Play” strategies so that you can help your kids. Unstructured play for children is highly recommended. I have just one concern with it... if done wrong, your child can get hurt. It may not be now, as children have resilience and bounce back no matter what, but constantly repeated bad movement patterns crop up in adulthood as chronic challenges. With my knowledge, I can’t help cringing when I see kids buckling their knees or totally crumbling in a heap as they jump off a climbing frame. They wouldn’t if they knew how to jump squat right. You know how it breaks your heart to see your child trip and fall face first on the floor? If they did correct planks and push ups separately, they would get the strength to break their fall with their hands, and save their face. While we can’t prevent these things, and it is all part of the learning curve, I can’t help thinking how amazing it would be if we could help prepare our children just a little bit for this. If you follow this book, you will help your kids be aware of certain movement patterns and good posture. I encourage basic body weight exercises, which will help them get stronger. I am going to give you guidelines so you can educate your children as they work out. They will have fun while getting strong and

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com agile at the same time. They will be empowered with physical literacy. Then, when they are running around carefree in an unstructured way in the playground, on the field, or even on ice, you will see the confidence in them as they jump with ease, run faster, and even fall safer, because you taught them how. When they realize what they have accomplished, they will turn to you with glowing faces. You showed them the way. You helped them discover their inner strength, and for that, you are now their superhero. This is the essence behind the “power” of “Power Play.” “Knowing is not enough. We must apply. Willing is not enough. We must do.” – Bruce Lee (actor, philosopher, martial arts expert) Point to ponder – What about you? Do you think fitness is important? Were you active as a child? Did you prefer to stay in and chill at home? How did this make a difference in your life as an adult? Could you do more to help your kids make fitness a way of life? At what stage of interest or level of fitness are you and your family? This is a call-to-action book. You need to know your starting point before moving forward. Then gather your troops. Ready...Set... GO!

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CHAPTER 2 PREPARING TO PLAY WITH POWER

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My Notes for this Chapter

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2 EXERCISE – WHY DO YOU NEED TO WORK OUT? Over the years, I’ve had constant requests for workout tips or plans. I have been asked for my guided exercises and workout DVDs. You feel that you could do it with just a little help from me. Well, buddy, you are in luck! With the help of this book and accompanying website, I’m going to help you build an adapted workout customized just for your family! Overwhelmed? Please don’t be. I am going to take you step by step through the whole process. Just don’t jump chapters or steps before you finish the one you are on, as that is a sure way to get confused about what to do next. “Nothing is hard if you break it down into small jobs.” – Henry Ford (American business magnate) You get that fitness is important. It’s publicized everywhere. You want to get your kids active. But do you really, deep down, have a powerful “Big Why?” What is your deep, personal, motivating reason? This is your anchor point—the reason that will motivate you to get off the couch and back on track with your workout, if your fitness buddy reminds you.

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Get vital bonuses at ... Super U tip – If you don’t have this deep motivation, it will be very difficult to influence your children and get them motivated if they are not. How can being fitter help you? What could it mean for your family? Health is wealth. You invest hours in reading books, attending workshops, and working toward increasing wealth. You need to give your health the same importance. Figure out your powerful “Big Why.” “For me, exercise is therapeutic.” – Michelle Obama (former first lady of the United States) This is officially your first action step. To help you and your family, I have made 2 special lists of the most common reasons why being active and exercising is important. I have left a couple of extra bullets for you to add your personal goals if my suggestions don’t cover your reasons. You need to have copies of these lists in front of you and your family members to fill out. You can get copies in 2 ways: 1. Photocopy the forms on pages 22 and 23 titled “My Big Why – How Exercise Can Help Me” (for you and other adults in your family), and “My Little Big Why” (for the young minds in your family). Unfortunately, the size of the book makes writing on the forms small and inconvenient for some. To help you, I have another option. 2. Go to the website I have specially created for readers of this book. It is listed at the top of page 21. Here, you will find full-size, full-color, downloadable and printable versions of the forms!

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com Once you have the copies, call in the gang, pick up your pens/pencils, and the first thing you do is proudly write your name and date under the title. Fill the rest out together to discover each other’s “Big Why.” You may have more than one. If it’s important to you, tick it. Then see if you can get your top 3 “whys.” This simple step is the most important. Remembering your “Big Why” is going to be your biggest anchor and motivator on your fitness journey. It will be the deciding factor on whether you keep going or give up; so dig deep, and do this exercise with sincerity and from your heart.

“There is a powerful driving force inside every human being that once unleashed can make any vision, dream or desire a reality.” – Tony Robbins (American author, motivational speaker, philanthropist)

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Get vital bonuses at ... Super U strategy – What worked for me was collaboration. I went to their level and asked them to help me get fit again. I explained the reasons why I felt it was important for all of us to exercise. We all did our “Big why” together and then made a pact to be each other’s workout playmates. Rather than dictating terms to them, I enlisted their support in helping me, and it worked for me. This was one of my first tiny wins. You could try this, or do it your way; the important thing is to do it. It will prove to be your anchor point when they or you get derailed for any reason. You can be each other’s support system. You help them stay on track and they you. Super U tip – There will be times when you feel like giving up or stopping. When this happens, think of why you started and what fitness really means to you. Keep remembering your “Big why.” It will keep you going. Once you are done, take the time to celebrate this win with your family! Congratulations! You have taken the first step on your way to master “Power Play!” (No big cheat moments please! Your choice of celebratory activity should help you stay on the right side of fitness! Something like a family dance night, fun hike, or bike ride!) “First, think. Second, dream. Third, believe. And finally, dare.” – Walt Disney (American entrepreneur) In the very next part of my book, you will get to differentiate between different kinds of exercises. This is so exciting! Let’s keep going!

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DIFFERENT KINDS OF EXERCISES The science of exercise is a fascinating one that is extensive, complicated, and constantly evolving. The reality is that it knows no end. There are countless training philosophies, concepts, and revolutionary strategies. You will find numerous different ways of dividing, subdividing, and categorizing exercises. It can be very overwhelming to decide on what is right for you. Just keep it as simple as possible to start with. Remember to check with a doctor before you start any new kind of exercise routine. You and your family are unique and special. What works for others may not work for you and that is okay. It can be frustrating. There is no right answer. Trial and error is the best way to figure it out. Just keep trying; you will find your special magic formula that works for you. “If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl; but by all means, keep moving.” – Martin Luther King Jr. (American minister) For the sake of simplicity and to help you make your first family fitness plan, I have divided exercises into 4 broad categories. This worked best for me and helped me to introduce basic workout concepts to my kids.

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STRENGTH /RESISTANCE

CARDIO/AEROBIC

STRETCHING

BALANCE

MEANING

An exercise that builds muscle and makes you stronger. This could refer to body weight exercises, lifting weights, resistance bands, etc.

An activity that makes your heart and breathing go faster.

A pose or movement that helps you maintain or increase your range of motion (how far your body allows you to move comfortably).

Exercises that focus on your ability to stay steady in a wobbly/unstable situation.

BENEFITS

Prevents loss of muscle as you age. Helps you carry groceries. Helps you work in the garden without knee and back pain. Helps you sit on a chair and stand up with ease. Stimulates bone growth.

Helps you walk up stairs. Gets you through the day without getting tired. Running for a bus or after kids is no longer so exhausting.

Prevents muscles from shortening (age related). Reduces risk of muscle cramps and pulls. Helps you put on and tie your shoes with ease. Helps you get things on high shelves or from under the bed comfortably.

Prevents injuries resulting from falls. Helps you to change direction and avoid obstacles.

EXAMPLES

Push ups Squats Good mornings

Running Skipping Jumping

Cobra Hamstring stretch Butterfly

Tree pose (1-leg stand) Balance board Heel-toe walking

2–3 times

3–5 times

3–5 times

2–3times

SUGGESTED TIMES A WEEK

I have noticed that when I don’t make an actual plan, I tend to stick to activities that I like. This ends up excluding one or two of the categories listed above, resulting in an unbalanced workout. One part of my body gets stronger and stronger, while another doesn’t. This is the reason I like to plan and put it down on paper. I have succeeded way more with a plan than without one. In the next few pages, I’m going to show you how to make a balanced plan for your family. When you plan your workout, it gives you the opportunity to look over the exercises you are doing, so that you know the right form and watch points to keep yourself and your family safe. Understanding and internalizing good form while exercising, leads to a habit of good movement and an awareness that enhances physical literacy. 26

www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com “Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.” – Abraham Lincoln (16th United States president)

Now that you have a general idea about different kinds of exercises, move on to the next step. I am going to talk in detail and give you examples of exercises and how to do them. You’ll find tips on how to put the power in basic exercises by just doing it right.

WARM-UP IDEAS Get into the habit of doing a warm-up before every single workout. It is a must-do no matter what the time. It’s the way you “warm” and wake up your body for what is to come. It increases blood flow and so helps your muscles and heart get ready for exercise. This in turn reduces the chance of injury and helps you to move better. I learnt this lesson the hard way. I was under pressure while doing a dance performance in New York (NY, USA), and didn’t warm up as I should have. During the performance, I pulled my shoulder and back muscles very badly. This injury refused to heal. I ended up having chronic back pain for years after, to the point where I used to faint with its intensity. (Later, the practice of yoga, which emphasizes listening to my body, helped me work through my injuries and heal completely.) The rubber band analogy works great when trying to explain this to children. Muscles are like rubber bands. A muscle before

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Get vital bonuses at ... activity is like a cold rubber band. It will fray, get strained, or snap if you try to pull it and use it before it is warmed up properly. In fact, the more you play with a rubber band, the further it can stretch! This is the same with muscles. Warm-up movements should start light and slowly increase in intensity. Below, I have given ideas of simple warm-ups and divided them according to difficulty. The average warm-up time should be around 10 minutes. The best kind of warm-up is one with dynamic movements. It’s a quick way to get your body ready to move. You should try using all the muscles and joints in your body that you will be using in the workout you are going to do. I do not recommend using static stretches in a warm-up. However, dynamic stretches, which use a move and a stretch, really help your range of motion with the exercise. Below is a list of possible warm up options you could choose from. If you don’t understand one, skip it and try another that you do! These are just examples of what you could do.

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INTRODUCING BASIC BODY WEIGHT STRENGTH EXERCISES TO YOUR FAMILY My work with children in daycares, schools, and group classes has shown me that introducing children early to the concept of strength training gives them a tremendous boost in their physical development. Your children will love discovering that they have the power to activate their muscles and control them to move how they want. I have personally witnessed how physical literacy can help children walk, jump, and run earlier than their friends of the same age. How you exercise, and how often, is a lot about your own personal relationship with your body. Do you trust your body to do certain things? Or is your own mind acting as your barrier to move forward? When your children learn how to do the basics, and realize they can do it well, they won’t grow up with these mental barriers to exercise and movement. They will have no fear factor when it comes to an active lifestyle, and they grow up to become adults who are achievers and who have willingly made fitness a way of life. “If you raise your children to feel that they can accomplish any goal or task they decide upon, you will have succeeded as a parent, and you will have given your children the greatest of all blessings.” – Brian Tracy (American-Canadian motivational speaker)

When you understand which big muscle is the powerhouse for which movement pattern, you are able to do the exercise so

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Get vital bonuses at ... much more efficiently, and you start having fun with the movement rather than stressing about pain. You will feel that when done right, no exercise is too challenging. In this book, I’m keeping it as simple as I can when it comes to explanations and muscle names, to give you an example of how I teach younger children so that you can do it too. If you know your muscle names, and feel your kids are old enough and interested enough to want to know more details, feel free to replace “chest muscle” with “pecs” or “pectoralis,” or “back muscle” with “lats” or “latissimus dorsi.” The name doesn’t matter as long as you use the right muscle for the exercise. The explanations are for all age groups children, adults and seniors. There are certain terms you should be familiar with before you read on, as I will keep referring to them when talking about exercises and your workout.

REPS

AND

SETS; WORK TIME AND REST TIME

It is important to know what a rep and a set is when you work out. Counting them is the basic form of tracking any kind of exercise program. It helps you see if you are improving, and the numbers change depending on what type of workout you are doing. A rep is the commonly used short form for repetition. A rep refers to one full motion of an exercise. The number of reps is the number of times you perform a specific exercise. So if you have done 10 push ups, it means you have done 10 reps.

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com A set is a group of consecutive repetitions. Many sets are the number of cycles of reps that you complete. So if you have done 10 push ups, rested, and done another 10 reps, it means you have done 2 sets of push ups. If you don’t want to count your reps, you can divide your exercises into work time and rest time. So you could have 40 seconds of push ups (work time) and 15 seconds of break (rest time) before you go again or move on.

THE 3B’S OF ANY EXERCISE I know how it gets overwhelming to ensure that I am doing an exercise right and safe enough to avoid injury. (It’s the main reason why I am successful at my job!) I have simplified it so that you can explain it easily to your children. Just think of the 3 B’s, which cover the big checkpoints of most exercises. 1. BODY ALIGNMENT –

REQUIREMENTS CHANGE WITH EACH

EXERCISE

It is important to think about your body alignment or placement before you do any exercise. Pay attention to the details I mention, like whether hands need to be under the shoulders or knees in line with toes or hips. 2. BORN TO BE SUPER – EXERCISE CHECKPOINT ACRONYM This acronym will help your children remember correct posture, and you can do it too!

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Get vital bonuses at ... “Just think, ‘I’m Born To Be Super!’ It will help you cover your core postural checkpoints for most of the basic exercises!” – Renita Lobo (award-winning author, influencer, fitness coach)

Born – Check Butt and hip positioning. To – Check if your Tummy is activated and you are breathing right. (How you breathe helps when working out.) Be – Check Back posture as per the requirement of your exercise, and don’t forget your chest. Super – Check to see if your Shoulders are down or activating when they shouldn’t be. After this, you slowly move outwards from your core, checking the head, knees, elbows, wrists, and ankle positions. 3. BREATHING PATTERN – EXHALE ON EFFORT This is a big watch point. How you breathe as you exercise is very important and actually contributes to the power you are able to bring to each exercise. You or your children may tend to forget to breathe as you are so involved with the movement. If you see red faces, you need to shout, “Breathe!” or “Count loudly!” Super U tip – Count your reps – I have found that counting your reps out loud forces you to breathe without you actually having to focus on it! So if it gets complicated for you, just remember to count.

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com So, Step 1 is to just remember to breathe! Step 2 is how to breathe correctly as you exercise. You need to use the power of your breath to help you do your exercise. For simplicity, most basic exercises can be divided into 2 moves that work together with your breathing to help you get the most out of your exercise. One move is your effort move. This is the move that you are doing to work a specific muscle or muscle group. You exhale during your effort move. The other move, I call your prep move. It is where you are resetting your body to redo a specific move. You inhale during your prep move. Hence, the phrase “Exhale on Effort.” The double E makes it easy to remember when you get confused. If you are counting your reps, you say the number of your rep out loud on your effort move.

Now, there are different breathing pattern timings that can be used. However, in this book, I recommend the exhalation lasts as long as the effort move, and the inhalation lasts as long as the prep move. If you are doing holds like a plank, remember to breathe through the hold. Breathing correctly allows oxygen to reach your working muscles, and so helps them do the exercise better. It is better to keep your workout on an easy to medium difficulty level till you master your breathing technique. It is not easy to do in the beginning.

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PROPER FORM This refers to technique and how you actually do the exercise. The first thing you need to know before you do any exercise is which muscle you use for which exercise. You need to ask yourself if you are using the right target muscle, or if your limbs are in the right position for the movement. Correct activation and use of your muscles will give you the best results. It is important that you do every single rep correctly. If you are getting tired, feel as if the wrong muscle is being used, or your form is not as it should be, it is better to stop rather than push through. Bad form could result in an injury in the short or long run. It is better to do 2 sets of 5 correct reps rather than 1 set of 10 reps in which you “cheated” and did the last 4 badly. You can push yourself as much as you want, as long as your form is not compromised. When I program a workout, I put a lot of time and effort into its creation. This is a detailed science, which takes many factors into consideration, like the results of a complete fitness assessment, your current fitness level, your short-term and long-term goals, the most effective kind of workout, how to make it fun, muscle imbalances and previous injuries that need attention, etc.—the list is never ending. I’m sticking to the absolute basics here, as my aim is more to educate your children with reference to movement patterns and physical literacy. Keeping this in mind, I will be covering fundamental exercises for the main body parts, sometimes using compound exercises that use many muscle groups at the same time. This helps you maximize your time and effort.

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com I have tried to give 3 difficulty levels for all exercises. Please take a realistic approach and do the level you are at. If you do not know what level you are, it is safest to start easy, and slowly work your way up. At no point should you compromise your form and performance of an exercise just because you want to move up a level or do extra repetitions (reps). This could result in injury. “Quality is much better than quantity. One home run is better than 2 doubles.” – Steve Jobs (American business magnate)

Super U tip – Music is a big motivator. A good song selection can wildly increase your family’s enjoyment of the workout. Your song selection should include the likes of the whole family.

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SQUAT TARGET MUSCLES

SOME DAILY ACTIVITIES IT COULD HELP YOU DO BETTER

    

     

Front of your thighs (quads/quadriceps) Back of your thighs (hamstrings) Butt (glutes/bum) Tummy (abs/abdominals) Calves

Sitting on a chair or getting up from it Getting out of bed Getting in and out of your car Playground fun Gardening Putting on your shoes and tying your laces

BORN TO BE SUPER

BREATHING PATTERN

B – Butt and hips start and finish the sitting

Inhale as you sit (prep step). Exhale as you stand (effort step).

movement (not the knees).

T – Tighten your core to stabilize yourself during the move.

B – The back will lean forward a bit but should not collapse as you sit and stand. Keep the chest open.

S – Shoulders are relaxed and away from the ears. BODY ALIGNMENT: STARTING POSITION

PROPER FORM: HOW YOU DO THE EXERCISE

 Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart,  Start to shift your weight back onto your heels while with toes slightly turned outward. pushing your hips behind you as you squat down (like sitting on a deep couch).  Chest is thrust upward slightly.  Continue to lower yourself as much as you can.  Your feet should remain flat on the ground at all Easy –Till step 2 in the diagram (thighs bent a little), times but weight should be more on your heels. then stand up. Your steps are 1, 2, and 7.  Your knees should remain over your second toe. Medium – Till step 3 (thighs almost parallel to floor), Sideways or lateral movement isn’t good. then stand up. Your steps are 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7.  Look straight in front of you for the whole move to Difficult – Till step 4 (thighs lower than knee level). help with posture control.  Your arms can swing in front of you as you squat, and  Keep your chest lifted and your feet on the floor, and exhale as you push yourself back up to standing. relax again by your sides as you stand. This helps with The standing move should mirror the sitting one. balance, or you could hold your hands at your chest level.

WATCH POINTS

STEPS TO FOLLOW AS YOU DO THE SQUAT

 If your knees start hurting, check your form. Your knees may be sliding forward too much in front of your toes, or may be shifting sideways (avoid wobbly knees) as you move. You may need to drive your hips back more when you sit.  If your back hurts, it means you are using it more than your legs. Check your form.  Your stand up from the squat should be the same movement as you sit down. If your knees slide forward and your back collapses as you stand, it means you have gone too low for your own strength level.

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1

2 Easy

3 Medium

4 Difficult

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LUNGE TARGET MUSCLES

SOME DAILY ACTIVITIES IT COULD HELP YOU DO BETTER

 Front of your thighs (quads/quadriceps)  Back of your thighs (hamstrings)  Butt (glutes/bum)

   

BORN TO BE SUPER

BREATHING PATTERN

B – Butt is engaged and not sticking out.

Inhale as you step forward to lunge (prep step). Exhale as you stand up and move back (effort step).

T – Tighten your core to stabilize during the move.

Running for a bus, playing tag Tying shoe laces Climbing stairs Turning and balance

B – Back is straight, not arched or collapsed forward. S – Shoulders are relaxed and away from the ears. BODY ALIGNMENT: STARTING POSITION

PROPER FORM: HOW YOU DO THE EXERCISE

 Start by standing up tall, feet hip-width apart.  Engage your core.  Shoulders are relaxed.

 Start to take a big step forward with your right leg, and as you do,  Shift your weight forward so you place your heel down first.  Lower your body straight down till your right thigh is parallel to the floor, and your right shin is straight up.  Press your right heel into the floor and push your body up and back to starting position.  Repeat on the other side.  (If you find the forward lunge too challenging, you could do the reverse or step back lunge. 5 ,4, 3, 2, 1)

Super U tip – Do a test move when you start, to see how low you can go, keeping good form. The moment you feel that your form is not as it should be, stop. Adjust it and then keep going. If you can’t move forward without compromising your form, you have reached your level of strength for this exercise. Your reps should go to this level and not more till you get stronger.

WATCH POINTS

STEPS TO FOLLOW AS YOU DO THE LUNGE

 If your knees start hurting, check your form. Your knees may be sliding forward too much in front of your toes, or may be shifting sideways (avoid wobbly knees) as you move.  It’s OK if your knee shifts forward a little, as long as it doesn’t go past your toes. It also means that you need to take a bigger step in your lunge.  The heel of your front leg should always be on the floor. If it comes up, it means you need to take a bigger step in the lunge.  Don’t let your back collapse as you lunge/step forward.  Avoid arching your back as you go from your lunge back to your starting position.

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5

2

4

3

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DONKEY KICKS TARGET MUSCLES

SOME DAILY ACTIVITIES IT COULD HELP YOU DO BETTER

    

    

Butt (glutes/bum) Hip and hip flexors Achilles tendon Arms Core

Walking, running Jumping, twisting Speed and agility in any sport Relieves the stress of a desk job Prevents hip and spine injuries

BORN TO BE SUPER

BREATHING PATTERN

B – Butt is engaged.

Inhale as you tuck your knee in (prep step). Exhale as you kick back and out (effort step).

T – Tighten your core to stabilize during the move. B – Back needs to be flat. (Balance a small book on your back and don’t let it slide off as you move!)

S – Shoulders should not get activated or shrug. BODY ALIGNMENT: STARTING POSITION

PROPER FORM: HOW YOU DO THE EXERCISE

 Get on all fours on a mat.  Keep your right knee bent at 90 degrees and flex the foot as you lift the right knee backwards till it’s in line  Place your hands directly underneath your shoulders with your hip. and your knees under your hips.  Look straight down at the floor to help get your spine  Lower the knee without touching the floor, and repeat the lift. completely in line.  Once you’ve completed the reps on the right leg, Super U tip – Have some fun and let the kids imitate a switch legs. donkey’s bray as they kick! If you can’t get down on your knees, put your hands on a wall (easy) or bench (medium); bend one leg to 90 degrees and do the same move.

WATCH POINTS

STEPS TO FOLLOW AS YOU DO THE DONKEY KICK

 Look at the floor all the time to help your back align.  Don't let your lower back arch as your leg lifts up. If you do this, your back will work instead of your butt (glutes).  See that hips stay level. Both hip bones should point at the floor at all times. When your IT band or hip flexors are too tight, your body will try to do the move by rotating your hips as you lift. If you notice this, only lift as high as your hips can stay level. Height doesn’t matter. Good form does.  Be very aware of your shoulders. They may start shrugging and allowing your back to sink.

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GOOD MORNINGS TARGET MUSCLES

SOME DAILY ACTIVITIES IT COULD HELP YOU DO BETTER

 Back muscles that help you stand straight (erector spinae)  Butt (glutes/bum)  Back of your thighs (hamstrings)  Core

   

BORN TO BE SUPER

BREATHING PATTERN

B – Butt is engaged.

Inhale as you lean forward (prep step). Exhale as you stand up (effort step).

T – Tighten your tummy and core to stabilize yourself

Stand straight without a hunch Better posture in general Helps prevents back pain after standing for a while Turning and balance

during the move.

B – Back is straight, not arched or collapsed forward. S – Shoulders are relaxed and away from the ears. BODY ALIGNMENT: STARTING POSITION

PROPER FORM: HOW YOU DO THE EXERCISE

 Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent.  Put your hands gently behind your ears, elbows pushing back slightly.  Back straight, not hunched, or arched.  Shoulders relaxed.  Engage your core for the whole move.

 Keep your back flat and core braced; push your hips backwards.  At the same time, keeping your back straight, lower your upper body (lean forward) as much as you can.  (Do a trial move first and stop the movement when you feel your back starting to hunch or curve. Go back up a bit till your back is straight again. Remember this angle. This is your maximum strength Super U tip – Kids love bowing to each other and saying level for the good morning.) “Good morning!” Just see that they are not too close to  Pause and then return to the starting position, bang heads. keeping your core engaged.  The next time, go directly to your strength level and go back up.

WATCH POINTS

STEPS TO FOLLOW AS YOU DO THE GOOD MORNING

 Be very aware of your strength level. If you go lower, you could hurt yourself. Even though, ideally, you should go until it is nearly parallel to the floor, don’t push it till you develop the strength to do it with proper form.  Do not arch your back as you go from your forward bend back to your starting position.  So, focus on not hunching on the way down, and not arching on the way up.  Keep your core engaged always.

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5

2

4

EASY -MEDIUM

3 DIFFICULT

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SUPERMAN PULL TARGET MUSCLES

SOME DAILY ACTIVITIES IT COULD HELP YOU DO BETTER

   

    

Upper back Lower back Core Stabilizers

Better posture to help you stand straight Picking up heavy groceries with ease Carrying children and playing with them Helps relieve lower back pain Relief after a whole day sitting or at a desk

BORN TO BE SUPER

BREATHING PATTERN

B – Butt is engaged.

Inhale as you lift off the floor (prep step). Exhale as you pull your elbows in (effort step). Inhale as you straighten your arms back in front. Exhale as you release back on the floor.

T – Tighten your core (tummy to spine) for stability. B – Back is engaged and aligned with your head. S – Shoulders are pushed away from the ears. BODY ALIGNMENT: STARTING POSITION

PROPER FORM: HOW YOU DO THE EXERCISE

 Place yourself face down and tummy down on the floor, or mat if you have one.  Your arms are fully extended in front of you.  Your legs are straight out behind you.  Keep your head looking down, aligned with your back.  Engage your core.  Shoulders are away from the ears.  Shoulder blades are pulled down and engaged.  Keep your neck in line with the rest of your spine, and lift from your heart instead.

 Raise your back, chest, and straight arms off the floor. Super U tip – If you find you can’t lift off with arms straight out, then bend them as much as you need, and try again. It is important that you do the full move without collapsing. Understand your level of strength and stick to that.  Engage and squeeze your shoulder blades down and together (away from your ears and toward your waist).  Bend your elbows and pull in your arms to your waist. Super U tip – Bend your arms as you lift off to make the  Fully extend your arms back out in front of you, keeping your upper body raised off the floor. move easy; and to make the move difficult, lift your  Slowly release your upper body back on the mat. straight legs up behind you as you raise. Stretch out  This is the easy version, where you keep your feet in and then lift to keep your spine elongated and long as contact with the floor. To increase difficulty, lift your you do the move. legs up too.

WATCH POINTS

STEPS TO FOLLOW AS YOU DO THE SUPERMAN PULL

 During this exercise, it is important to pull your abdominals in for stability.  Keep your head and neck looking down in a neutral position. Lifting your chin could strain your neck.  Don’t point your feet if you are not used to it; you could get a cramp.  Breathe!  Remember to keep the shoulder blades activated for the whole movement.  Your upper body needs to be raised for the whole rep.

1 2 3 4 5

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PUSH UPS TARGET MUSCLES

SOME DAILY ACTIVITIES IT COULD HELP YOU DO BETTER

   

   

Chest (pecs) Arms (triceps) Shoulders (deltoids) Core

Helps you save yourself when you fall forwards Improves cardio vascular (heart) health Strengthens the shoulder joint area Improves upper body strength

BORN TO BE SUPER

BREATHING PATTERN

B – Butt is clenched and engaged.

Inhale as you go down (prep step). Exhale as you push up (effort step).

T – Tighten your core to stabilize yourself. B – Back is neutral. S – Shoulders are pushed away from the ears. BODY ALIGNMENT: STARTING POSITION

PROPER FORM: HOW YOU DO THE EXERCISE

 Kneel on the floor or on a mat, and bring your feet  Bend your elbows back at 45-degree angles to slowly together behind you. lower your body in a straight line toward the floor. Go as low as you can go without collapsing.  Bend forward to position yourself in a high plank, with your palms flat on the mat, hands a little wider  Adjust your legs to your level of strength if you need than shoulder-width apart. to.  Your hands should face forward or slightly in.  Press your palms into the floor, tighten your chest muscle, and use it to push your body up in a straight  Core is engaged. line till your arms are fully extended at your elbows  Your body should be one straight line from your head and you’re back in the starting plank. to your heels.  Repeat. Super U tip – Keep your legs wide apart behind you to make the exercise easy. The closer together your legs are, the more difficult it gets.

WATCH POINTS

STEPS TO FOLLOW AS YOU DO THE PUSH UP

 Don't arch your back or drop your hips.  Watch your elbows and check if they open out to the sides or forward.  Notice if your hips start lifting up, and realign them before going on.  Don’t let your lower back sag or your hips hike upward.

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2 Super U tip – If you can’t do a push up with your legs apart, no worries; you could try doing the same movement on a raised surface like a bench (medium difficulty), kitchen counter(easy), or even the wall for starters (super easy). Want to use your biceps (upper arm muscles)? Just move your hands closer together but keep all the other alignment. This allows you to target your biceps also.

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PLANK TARGET MUSCLES

SOME DAILY ACTIVITIES IT COULD HELP YOU DO BETTER

   

   

Tummy (abs/abdominals) Back Legs and hips Chest and shoulders

Helps you to run and balance Toned waist and improved posture Decrease injury in back and spinal column Better metabolism

BORN TO BE SUPER

BREATHING PATTERN

B – Butt is engaged, aligned, and not sticking out.

Inhale and exhale in a fixed rhythm.

T – Tighten your core to stabilize yourself during the move.

B – Back is straight, not arched or collapsed forward. S – Shoulders are pushed down away from the ears. BODY ALIGNMENT: STARTING POSITION

PROPER FORM: HOW YOU DO THE EXERCISE

 Lie on the floor, on your stomach, with your elbows directly beneath your shoulders.  Place your forearms and hands on the floor so that there is a 90 degree angle at your elbows.  Flex your feet with the bottoms of your toes on the floor.

 Lift your hips up first and then your knees so that you are able to lift your whole body. Your body should be hovering a few inches off the floor, in a straight line from your shoulders all the way down to your feet.  Tighten your abs and draw your belly button in to your spine just a bit, and tighten your butt.  Look at the floor, keeping your head in a neutral position.  Hold for 10 seconds or until you can’t maintain good form anymore.

Super U tip – To make it easy, open your legs at the back, and to make it tougher, stack one leg on top of the other. You could also do an elevated plank with your forearms on a bench or similar object.

WATCH POINTS

STEPS TO FOLLOW AS YOU DO THE PLANK

   

Remember to breathe! Don’t arch your back. Try not to lift your hips or drop them. Elbows sometimes slide out. If this happens, adjust your position so that they go back under your shoulders.  Keep your head aligned. Don’t let it drop.  If your back hurts, it generally means your form needs correction. Check if you are dropping your hips or your back is collapsing.

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Super U tip – You could also try a high plank with your arms straight, like in a push up.

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BURPEE TARGET MUSCLES

SOME DAILY ACTIVITIES IT COULD HELP YOU DO BETTER

     

 Improved brain function; helps you to focus and think better  Improves your circulation  Helps cardiovascular health  Helps regulate cholesterol, diabetes, and blood pressure

Legs Hips and butt Abs and back Arms and shoulders Chest Cardio exercise for the whole body

BORN TO BE SUPER

BREATHING PATTERN

B – Butt is engaged and not sticking out.

Inhale as you step forward to lunge (prep step). Exhale as you stand up and move back (effort step).

T – Tighten your core to stabilize yourself during the move.

B – Back is straight, not arched or collapsed forward. S – Shoulders are relaxed and away from the ears. BODY ALIGNMENT: STARTING POSITION

PROPER FORM: HOW YOU DO THE EXERCISE

 Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.  Your weight should be more on your heels.  Arms are at your sides.

 Push your hips back, bend your knees, and squat low.  Place your hands on the floor directly in front of, and just inside, your feet. Shift your weight onto your hands.  Jump your feet back to gently land on the balls of your feet in a plank position. (Your body should be a straight line from your head to your heels).  Jump back in front so that your feet land just outside of your hands.  Reach your arms over your head and jump up as high as you can into the air.  Land and immediately lower back into a squat for your next rep.

Super U tip – For an easy option, move into a plank position by stepping rather than jumping, your feet behind you. You can also avoid the jump or go to an elevated surface according to your fitness level. For a more difficult option, increase your speed or add a push up after you do the plank.

WATCH POINTS

STEPS TO FOLLOW AS YOU DO THE BURPEE

 Be careful not to let your back sag or your butt stick up in the air, as both can keep you from effectively working your core.  See that your legs are straight and fully extended when you jump back into a plank.  Keep your knees steady with no side wobbly movements as you jump up high.  Don’t turn into a “snake” by lifting your chest first and leaving your hips on the ground when raising your body back up off the floor.

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MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS TARGET MUSCLES

SOME DAILY ACTIVITIES IT COULD HELP YOU DO BETTER

    

   

Butt (glutes) Upper thighs (quads and hamstrings) Tummy (abs/abdominals) Arms (triceps) and shoulders Back

Increases general mobility Boosts cardiovascular(heart) health Helps you in coordination and agility Helps you to run and jump out of the way if needed

BORN TO BE SUPER

BREATHING PATTERN

B – Butt is engaged and not sticking out.

Exhale as you bring your knee in (effort step). Inhale as your leg straightens back (prep step). Or you could just alternate inhaling and exhaling with each leg. Just remember to breathe!

T – Tighten/engage your core to stabilize yourself during the move.

B – Back is straight, not arched or collapsed forward. S – Shoulders are pushed down and away from the ears.

BODY ALIGNMENT: STARTING POSITION

PROPER FORM: HOW YOU DO THE EXERCISE

 Get into a high plank position with straight arms under your shoulders. Ensure that your weight is equally distributed between your hands (facing forward) and your toes.  Your legs are extended behind, knees off the floor.  Back is flat, abs engaged, and head in alignment.

 Pull your right knee into your chest as far as you can.  Switch legs fast or at the same time, pulling one knee out and bringing the other knee in.  Keep your hips down; run your knees in and out as far and as fast as you can.  You can time this or count reps.

WATCH POINTS

STEPS TO FOLLOW AS YOU DO THE MOUNTAIN CLIMBER

 Shifting weight back and raising hips.  Bouncing on your toes in an up/down motion. You have to stay stable.  There is so much going on here; remember to breathe!  Check your shoulder stability. They tend to release, allowing you to shrug and your back to sink. Keep them engaged and pushed down away from your ears  Watch for a transfer of weight to your feet as you do the motion which allows your hips to rise in the air, deactivating the abs. Keep your hips aligned at all times.

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Super U tip – To make this easier, step in and step out, or put your arms on an elevated surface and step in and out or run.

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RIGHT KNEE IN

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Now that you have understood the basics of strength training, a chat on cardio is coming right up! You‘ll get to know how to figure out how fast or slow each family member should go!

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UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT CARDIO ACTIVITIES

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AEROBIC

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You have heard that cardio refers to your heart health. The aim of any cardio exercise is to increase your heart rate. You should get the go ahead from a doctor if you are attempting cardio for the first time or after a long break. The best way to start your family on cardio is to choose activities that you enjoy. Start at a slow pace and gradually build up. Start with 10–20 minutes first, to see how you and your family deal with it, and then increase. Easy to moderately active exercises, not high intensity, are best to start with. Super U “must-do” – It is important for you to gauge how much you and your family are pushing your limits while working out. There are many ways to test your heart rate, and figure out your personal heart rate zone. Find one that works for you. Super U strategy – I don’t like to complicate this for children, and so I prefer to stick to the simple “Talk Test” strategy to gauge your child’s perceived level of exertion. There are 3 levels of exertion I look for: 1. Talks easily during the activity – Low, easiest level, and your child could very probably do more. 2. Talks in small, short sentences – Mid, reasonable level. This is the recommended level for beginners. 3. Breathless and can’t talk – High limit level. Prolonged time here is not recommended. You need to try and slow down the heart rate to the mid, reasonable level.

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Get vital bonuses at ... Super U tip – Just keep talking! Yes, that’s right; you’ve got to keep the conversation going as you do cardio. This way, you will be able to figure out each member’s level of perceived exertion. There is an unlimited choice of cardio activities, both indoor and outdoor. This is where you can really be flexible and include activities the whole family likes. Please be realistic. Understand your starting point and begin there. You can’t reach your goal the first time you try. This is generally the kid’s favorite part of the workout. You can incorporate animal walks here. It is an all-time favorite for the young and the young at heart. If done well, it is a great workout. You would be surprised at how challenging some can be! So give it a try. I have listed a few of my favorites. You can copy them, or take inspiration from them and make up your own. Have fun! “Fitness isn’t about building a better body. It’s about building a better life.” – Jillian Michaels (American author, inspirational personal trainer)

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STARTING POSITION

MOVE POSITION

THE NAME AND HOW TO DO IT The Bear Crawl Get on all fours, hands and feet on the floor, with your hips high and knees off the floor. Tighten your tummy and crawl away! The Creeping Crab Sit placing your hands on the floor behind you, close to your hips; lift your hips up off the ground while looking up, and “creep” off. The Bunny Hop Stand feet together, hands up near the ears (for big bunny ears), and hop forward or sideways (bunny hops are soft and quiet, not noisy stomps). The Duck Waddle Squat as low as you can go, bend your arms to make wings, and waddle forward one step at a time. (See that your knees stay over your toes.) The Seal Slide Lie on your tummy, push your upper body up till your arms are straight, and move across the floor with your arms while dragging your legs. The Frog Leap Go into a super low squat with your knees facing out and hands placed on the floor; jump forward with hands and feet. Try Frog Tag! The Horse Gallop Step out with one leg in front of you, and move by stepping forward with the front leg and sliding the back leg up to it. The Starfish Spring Do jumping jacks or jumping in the air with hands and legs spread out as wide as you can, as fast as you can. The Penguin Shuffle Keep your arms straight by your side, and keeping your legs close together, move forward by transferring weight from one leg to the other. The Elephant Stomp Stand with your feet wide and knees bent. Lift your knees high and stomp around. Hold your hands and swing them sideways like a trunk. The Snake Slither Lie on your tummy, lift your body up on your elbows, and get yourself to move forward somehow using your forearms and legs! Stay low!

“Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body; it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.” – John F. Kennedy (35th United States president)

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GETTING YOUR FAMILY TO STRETCH Stretching is something you know you should be doing, but it’s also the part of the workout that’s very easy to skip. It is the cool down after the fun. It is the part you think you could skip when you are short of time, or you just don’t like doing it and find it boring. But it is a must as part of your cool down after a workout. Your muscles are warm and this is the time to work on increasing your range of motion. It helps you to calm your mind and reduce muscle stiffness. I have given you a small list of basic stretches below just to give you an idea of how I recommend stretching as part of your cool down. Breathing is a very important part of the stretching process. Hold each stretch listed below for 5 deep slow breaths. The breathing pattern used in strength works here too. When you inhale, you check posture and form, and when you exhale, focus on allowing your body to open up, relax, and go deeper into the stretch.

“Above all, learn how to breathe correctly.” – Joseph Pilates (German physical trainer, founder of the Pilates method of exercise)

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com “You were created to excel. There’s no limit to how high you can go in life. Keep stretching to the next level.” – Joel Osteen (Bestselling American author, pastor, motivational speaker)

THE DIAGRAM OF THE STRETCH

THE NAME AND HOW TO DO IT The crescent moon or side stretch  Sit or stand with your feet together; straighten your arms overhead and hold your hands together. Inhale as you reach up.  Breathe out as you bend your upper body to the right. Take five slow breaths. (Inhale – alignment; Exhale – stretch)  Slowly return to the center. Repeat on the left side. The standing snake or chest, shoulder, and arm stretch  Sit or stand with your feet together; hold your hands behind your back with straight arms.  Take 5 slow breaths. Inhale as you straighten your back and stand tall.  Exhale as you pull your arms down to the floor, squeezing the shoulder blades together and allowing your chest to open more. The toe touch or hip, hamstring and calf stretch  Sit or stand with your feet together.  Roll down as low as you can to touch your toes, calves, or wherever you reach.  Take 5 slow breaths. Inhale, and straighten your back in this position.  Exhale, and allow your upper body to become heavier and move closer to your legs. The funny tree or quad stretch  Stand and hold onto a wall for balance if needed, or lie on your left side if you don’t feel like balancing.  Bend your right knee and grab the top of your right foot.  Pull it inwards to your butt while keeping your knee pointing straight down at the floor.  Squeeze your hips forward a bit for a bigger stretch.  Take 5 slow breaths. Inhale, check your posture, exhale, and go deeper in the stretch.

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The hamstring stretch  Take your right foot forward and bend forward from the hips, keeping the back flat.  Lower down until you feel a stretch in the back of the leg.  Rest the hands on the upper thighs to give your back some support.  Inhale and straighten the back, Exhale and reach more. The abs or cobra stretch  Lie on the floor or mat face down with your hands under your shoulders. Push into the floor with your hands as you raise your upper body so your chest is up and out. Your hips are still on the floor, while you are facing forward.  Keep your arms slightly bent at the elbow, and curve your full spine like a big letter C.  To get more out of the stretch, straighten your arms fully and lift your hips slightly off of the ground.  5 breaths. Inhale, relax your shoulders, Exhale, curve your back more The bound angle or butterfly stretch  Sit on the floor with your legs straight. Bend your knees and bring the soles of your feet together, letting your knees drop toward the ground. Hold your shins as you inhale and stretch your chest upward while straightening your back.  Lean forward from your hips (without rounding your back) and place your palms as far forward as you can. Hold for five slow breaths  5 Breaths – Inhale, relax your shoulders and straighten your back. Exhale, allow yourself to go lower keeping the posture

You can also stretch your imagination when it comes to stretching; children love imagination and creative play. Have fun coming up with creative personalized names for different stretches! Don’t worry if everything doesn’t always work out as planned. Your family may like stretching, or hate it. How about making up a story and including stretches to enact it! You will have your children look at you and be mesmerized if you do!!

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com “You dream. You plan. There will be obstacles. There will be doubters. There will be mistakes. But with hard work, with belief, with confidence and trust in yourself and those around you, there are no limits.” – Michael Phelps (competitive swimmer, Olympian medal winner) Along with stretching, the last category is balance—often forgotten but so fundamental. Read on for tips on how to bring balance to Power Play.

ADDING BALANCE IN YOUR LIFE Most active children who are used to running around on the playground or other places are able to develop a strong core and good balance. However, today’s lifestyle is extremely sedentary and reduces our ability to balance, as our legs, back, butt, and abs get weaker from constant sitting. This increases the risk of falls as we get older. Even when you are young, this unconscious awareness of balance helps you to feel more confident in any environment. This is why balance training is very important and should be included in any kind of exercise programming, whether it is for children, you, older adults, or professional athletes. Better balance means less chance of tripping, falling, and breaking/twisting something. It focuses on the gentle strengthening and stabilizing of your core and your postural muscles.

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Get vital bonuses at ... There are 2 different types of balance training: dynamic, movement-based balance moves; or static, pose- focused balance moves. You can have fun with balance by playing games like Freeze Dance, or experimenting with controlled movements that need balance, like an extra big jump to the side and holding on one leg. Super U tip – If you are trying balancing poses, like the Tree pose or standing on one leg, with your kids (especially the small ones), please tell them they have to put their foot that is in the air, back down on the floor if they feel as if they are tilting or are too shaky!! Not all children do it naturally, and they could end up on the floor. EXAMPLES OF BALANCE TRAINING: •

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Balancing on one foot (Tree pose): easy difficulty – put foot on foot; medium difficulty – put foot on calf; difficult – put foot on thigh. Walking in a line, toe to heel. Closing your eyes when standing, or walking a couple of steps with your eyes closed. Running and then stopping suddenly. Shifting your weight from side to side, and then lifting a leg in the air as you transfer your weight. Using a balance board or stability ball. Using an agility ladder. Practicing tai chi or yoga. Standing on one leg and trying to pick something up from the floor. Standing on a cushion on one leg. Balancing a hardcover book on your head while walking. Hopping and playing tag.

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Biking, skateboarding, skiing, and snowboarding are a few of the many sports that need balance to master. You also use balance for team sports like hockey, basketball, soccer, etc. “Believe you can, and you are half way there.” – Theodore Roosevelt (26th United States president)

The possibilities are endless. Balance is essential. For healthy success in anything, there needs to be an overall balance in work, family, fun, and exercise. Keep reading to figure out just how much of each fitness category you need in order to balance your active life.

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CHAPTER 3 PLAYING WITH PYRAMIDS

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My Notes for this Chapter

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3 WHAT PLAY MEANS TO ME “Play” is a range of intrinsically motivated* activities done for recreational pleasure and enjoyment. Play is commonly associated with children and juvenile-level activities, but play occurs at any life stage, and among other higherfunctioning animals as well, most notably mammals. – Wikipedia *Intrinsic motivation is an interest or enjoyment in the task itself, and exists within the individual rather than relying on external pressures or a desire for consideration/recognition. My understanding of the above is that “play” is any activity you do just for the fun of doing it. When you are “playing,” you are in the moment. A “fun bubble” world of your own creation. You know when you get so involved with something that you tend to lose track of time? Those moments when you realize that you love what you are doing so much that you don’t want to stop? You can get so immersed in it that the demands of the world around you disappear. You are not thinking about goals, rewards, recognition, or what the world thinks. You just are... My friend, this is play! As an adult, I just call it different words. After understanding this, I then realized that I was “playing” my life away!

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Get vital bonuses at ... As a child, I was lucky to have a teacher as a father, and we stayed in the school where he taught. After school hours, the school gym became my home! I climbed ropes, somersaulted, stretched, and used any gymnastics apparatus I liked (my favorites were the parallel bars, the rings, and the balance beam). I allowed my imagination to go wild. I hated formal training and opted instead to “play” on the apps. My school gym teacher used to watch me silently from the side, and even before there was a formal agreement, would come and show me new things or how to do what I was doing better. No one was more surprised than I was when I actually ended up winning awards at the school competition that year!! I couldn’t believe it... I didn’t “work” at it. I didn’t “train.” I was just playing around! Later, I joined a dance class because I loved dance, and ended up making it my profession. Working 7 days a week at the time meant nothing as I loved what I did. I loved working out so much that I could easily spend a day in the gym. I ended up being a personal trainer, group fitness coach, and yoga instructor. I love what I do. It’s my passion. Yes, I play all day and get fit along the way. You are missing out on the most important ingredient in the fitness dynamic: play. You played in the park, like your kids do now. You biked, went on hikes, and did classes. Most of the time, you loved it. So when did this stop? What happened? What changed? Work? “Grown-up” responsibilities? Kids? When did “play” become an ordeal that you do only because your doctor says you have to? I’m bringing “play” back to the fitness world! If play means doing something fun, “exercise” and “workouts” can be play if you focus on doing what you love to do, and not what someone else or the world is telling you to. Getting fit needs to be your

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com thing. Then you can have fun and play with it! The chances of sticking to your workout regimen will be so much higher! “Power Play is the workout that happens while you are having fun!” – Renita Lobo (award-winning author, influencer, fitness coach)

EXERCISE – PLAY PYRAMIDS Now that you have an idea of the different exercise categories, and the concept of “play,” it’s your turn to start putting it all into action and design your own play pyramid. I have designed 3 customizable pyramids, for your kids, you, and mature family members. The pyramid is a visual representation of what your average play week should look like. The activities at the base of the pyramid should be done the most, while those at the top should be limited as much as possible. “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” – Confucius (Chinese philosopher) Please take the time to sit with your family and do this exercise. It will really help educate your kids and help them learn how to design a well-balanced active life for themselves. I have consciously categorized the pyramids with different names, to show you that childhood play activities are still being done as adults but just with different, boring/intimidating names.

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Get vital bonuses at ... 1. LIFESTYLE ACTIVITIES – These are the same for all pyramids. They refer to the small fitness choices you make on a daily basis, which can impact your level of fitness in the long run. Examples of this would be: walking up the stairs instead of taking the elevator, parking your car far from the mall and walking to it, doing chores in the house, putting on music and dancing, playing active games instead of sitting on the couch. 2. FREE PLAY = FUN SPORTS – Also known as unstructured play, here you get to choose a game and how to play it. You could play alone or with friends: playground activities, flying a kite, a brisk walk or jog, bird watching, building a fort, skateboarding, etc. 3. GROUP PLAY = AEROBIC ACTIVITIES – This refers to the structured active classes you register for. You generally learn or play skills with others of a similar age, like in dance lessons, karate, soccer, baseball, etc. 4. FAMILY PLAY = STRENGTH TRAINING – This ends up being an important factor in the development of your child too. Any activity done here could be done with others, but when you make time to play with your child, magic happens. Not only are you having fun being active, but you are strengthening your family bonds. Activities can include body weight and resistance exercises, bike rides, hikes, playing catch, etc. Your children will remember and value these moments more than anything else. 5. BALANCING AND STRETCHING – These are the same for all pyramids. This is a section that is often forgotten but essential to include in a weekly fitness program. When

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com stretching is encouraged from a young age, the range of motion stays with you as you get older, if you continue to stretch. 6. SEATED ACTIVITIES – These are the same for all pyramids. Please limit as much as possible!! It is so difficult to do these days, but not impossible. Children realize the value in being active if they are shown the 2 ends of the spectrum. I love to hear my son shut the TV off without being told, and decide to do a mini workout instead, or my little daughter coming up to me and saying, “Mummy, we have not exercised for sooo long; please, let’s exercise soon.” (It’s actually been just 2 days!) It takes a while, but it can be done. “Start by doing what is necessary, then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” – Francis of Assisi (Italian Friar)

So, before you read any further, go get your printouts, either by getting a photocopy of the diagrams that follow, or by going to the book website that is listed at the top of the page, to get bigger, super-clear, full-color print outs for you and your family to fill out. Then pick up your pens and pencils and get ready for another family planning activity!

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GETTING TO MY SUPER PLAY PYRAMID Welcome back! I’m so happy that you are done with the previous exercise and are eager to go on. But stop. Before reading further, I would like to ask you if you took the time to celebrate this win. If you haven’t, go and have some fun first before reading more! Super U tip – Along with what you do, how much time you do it for is also important. Below is an approximate guide. 3–5 years old: Should be involved in a lot of fun, active play throughout every day. 6–17 years old: At least 1 hour of medium to high intensity physical activity every day. On at least 3 days, the one hour should include activities to strengthen muscles and bones, and be high intensity sports like soccer. 18–64 years old: At least 150 minutes a week of medium intensity activities, like brisk walking. At least 2 days a week of muscle strengthening activities and stretching. 65 years and older: At least 150 minutes a week of medium intensity activities, like brisk walking. At least 2 days a week of muscle strengthening activities and stretching. Activities to improve balance are a must. My challenge – I know the above pyramids are pretty selfexplanatory and give you a good understanding of what activities each age group should be doing. However, I realized that as a parent, I needed to see the big picture, because if I didn’t, I could very easily overlook something here and there.

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Get vital bonuses at ... My family was not made of 3 separate entities but one super unit, and should be as such. There is power in unity. My solution – I thought about it and then combined all 3 pyramids into 1 super pyramid to show you what your family’s average week should look like!! Of course, I have a full-page, full-color version for you, on the book website listed at the top of page 67! This was more of an exercise to compare the differences and similarities in the exercise needs of the different members in my home.

My Ongoing Challenge– I still wasn’t satisfied. The joined play pyramid looked comprehensive enough, but something wasn’t quite right. Even though I had combined the pyramids on paper, my kids, my parents, and myself were still ending up exercising separately most of the time. It didn’t seem right to me. I wanted

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com more. I chauffeured my children to their regular classes, and tried to squeeze in a workout for myself, either early in the morning or after they went to bed. Our active life was taking the shape of the pyramid in a way, but there was a missing link I couldn’t quite identify. My Super Solution– Then one day, I was literally sitting and staring at my “Master Pyramid,” planning my family’s activities for the week, and in a flash, I realized what was missing!! My master pyramid had no heart!! A heart put active love, bonding, and memories right in the middle of every week! So I put a nice big heart right in the middle of my pyramid, and programmed a workout in it. Guess what? It worked!! (Chart on page 69) Now, instead of us exercising in separate units, with me just supervising them during their active time, and then trying to find additional time for a personal workout, I combined our time to make it fun and effective for me as well as for my children. More good news: I actually ended up saving time! I didn’t have to supervise them first and then wait to do my thing... we could actually do it together, and also reach our individual goals! Yes, you guessed it. This was another moment. It was time for my happy dance!!! I programmed my family’s heart like I would when programming a personal training session for a small group with varying abilities. Of course, the most important question was, “How do I make this fun?” My heart is a constant work in progress. Personal preferences and likes and dislikes change as my children grow and mature.

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Get vital bonuses at ... What is cool to do on one day becomes “boring” on another. We just modify and adjust with the moment. Super U tip – I find it works best when every family member likes and has contributed to at least some part of the activity to make it successful as a whole. It is a balancing act, and once you get the knack, you can fly with it. “Success isn’t overnight. It’s when every day you get a little better than the day before. It all adds up.” – Dwayne Johnson (American actor, former football player and professional wrestler)

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THE HEART OF THE MATTER At this point in the book, you have successfully completed getting your “Big Why.” You have understood the broad categories of exercise and have had fun putting them in a Play Pyramid for future use. The next chapters are dedicated to helping you put a heart in your family play pyramid. Here, you have two options. You can have a test run of your filled-in personalized pyramids for a couple of weeks, or you can power on to the next chapter to discover how to program and customize your heart. I will walk with you step by step to help you figure out different options to put a heart in your workout and power it up to another level.

“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.” – Confucius (Chinese philosopher)

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CHAPTER 4 MY GAME PLAN

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My Notes for this Chapter

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4 EXERCISE – MY FAMILY’S PERSONALLY CUSTOMIZED PLAY BANK I’m so excited to walk you through the next sections. Now it’s your turn to make your family’s customized Play Bank! You can reconstruct or photocopy the chart on the next page, or hop along to my website, written above, and print one that I have made available for you. Once you have your personal fillable copy of your Play Bank in front of you, the first thing you need to do is proudly write the date and your family name in the space provided. Then read on. For resistance training, I am recommending trying to incorporate all the basic exercises. You can divide them up into different Power Play sessions, but it is important that you track what you do and end up giving your family and yourself a balanced workout at the end of it all. This will give you the power and foundation to do all activities better. Think about what you and your children like doing. Ask them to tell you what activities they enjoy more than others, and what activities they have the most fun doing, and put it on one master list, which I call my “Family Play Bank.” The list should definitely have your “must-do’s,” but also put in the “love-to-do’s” too. Include activities you may not be doing now but would love to try.

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com Super U tip – Get your family together (toddlers to seniors) so they can give input and feel a part of the process. Each family member should contribute at least a couple of activities in each category. Don’t get stressed and over think it. Just go with the flow. Remember, the key to success in this mission is fun, camaraderie, and enjoyment for the whole family. The more fun you have, the higher your chances of commitment and this working for your family in the long term. “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” – Benjamin Franklin (founding father of the United States)

I have talked about a few exercises that I think are important, in Chapter 2 of this book. However, please note that these are just suggestions. You need to identify your personal fun activities that you and/or your family members have fun doing. In general, my cardio activities and dynamic movements are the fun stuff. I include activities like animal walks, yoga, freeze dance, and superman pull here, for variety. You’d be surprised just how challenging a bear crawl or crab walk can be if you really focus on technique! You had a warm-up for this exercise in the pyramid section of this book, where you chose only 2 play activities for each section. Here, you have to really brainstorm. Dig deep and think of what activities and exercises you really have fun doing. Forget thoughts of, “It’s good for me, so I should do it.” Start asking what activity is so much fun that it feels like play. If you are the person who hates any kind of activity and only likes sedentary

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Get vital bonuses at ... pastimes, make an additional column somewhere and put it in. Your starting point could be a commercial break family workout! There is no judgement as long as you start, and have fun doing it! All the best! Check back when you are done. Next, we are going to program these activities and make an actual workout!!

“At the end of the day all that matters is love and memories so make sure you give it and make sure you make them.” – Trent Shelton (former American football player, motivational speaker)

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AND IT’S A GOAL! If you really want this to work, you need to write down your plan. If you only keep it on your mental wish list, the chances of it becoming a reality are much slimmer. I have seen all kinds of attitudes and approaches when it comes to fitness and working out. Those who have succeeded in achieving and surpassing their goals are committers. They have a definite plan of action, and if they feel they need support, they join my Power Play champion program to help them make their dreams come true. This is why you did the exercise in the previous section. You don’t have me, but you have each other and have committed to holding each other accountable to achieving your personal and family goals. “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin (founding father of the United States) The primary goal of this book is to help you get your family up and moving, helping you to have fun as you get stronger together as a team. If you are onboard with this concept, the goals you are setting here are more in the lines of how many times a week and how long your Power Play session should be. So, take action. Take a practical look at your current family schedule. Set a date and time for your family workout, and put it in your calendar. Remember, it’s not about having the time or finding the time. Instead, it’s about making the time and making it happen. While it would be great if you could have a one-hour session, you could start with a 30-minute goal too. At this time, remember that less is more. Take baby steps and get it right first.

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Get vital bonuses at ... “You don’t have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step.” – Martin Luther King Jr. (American minister)

Super U tip: You need to supplement your Power Play workout with a few of your own. Power Play is about having fun and, in the beginning, you will not feel as satisfied with your workout in the mix, as your focus will be more on your kids and getting used to the programming aspect of it. Power Play is about teaching your kids the right movement patterns while they are having fun, and this will take a bit of work. However, once they start understanding the basic concepts, then you will have the time to develop your workout within this mix. Have patience and perseverance, and you will succeed. Your children and seniors also need to be active apart from this workout. I hope the play pyramids shown earlier gave you a better understanding of the recommended division of activities for all age groups. You can do it without the heart, like the individual pyramids suggest, but with the heart... you have Power Play!!! It’s almost crunch time. If you are smart, you will keep reading and not stop here!!

EXERCISE – MY SUPER S.M.A.R.T. POWER PLAY GOAL PLANNER When it comes to making goals, I like it best done the “super” S.M.A.R.T. way.

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com The S.M.A.R.T. way of goal achievement is well known. Using it as a tool for goal achievement has been very effective in my life. It gives me clarity and acts as a guide to help me achieve my goal. When it comes to incorporating it into my Power Play program, I have found that what helped me be truly successful at reaching my goal was appointing a “playmate” to the mix. This made my goal “super” S.M.A.R.T., and I had amazing results because I felt accountable. Super U tip – Your “playmate” is someone (or some people) you appoint, either a member of your family or a friend, who you can ask to help you in a specific way that can support you as you achieve your Power Play goal. It is very important that you don’t just ask someone to help you and stop at that, leaving the rest up to them. After they commit to being your playmate in your endeavour, you need to tell them exactly how they need to help you. For example, if it’s a friend, you could text them every time you did a successful workout with your family. In this way, you hold yourself accountable, and your playmate can keep track of how many workouts you actually managed to get done. Just by knowing that you have to “report” to your “playmate” triples the chances of your success. This is the reason why I always do my “Power Play” goals the “super” S.M.A.R.T. way! On pages 82 and 83, you will find 2 “super” S.M.A.R.T. charts. The first is a sample for you to look at and to help you understand what I am talking about.

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Get vital bonuses at ... Once you have done that, it is time for you to take action! The second chart is fillable and meant for your use. There are 2 ways for you to get your planner. 1. Photocopy the second chart titled “My Super S.M.A.R.T. Power Play Goal Planner.” As I have mentioned before, the size of the book makes writing on the photocopied forms small and inconvenient for some. To help you, I have another option. 2. Go to the website that I have specially created for readers of this book. It is listed at the top of page 81. Here, you will find full-size, full-color, downloadable and printable versions of the lists! “I’m a firm believer in goal setting. Step by step. I can’t see any other way of accomplishing anything.” – Michael Jordan (American basketball player)

Point to ponder – Once you have your personal planner in front of you, think about one goal you would like to accomplish through Power Play, and follow the chart instructions to help you make it a “super” S.M.A.R.T. one. This planner works best if you are realistic about yourself and your family when it comes to achieving your dream. Make it Smart, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time bound. Understand what you can do. The most important aspect of this is that deep down, you need to believe you can achieve this. This is the power of this chart.

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com Remember to hold yourself accountable and grade your efforts at the end of the time bound goal that you set. If you haven’t reached your goal, adjust it, learn from your mistakes and try again!

“Accountability is the glue that ties commitment to the result.” – Bob Proctor (bestselling author, motivational coach)

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CHECK-UP TIME Congratulations!! This is a win for you! You have gone through all the stages to set a great foundation to help you set the stage for a result-oriented, successful family workout! You can combine the celebration of your win with an outing that I am going to talk about next. Super U “must-do”: Before you start any kind of exercise program, you and your family members need to get a “go ahead” from your doctor. This is even more important if you already know that you have some major health challenges or if you are over 45 years old. These visits can be scary, and you may be tempted to skip this step, but please don’t. The information you get from this visit will give you the best foundation on which to build your Power Play program and move forward. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of strength. It shows you have the courage to admit when you don’t know something and then allows you to learn something new.” – Barack Obama (44th American president)

The good news here is that exercise is generally your universal “magic pill!” It is beneficial and recommended to help control or prevent a wide range of ailments and medical challenges. However, you may need a few guidelines from a professional about what you should and should not do. Even better news is 84

www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com that regardless of your medical condition, you will be able to work out in some way or another. Once you have medical clearance for yourself and your family, it will help you to evaluate how fit you and your family members are, and what you can do and can’t do. After you have the green light from your doctor, get set to discover my magic ingredient that makes Power Play so successful.

THE FUN REVOLUTION TRAINING METHOD When it comes to actually programming a workout on a professional level, it can get very complicated as there are many factors to take into consideration, depending on your current level of fitness and your goals. If you feel you need help, reach out and contact me through my website address, and I will help you. But right now, the purpose of “Power Play” is to help you get everyone in your family (including you) to get active, have fun, and get stronger as a family. If you have been training and working out in any form, you may be familiar with certain training strategies like interval training, circuit training, H.I.I.T. (high intensity interval training), L.I.S.S. (low impact steady state) training, etc. In this book, I am going to introduce you to a new concept. I call it “My Fun Revolution Training Method!” What do you think of when you think of fun? What do you do that is fun on a daily basis? For some reason, the older you get,

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Get vital bonuses at ... the less fun you seem to have. This is not fair. Why should kids have all the fun? I’m bringing the concept of fun back to the adult world, and more so, to your workout. Having fun will make life more enjoyable for you and your family. Fun creates enthusiasm and energy, and because of this, you will find yourself doing more sets and better reps than if you do it just because you have to. This is huge. Believe me, when you have fun during a workout, you don’t want it to stop! You are working out because you want to and not because you have to. This is true power and control over your workout. “Fun is one of the most important—and underrated—ingredient in any successful venture. If you’re not having fun, then it’s probably time to call it quits and try something else.” – Richard Branson (business magnate)

The Fun Revolution Training Method gets its structure from interval training. It is a very basic guideline that you can use as you wish. Add on, expand, experiment, and restructure, depending on the fitness needs of your family. A Fun Revolution training workout is self-explanatory. It’s an innovative workout that is focused on fun and getting your family and you to be physically literate, through training and working out with functional movement patterns that will help you to get fitter and stronger so that your daily life becomes easier and much more enjoyable. The word “revolution” has 2 different meanings, and both are applicable here. First, a revolution refers to the overthrow of an

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com old order for a new one. Overthrow the sometimes high stress kind of workout mentality—“I am only here because of my doctor”; “I hate this, but I have to”—and replace it with the “I can’t believe this is so much fun, when can I come back?” way of thinking. The second meaning of revolution is a turn or rotation. The concept in Power Play is that you keep your program cyclical; and every alternate or couple of exercises, you return to an extra big helping of a fun activity! If you have sincerely completed all the exercises I have shared with you in this book, you have with you the tools that you need to help you plan your family workout. It is going to be easy, as it just involves a little thought combined with a mix and match system to get your workout up and running in no time. I am going to give you a basic understanding of what I do while planning my family workout, and you can take it and play with it to make it your own.

YOU HAVE THE P.O.W.E.R. In order to work toward your set goals, you need to write down your proposed plan and your progress so that you can track it and know what worked well and what didn’t. For this purpose, when you train, no matter what your workout is, you need to break it down into certain variables. “Set realistic goals, keep re-evaluating, and be consistent.” – Venus Williams (American tennis player)

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Get vital bonuses at ... The variables I work with put the POWER in Power Play. What does “power” mean with reference to a Power Play workout? It is an acronym that helps you to remember key points while planning your workout. P= Planned activity type – How you do an exercise is important. Look at your goals and what you want to achieve. Then accordingly, decide if you are going to focus on strength, cardio, stretching, or balance, or a combination of two or more. You could plan your workout around popular training techniques like HIIT (high intensity interval training), LISS (low intensity steady state) training, Tabata, Pilates, and yoga, and still put power in Power Play by revolving back to the fun factor! O= Observation point – There are a mind boggling number of things to pay attention to, especially as a beginner, and it can get overwhelming. To make it easy, for every workout, decide on a different body part or practical tip to focus on for the entire workout. You decide what you are going to focus on observing for that workout. For example, if you choose “back,” you make it a point to check “back activation” and “back posture” for every exercise you do that day, or you could choose to do a few extra back exercises. Other factors take on secondary importance unless it’s an obvious mistake. If you keep changing your observation point every workout, you and your family will slowly master appropriate movement patterns and start incorporating them into your daily lives. Your focus point could also be a variable, like increasing your repetitions or exertion levels while maintaining correct form. Just change your observation or focus point for every workout. W= Workout time – This refers to the duration of your planned workout. How long are you playing for? An indoor workout

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com should be between 30 minutes and 1 hour, inclusive of your warm-up and cool down. If you are including a hike or a swim in the mix, then your workout time would adjust according to the workout of the day. E= Exertion levels – The intensity at which you work is a very important variable in your workout. How hard are you playing? At no point in this are we working to muscle failure for anyone in the family, including you. We need to be vigilant and be able to understand and explain the concept of RPE (rate of perceived exertion), explained in Chapter 2 of this book. Every family member needs to be able to talk at any point of the workout. If they can’t talk while they are working out, they are pushing themselves too much and need to stop. The goal here is to have fun as you train submaximally to enable you to do more reps while working out, and also enable you to train the same muscle groups more times a week, as they need less rest and recovery time. This also prevents DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness), where the body part you worked on one day hurts the next. Although a lot of adults who are avid gym goers like this feeling, most kids don’t, as it stops them from having fun the next day. This means that if your Power Play is less intense, you will be able to play for a longer time, and the fun factor will get you coming back, thus ensuring consistency. If you are explaining this to an adult, it means that you should keep your exertion level under 70% for beginners, and 80% for fitness enthusiasts. This is when 100% refers to your maximum. You can push yourself to a certain extent, but not to exhaustion and failure.

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Get vital bonuses at ... This explanation will fly over the heads of children. I have found that explaining a level of exertion to them on a 1 to 10 grading scale works very well. Just ask them how tired they are on a rate of 1 to 10, where 1 is not tired at all, and 10 means you want to collapse and not move. Remember that when starting off, a 5– 6/10 score is great, as there needs to be more focus on technique, but when that is mastered, the fun can be graded up to 7–8/10. The simple rule of thumb is that if they can chat and talk to you while playing, they are good to go. R= Repetitions – How much are you playing? How many repetitions of a particular exercise are you planning on doing? Are you going to make the workout more impactful by adding sets? A set refers to a certain number of repetitions done at a time. You may prefer not to count your reps but instead follow the timed method, where you do as many reps as you can in a predetermined time frame, like 30 seconds or 45 seconds, followed by a rest period, before you move on to the next exercise. You do what works for you. Change it around till you get it right. Pay attention to the above variables as you work out; add oodles of fun activities, and voila, you have Power Play the super U fitness way!! And now you get to actually plan your workout! The first thing you need to do is get a printout of the chart titled “My Super Fun Power Play Program Tracker.” Get the full-size, full-color print out from my book website listed at the top of page 91, or get a photocopy of the one in the book found on page 92.

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com Once you have it in front of you, also grab your family’s play bank and super S.M.A.R.T. goal planner. You will be using these charts to help you mix and match your workouts. Now read on to see how to plan fun, laughs, and good times with your family as you get fitter and stronger together! “When you have workouts that happen while you are having fun, you experience the miracle of Power Play.” – Renita Lobo (award-winning author, influencer, fitness coach)

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EXERCISE – MY SUPER FUN POWER PLAY PROGRAM TRACKER This is one of the most exciting exercises in the book. Seeing your family program taking form in front of you is a really cool feeling. Below, I have listed certain points to keep in mind while writing your plan. 1. The first thing you do is write your name on the top, and your first goal you want to achieve, below. 2. Next, using your play bank as a reference, start planning your workout. Keep your main goal in mind. So if the goal involves strength, use exercises that will help you get there, along with the fun. Just mix and match, but see that you have balanced out your programming by looking at your column and body part checks/ticks. Every line and every body part section doesn’t need to be filled for every workout, but every body part should have been worked sometime in a balanced way over the 4 workouts. 3. The order in which you actually do your workout is not the same as the program tracker. You have to rotate the exercises. This is your choice depending on the mood of your family. You will get a more powerful workout if after you understand basic movement patterns, you focus on working more on compound movements that involve multiple muscle groups. Starting off with bigger muscles, like the back or legs, and ending with smaller muscles and core, is what I would suggest. Remember the fun revolution method!! Alternate your actual training with different fun activities!

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Get vital bonuses at ... 4. If you are using a time-oriented approach to your workout (like in a HIIT session) rather than reps and sets, you can exchange the columns in the chart, and replace “Rep” with your exercise time, and “Set” with your rest period. 5. I have not included a column for the amount of weight lifted, as this chart is for the whole family, and I am assuming that when an exercise is done, each family member will be doing it according to their individual level of fitness. 6. I have not included a space for warm up and cool down, as I am focusing on the Power Play program. It does not mean you don’t have to do it. These are essential parts in your program. You can refer to Chapter 2 of the book to get inspiration for your warm-up and cool down. 7. The Program Tracker has space for you to plan your exercises. You won’t be able to do all in one day, but see that what you miss in one day, you do the next. You can write down the exercises you plan to do, in advance. Don’t stress about completing them all, especially in the beginning. Just add what you’ve missed to your next workout. 8. I have added columns for Resistance, Cardio, Stretching, and Balance. Just tick the appropriate column next to the relevant exercise. It will help you understand if you are doing more cardio, strengthening, or stretching. If you are, just adjust it for your next workout. 9. Remember to program with your heart in mind. Take into consideration all the members of your family, and see that there is something for everybody. In general, the fun activities for the younger kids would be more cardio in

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com nature. Go with the flow, and add the strength in on a revolving basis. 10. When planning, don’t be too ambitious. Start slow. Focus on the fun aspect first, and then slowly add the rest into the mix. Remember, our goal here is to encourage your children to make fitness a way of life. 11. Planning for at least 1 Power Play workout every week is great. I’ve included space for 4 separate workouts in the chart, so that you can see your focus points for the month at a glance. This will help you plan in advance. If you are having trouble planning, go to the next chapter for different ideas and play combinations you could use. “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of hard work and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell (retired 4 star general, former US secretary of State)

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CHAPTER 5 WORKING OUT TO THE SOUND OF LAUGHTER

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My Notes for this Chapter

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5 FUN WAYS TO HELP YOU PLAY Once you understand the basic concept of the fun revolution system, you can go crazy creating new and effective ways to workout, play, and have fun at the same time. Your program could be periodized in many ways. For example, you could have fun cardio/strength/fun cardio/strength format; or cardio/fun balance challenge/cardio/fun balance challenge. You could also double up your categories and do strength/strength/fun/strength/strength/fun. Change up your combination every couple of months. The basic principle is that every set needs to have an element of fun. You decide what that is going to look like for your family. If a particular pattern is successful, you can keep the pattern and change up the exercises. If it isn’t, no challenge; just try another sequence the next time. I am going to help you by sharing with you a few of my ideas that have been successful with my family and in the schools where I have taught. I hope it triggers new ideas that will work for you and your loved ones.

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SOLAR SYSTEM This is one of my all-time favorites. It allows me to work out while the kids have fun. The concept is that you are the sun, and your children are the planets. You do your choice of exercise for the length of time you need to, while the children are the planets, who are skipping, bear crawling, or doing any kind of movement as they “revolve” around you. They can’t touch you as you are the sun, and they can’t touch each other as planets never touch! When you are done with your exercise, you stay “stop,” and they have to freeze. You get your rest period while they freeze, and when you are ready for your next set, you say “go” and start, and so do they. While they are frozen, you could change their movement pattern. So if they were skipping, now they are jumping bunnies, or similar. Choose simple, easy movements for them that don’t need much supervision. A senior in your family can choose to be in the center with you, walk around with the kids, or sit on the couch and punch forward. They would also freeze when “stop” is called.

ANIMAL PARADE Children love this. You walk to one end of the room like an animal of their choice, and then all of you do resistance activity of your choice. You can choose to do as many reps as you want before you change. For example, all of you can duck walk in a circle or to one end of the room, and then do a set of push ups and repeat coming back. And yes, you are expected to take part in the animal parade!! If you or someone else doesn’t feel like doing it all the way, you can, of course, adapt. If you can’t get down low for the duck walk, then you do a higher squat walk while the others go low. Similarly, push ups don’t need to be on

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com the floor. If you are not up to it, you could use a wall to do a standing push up. Adjust as you go! I also change the “mood” of my animals. I will have a sleepy bear that walks very slowly, or an excited, jumpy monkey.

BURPEE FREEZE I play music for this. As long as the music is playing, everybody is doing their version of the burpee. When the music stops, everybody freezes in a plank for 10 seconds or more. And so on. To help the cause, I ask the kids to shout out different watch points they should be thinking of while in the plank. Seniors can use the kitchen counter or similar elevated but firm surface instead of the floor for the burpee, and they can step out and step in instead of jumping out and in. (I keep my phone next to me and stop the music after 30-45 seconds or about 20 reps.)

MYSTERY EXERCISE For this, every family member gets a small piece of paper and chooses the activity they want to do from your play bank. If you want it balanced, you can ask one for a resistance exercise, and another to choose cardio. It’s up to you. Depending on how big or small your family is, each member could choose 2 activities or partner up to choose one. Then everyone folds up their chits of paper and puts it in a bowl or hat. The rest is simple. Family members take turns to pick up an exercise from the hat, and everyone does it together. It’s fun because no one knows what exercise is coming next! It’s a mystery!

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SUPER STATIONS This is a basic circuit where you have different stations for specific exercises. Everyone gets one station and just rotates at the set time.

SPOT IT This game is one geared for me to work out while the kids get a break and learn from observation. I tell them they are my personal trainers and they need to count how many times I am doing something wrong. Each child gets a body part to spot, like “knee over toe” or “head and back alignment.” This helps them internalize appropriate posture and feel important. At the same time, I get to do a proper set to help me reach my personal fitness goal. If they haven’t been able to correct me at all, at the end I sometimes deliberately, but carefully, do a wrong rep to help them notice the difference. However, you will be surprised at how observant and helpful they can really be at spotting you! This game can be done on a rotation basis, so while you are resting, they do a set with fewer reps and you spot them. They will also be more open to taking corrections if you let them correct you.

MUSICAL YOGA This variation is one of the most generic. I play music and we all have fun dancing. When the music stops, we all freeze in a

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com yoga pose of our choice. I sometimes change the game around and decide what pose needs to be done. This helps me guide the workout the way I need to, and helps me target the specific poses—like a plank would focus on abs and core, or the Tree pose helps with standing balance.

LET’S TAKE A HIKE, LITTLE TYKE On some days, you can take your fitness outdoors. Go for a hike or bike ride. Try a park workout followed by a picnic. It’s all good. The more you change it up, the better it is. “We don’t stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing.” – George Bernard Shaw (Irish playwright)

Don’t dismiss the games as just for kids. If you want to play, you will find a way to adjust or get inspired by it no matter how old or young you are. There’s no end to the games you can think of. You can decide on a training technique like HIIT, and incorporate a game feel to it. Be creative and experiment. I was doubtful at first but loved the results. Finally, you are ready to take the leap and give your program a test run. This is the end of your old life, and the start of an amazing adventure in fitness and family bonding. Next, you will get your practical tips to help you become a Power Play Champion!

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CHAPTER 6 ...3...2...1... BLAST OFF!

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My Notes for this Chapter

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6 YES, YOU ARE READY TO LAUNCH! Done? Great! This is yet another win, and your biggest so far!! You are set to launch your self designed Power Play Program! Celebrate and then come back to the book. You’re ready to start a new, wildly exciting chapter in your life! A lot of my clients get cold feet at this point. They can’t believe they actually got this far, and they doubt themselves. This is called “the imposter syndrome.” You don’t think you are savvy enough or qualified enough to go through with actually taking the lead on this. Let me reassure you that you are not alone when you feel this, and you are also not alone when you push through these fears and actually follow through with your planned program! Remember, your family is with you and has been with you from the time you started reading this book. Don’t underestimate the power of your example in all this. It is time to bring your Power Play heart to life! “A dream written down with a date becomes a goal. A goal broken down into steps becomes a plan. A plan backed by action makes your dreams come true.” – Greg S. Reid (film producer, business magnate, author)

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Get vital bonuses at ... I love this quote. I have used it as a guide in this book and laid the foundation to help you make your dreams come true. My Big Why embodied your dream and why you are doing this. My Play Pyramid helped give you a better idea of how to structure your active life and those of your loved ones. By investing in this book, you have also invested in their future, and by moving forward, you are also trying to ensure the dream of a healthy, fit life for your family. My Super SMART Power Play Goal Planner gave you your “by when” date, your goal, and the breakdown of steps to achieve it. My Family’s Play Bank and My Super Fun Power Play Program Tracker helped you to make your own personalized Power Play Program. All the above are action steps you have made to help you reach your goal. Your next action step is your biggest one. There is no point to planning a workout if it stays a plan on paper. You have to be able to, and want to, act on your plan to make your dream come true. “The best workout is one that gets done.” – Renita Lobo (award-winning author, influencer, fitness coach)

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MY HEART IS PUMPING! Yes. Your heart is pumping. This is your first time doing a Power Play workout. It’s time to have fun!! See that you have a pair of appropriate shoes, and get on the floor! It’s go time! Super U tip – Everything will not go exactly as you hoped or planned. Yes, we have set our goals, and spent time in planning. But please remember, the destination is not as important as the journey. Have fun on the journey, and it will make your success so much more empowering. Hope for the best, but expect and be prepared for hiccups. If they crop up, just take a step back and try a different strategy. Read this book again, and something you skipped the first time may inspire you. This is a project based on love, learning, and positive reinforcement.

“When educating the minds of our youth, we must not forget to educate their hearts.” – Dalai Lama (Tibetan monk leader) Super U strategy – The object of Power Play is not to work out with intense goals, as I feel it takes away the fun and starts to feel more like work and a responsibility. If it stops being fun, you will end up working out less. You will find yourself depending on your playmate to motivate you more. In spite of this, it is important to have guidelines to help you move in a particular direction. If you aim at nothing, you are setting yourself up to achieve nothing. Make goals, but keep having fun no matter what. The truth is that initially, most parents will not work out to their full capacity when working out with their kids. Believe me, it can get very frustrating. Something or the other

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Get vital bonuses at ... comes up, and you don’t end up being as focused as you normally would be when working out alone. For this reason, you must always supplement the Power Play workout with a couple of personal workouts. Now that you have done all the groundwork and are also mentally prepared, your next step is to race to the next chapter to get practical tips that will help you master your Power Play workouts.

10 PRACTICAL TIPS WORKOUT

FOR A

SUPER POWER PLAY

There are some specific tips I find myself repeating many times during my coaching and training sessions. I have chosen 10 of the most important ones to help you on your new fitness venture. 1. Exhale on Effort When used right, the power of the breath is amazing. When you focus on tummy breathing, you allow your diaphragm to expand and maximize lung capacity. 2. Knee over Toe Wherever You Go The knee is a synovial joint, but mostly a hinge in nature. There is some leeway of side movement, which increases with your level of strength. But in general, you should treat your knee like a door that opens and shuts on its hinges. All leg rotations are from the hips, not knees or ankles. This means that for all movement your knee should face in the same direction as your foot.

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com 3. Mind over Muscle All your movements gain power if you actually focus on the muscle you want to work, and actively try to activate it during the movement. This strategy is very effective, especially for “lazy” muscles that are willingly allowing others to compensate and do the job for them. 4. Posture Perfect If you are feeling overwhelmed by the multiple do’s and don’ts that most exercises have, try following my acronym, “Born To Be Super,” to help you focus on your core checkpoints. Born – check Butt and hip positioning. To – check if your Tummy is right and you are breathing right. Be – check Back posture as per the requirement of your exercise, and simultaneously the chest. Super – check to see if your Shoulders are down, or engaging and activating when they shouldn’t be. After this, you slowly move outwards from your core, checking the head, knees, elbows, wrists, and ankle positions. 5. Quality over Quantity Especially in the beginning, focus on doing it right. You need to feel the right muscles activating. If you don’t, stop and reset. Retraining your body to move in the right way later is much harder. 6. Recognize Good Pain vs. Bad Pain You are aware that all activity comes with a risk. This risk needs to be analyzed so that you are aware of what is happening. If you are training right and challenging

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Get vital bonuses at ... yourself, your muscles will let you know. You will feel some pain, which crops up around 1–2 days after a tough workout, but then goes as your muscles adapt (DOMS). This is good pain. Joint pain is generally bad pain. If a muscle, ligament, or tendon gets injured, it will let you know right away, not later. This is how you can differentiate what is happening. 7. Listen to Your Body Don’t push and overwork the joints or muscles that are hurting. They’re trying to communicate with you and give you a warning that something is wrong. It’s either a movement pattern that needs correction or something else. Pay attention. My years of yoga practice have taught me that the more I listen to my body, the more it “talks” to me. I maximize the power of my workout by listening to my body, and either correcting my posture during the exercise or giving a body part a break if it needs it. 8. Drink Up Remember to drink water so that you can stay hydrated. Take water breaks. However, kids may get a tummy ache if they drink too fast or too much. You will need to constantly remind them to have sips, not gulps, of water during the workout. 9. Always Make Time for a Warm-Up and Cool Down Please remember to warm up and cool down. 10. Stretch Your Limits! Stretching helps you maintain the length of your muscles. While it is always important, stretching has been my best friend in maintaining my range of motion and ability to

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com continue to move like a “teen” as I age. I actually try to stretch as much as I work out. If you have a life that is stressful in any way, your muscles automatically tighten up through the day. Then if you are doing resistance training and working out, your muscles are still on the tenser side. There is nothing like a good stretch to release the tension. It is especially important for growing children to help them gain muscle length along with muscle strength. And remember the breakdown: inhale, check posture, exhale, stretch, and gently allow your muscle to extend. Super U tip – Please remember that you are here for fun. If your child is not having fun, your child will start making a fuss to play. Please do not turn into a sergeant major and command them to do it. The basic message here is that you need to go back to the drawing board and tweak your program structure a little bit. You can also remind your child of the “big why” form that was filled. The errant child will return to the fold if you persevere. Super U strategy – The moments of bonding that you are going to get as you work out are priceless (moods and tantrums included!). They help you get closer as a family as you learn more about each other. Don’t forget to celebrate your wins every step of the way. Celebrate your family with your family. Take pictures and videos of the amazing moments. Anything done repeatedly becomes a habit. You are working on making fitness and fun a habit in the lives of every member of your family. This is powerful. I am so proud of you! You’re on your way to a new life! Go play, and then come back to read where you go from here.

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Get vital bonuses at ... “Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach.” – Tony Robbins (American author, motivational speaker, philanthropist)

YOUR CHAPTER 1 Congratulations!! Wow! You did it! Your first Power Play workout is done, and you are back for more! This is the perfect attitude to propel you to the next level. You are now officially a Power Play Parent! With practice, you will soon be a Power Play Champion! Keep at it, learning from mistakes and moving on to successes. Once you feel that you have the basics, you could expand to other goals like a target push up number or plank hold time. That is up to you. You are in charge of how your Power Play journey unfolds. You can move on to dividing and subdividing your categories into health and skill, and expand your focus to body composition, agility, speed, coordination, skill, reaction time, and so on. In the same way, you can also fine tune your exercises to focus on specific muscle groups. Super U tip – If a goal isn’t reached by your “by when” date, figure out why. Most of the time, it’s because certain aspects of the goal weren’t realistic, like the time limit was too small, etc. No biggie. Just reset and try again! The clients who have been in my “Power Play Champion” sessions are very successful in expanding to this level, mostly because they get personal help from me to make impactful

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com programs. Even though I am unable to put all my years of training and experience in this book, I have given you some great tools to help you get started on your Power Play journey. You are going to be super at this. Wait! Don’t shut the book yet. You are not done. This is the start of your family fitness adventure! It is not the end. It is the beginning! It’s the first chapter of your Power Play story. And I can help you write it. Free bonuses on the book website – I have designed the book website, listed above, to really support you on your fitness journey. I have filled it with many free bonuses. Here, you will find full-size, full-color, printable copies of all charts found in this book; additional Power Play program games and ideas, to use as is or to inspire you to create something original of your own; and a list of all the motivational quotes used in the book, and more that have inspired me and keep me accountable to myself. Power Play Certificate of Completion – I am interested in how you did. Email me with your Power Play story. How did it go? What challenges did you face? If you do, and let me know that you have successfully completed your workout, I will send you your official “Power Play Parent” course completion certificate. Note that this certificate is not available on the book website. It will be sent out only to those who actually follow the book and share their story with me. Family workout pictures are welcome too! What do you do now? What is your next step? Do you need help with challenges in making your program? This is a journey best done with a coach. I could be yours. I would love to know how

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Get vital bonuses at ... your Power Play workouts are going and evolving. This book may have ended, but there is so much more that I can help you with. You can stay connected for ongoing support in different ways: 1. By regularly accessing the book website listed on page 117. My Power Play journey hasn’t ended either. It keeps evolving just like yours. I will keep updating the website as I get new insights, from either my personal family’s journey or that of my clients registered in my “Power Play Champion” program, where I personally help you and guide you as you play with your Chimps and transform them into Champs! In this way, you can benefit from my experience and that of those who work with me. 2. By keeping the book on your desktop. Now that you have finished reading the book, don’t shut it and hide it away on a bookshelf. Remember to keep it on your desk for easy reference. I encourage you to change up your workout format every couple of months to keep the interest and family motivation going. Also, refer to it as your family’s likes, dislikes, and needs change. It’s presence on your desk will also act as a reminder to keep going. 3. By emailing me through the book website. If you would like a more personal connection, just email me and I will help you power through any challenges, or guide you to your next level. 4. Like and follow super U fitness on Facebook or Instagram. Join the Power Play community and get support and

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com encouragement from me and other parents on the same journey as you. We are in this together. 5. Stay tuned for more. I am constantly coming up with new program and course ideas, based on feedback I am getting on an ongoing basis regarding Power Play challenges and wins. I will keep updating the website with new courses I am currently offering, so please keep checking in. If there is a course you think would help you, your friends, or your community, let me know; I may consider developing it if I haven’t already! “Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.” – Helen Keller (American author) There is a time to learn, a time to have fun, and a time to share. I have written this book to help you. If you stick to my recommended plan of action, it will change the way you and your family work out. With Power Play, you will have fun getting fitter and stronger as a family, while together you create memories that last a lifetime. This book is not a quiet read. It is a book of action. It has helped you and your family get new insights into fitness and the way you get fit. I now urge you to reach out to others. Help me raise awareness about physical literacy. This is your time to take up the baton and share what you have learnt with your friends, colleagues, associates, and community.

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Get vital bonuses at ... Talk to them about my book. Think about whom you know that would benefit from Power Play, and give this book to them as a fun gift. Join me in getting the message of my book out to as many as you can. Include them in this amazing experience too. I go to daycares and schools, in person or virtually, and run fun awareness classes, courses, webinars, and workshops for teachers, parents, and children, individually or together. The courses are customized to the needs of those attending, and I use dance, yoga, and fitness in a unique way to get my message across. If you want me to bring this message to your community in any way, reach out, and I would love to help. For me, it is an honor and a privilege to be able to help others and make a difference, no matter how small. I am humbled and gratified when an old student reaches out to thank me and tell me that I taught them as a child, and that something I said or did made an impact in their lives. Such an impact that now, over a decade later, as adults, they have taken the trouble to search and find me on different social media platforms, just to say thank you. This is powerful. It has motivated me to write this book. You can make an impact like this too. I invite you to be a part of this movement. Make a positive change in the lives of our children, our families, and in our communities; and in doing so, you can create a ripple effect. Help me to spread the concept of physical literacy with a focus on family, fun, and fitness. Together, we can make a difference.

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“No one can help everyone. But you have the power to help someone.” – Renita Lobo (award-winning author, influencer, fitness coach)

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GIVE ME A SUPER U HIGH FIVE! If you’ve reached this page by really following the book step by step, and not just flicking through, you deserve another high five! Slap your hand on the image of mine below, and give me a big “super U high five!” It’s my honor to congratulate you for finishing this book and starting the life of a Power Play Champion!

“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is to celebrate.” – Oprah Winfrey (media executive, talk show host, philanthropist) 120

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The book’s done! Woohoo! As I sit sipping my celebratory cup of tea, I reflect on how I got to this point and who I need to thank. For me, gratitude has its roots in memories that end up getting stored in your heart rather than your mind. I am truly thankful for all the people in my life who in their own way have contributed to the fun, laughs, and good times, teaching me a treasure trove of life lessons along the way, supporting me when I was weak, carrying me when I couldn’t “stand,” believing in me, and egging me on even when I wanted to give up. By God’s grace, my list is endless. This book is the product of an amazing, active, and fun childhood that went hand in hand with me learning how to recover from a life altering accident. I was truly raised and am still supported by an ever growing global village. My adult professional and personal life merges together, every experience adding up to make me the person I am today. I’m taking this time to appreciate the part my family and friends have played in the roller coaster ride that defines my life. I apologize in advance for the length of this section...actually no, not really!! LOL! I have much to be thankful for, and am going to give credit where credit is due. The acknowledgements are not in order of importance, but more with how my special people fit into my life story. A few names appear earlier than they’re supposed to, due to their association with someone who helped “little” me, and stuck around to help “big” me too! A 121

Get vital bonuses at ... few are now looking down on me and continuing to help me from heaven. I make no distinction, as it doesn’t make a difference where you are. I still feel you have helped and are still helping me. “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” – William Arthur Ward (inspirational writer) Thank you God, for all you have done and are doing in my life. For the blessing of so many loving and supportive friends and family, for giving me the talent of dance, flexibility, the strength of will to rise up every time I fall, and the limitless chances to share my skills and talents to help others.

MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY Of course, I’m breaking my chronological attempt from the very start! I gotta say a big “thank you” to my kiddos, Deren and Dana, who’ve played an active part in contributing to the book. I cherish the workouts we have together, which have brought this book alive. Your understanding and support of me as I have written this book has gone beyond all expectations. Papa Derrick and Mimi Myrtle, you are my favorite parents! Without you, I wouldn’t be here today... literally. I know that no “parent manual” could have ever prepared you for the challenges I came with as a child or now. Thank you for allowing me to be me and kick starting my current career at an early age. You’ve been my primary inspiration and still are. Papa, thank you for being my first fitness coach and jumping

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com every time I told you there was a tiger on your back!! Mimi, thank you for staying by my side for every hospital trip, for being my first dance teacher, and laughing at all my crazy pranks. Alina, my “little” sister, we’re opposites in almost everything, but so close that I get you, even if I don’t always agree!! Thank you for being my roommate, playmate, tolerating my idiosyncrasies, and being there when I hit my lows—the list goes on. Vincent, “my 5-year-old birthday gift,” thank you for your part in saving my life. I loved watching cartoons with you and laughing heartily at the smallest jokes, even as adults. I have such fond memories of us playing badminton, including the time you gave me my first black eye, even though I was your doubles partner! Chetan, you are the big brother I always wanted. I am grateful to Alina for bringing you into my life. You reach out the second you think I need it. I hope I am there for you as much as you have been for me. Bhavani, your support in my Bollywood dance career has meant a lot to me. Thanks for coming to my performances and rooting for me. Ria, Shyla, Tania, Trisha, and Nathan, my darling nieces and nephew. Thank you for playing with me and for being such sports in my yoga and dance classes. Our online dance parties are so much fun!

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Get vital bonuses at ... Pepe, Bimbo, and Zorro, you 3 were perfect best friends, even though you were dogs! Your never-ending slurpy kisses and unconditional love could never be repaid, even with limitless treats! “Family is the life jacket in the stormy sea of life.” – J.K. Rowling (British author)

MY CANADIAN FAMILY I grew up with you in India and had countless fun times there, but nothing prepared me for the overwhelming love and support you have showered on me since I chose to move to Canada. Aunty Liz, thank you for being my inspiration in women’s fitness as a child, and my Canadian mother. You were there for me in every way possible when I first came here. Thank you for agreeing to be one of my first students in my career as a yoga instructor, and for joining in for my dance and fitness classes. Michelle, my confidante, my friend, my cousin, I miss you every single day. Who I am today has a lot to do with your constant encouragement. You never let me give up. For years, you hounded me to write a book, and now, I’ve finally done it. You were my first Canadian personal training client. While I wish God hadn’t chosen to make you an angel so soon, I feel blessed to have had the time I had with you.

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com Gareth, you have dropped everything to rush to my aid a million times. I remember once when I missed the bus for my class, 45 minutes away, and you jumped into your half washed still soapy car and sped me there so that I could be professionally on time! Rain or shine, you’re always there to help me set up my tent when we camp, or in any emergency! Thank you. Gavin, you gave me a roof over my head when I first came to Canada. I loved our fun online chats on several simultaneous platforms! The hikes, bike rides, and chill times are treasured memories that are ongoing till today. Dean, you are one of my childhood friends who would have been family even if you hadn’t married Michelle. Thank you for being my go-to and shoulder to cry on through some of the toughest times in my life. My fun dance partner with whom I won my first dance competitions! Savina, thanks for being my first fitness model to help me do my first promotions, and agreeing to be my student when I certified as a group fitness instructor. You have dropped me to my classes any number of times. You are always thinking of how you can help, without me even having to ask. Marilyn, being chosen as your bridesmaid meant the world to me. Thank you for opening your home to my family, especially when a fire destroyed ours and we had nowhere to go. I love coming to your parties. They rock! Aiden, Evan, Lucas, Danica, and Janelle, you are such an amazing bunch. Thank you for sitting through my yoga stories,

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Get vital bonuses at ... jumping around at my party dance/fitness sessions, and running after my super big bubbles! Hanging out with you is a blast! Uncle Walter, I fondly remember the weekly visits and many holidays we spent together over the years. Thank you for being my Godfather. “We must stop and thank the people who made a difference in our lives.” – John F. Kennedy (35th United States president)

MY CHARLES FAMILY FRIENDS Growing up, life seemed empty if we didn’t meet for a week. You were the reason Friday evenings and Sunday church were so much fun. My first bike rides, hikes, and sport activities were with you. Uncle John, you treat me like one of your own. I loved your welcoming hugs as you said, “Hi, my LLLLenita,” when I visited. My first soccer hero, you taught me to enjoy life and loved to laugh, and did so till tears came to your eyes. Thank you for defending me against the monkeys who wanted my flowers! Aunty Elaine, your food was the yummiest ever! I loved spending the day in your house. Thank you for taking the time to keep in touch with me on a personal level. Rowena, my dear friend, we have had so much fun growing up together. The plans we made and the games we played stay with

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com me till today. (This book is also about making a plan and having fun following it!) Michelle, you were my kindred spirit, always by my side when inventing new games and conducting fun “expeditions” with as many children as we could enlist. Conal, your musical talent blows me away. You’re my inspiration for standing up for yourself and sticking to your beliefs no matter what. Thanks for your pep talk and support through the tough time in my life. Kenny, Richard, Nathaniel, Aaron, Alisha, Keenan, and Jared, thanks for caring for 5 of the dearest people in my life!

MY LOBO/GHOSH COUSINS Aunty Denise, my godmother, I’m thankful you take your role very seriously! I truly appreciate the effort you take to stay connected even though we live miles apart. I cherish your almost daily texts, motivations, and calls. Aunty Barbara, you played a major part in saving my life, and came to see me daily when I was in hospital. I can also still remember your advice that I should always have a red or pink umbrella as it complimented me! Uncle Debu, thank you for being such a cool uncle. Chatting with you is fun and inspirational at the same time. You are so wise.

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Get vital bonuses at ... Monisha, Bidisha, and Anisha, you are my big sisters, who I look up to and respect. You are so easy to talk to, and once we start, there seems to be no stopping the camaraderie! I am looking forward to chilling with Vivaan and Sandip. Grandpa Gerson, Grandma Ruby, and Uncle Vincent, thank you for watching over me and being here in spirit. “I sustain myself with the love of family.” – Maya Angelou (American poet)

MY PEREIRA COUSINS Aunty Hilda, Uncle Colin, Irving, Janine, Ron, Sydney, Mackenzie, Cameron, Aunty Terry, Uncle Herbert, Andrea, Vanessa, Arthur, Nikita, Milton, Nikhil, and Nicole. Though you are spread all over the world, you are family and still a part of me. Thank you for your hospitality, jokes, support, and ongoing super fun times. Grandpa Theo and Grandma Lavy, your constant guidance is so appreciated.

MY D’SOUZA HOLIDAY COUSINS Uncle Cajie, Aunty Phyllis, Mira, Franko, Tina, Lyla, Sanjiv, and Bouncer, you were my super “big” cousins who still made time to chill and play with me. You opened up your home and your hearts to me, and I soooo looked forward to having

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com sleepovers and visiting you. We loved the “airplane park” you took us to. It was the best time ever and felt like a holiday every time. Later, even though your family grew, I still felt a part of it. Oscar, Pria, Joe, Kevin, Neil, Nicole, Allannah, Naquita, Malaika, Kristen, and Josh, thanks for continuing to include me in so many rollicking times. Joe, your family and friends welcomed me into the fold too. Thank you Uncle Alf, Aunty Phyllis, Noella, Maria, Paul, Pierre, Winston, and Sunita for so many fun times and terrace parties. Sanjiv, Sharmila, Tara-Anne, and Alisha, you have been my rock in times of need. Sanjiv, thank you for the numerous hospital visits and being brave enough to give me driving lessons! Sharmila, I’m ever grateful to your never-ending generosity. Tara-Anne and Alisha, you are now the big cousins with whom my kids love watching movies and playing fun games.

MY EXTENDED D’SOUZA CLAN You may or may not have the D’souza name anymore, but you are part of my amazing family. I have very fond memories of great times with each and every one of you, which have contributed to the person I am today. Our chat group is one of the most amazing groups ever, and I thank you for being on it and making it what it is. There are a few of you who have played a bigger role in my life. Even though I am just calling you out by name, please know that it is because I have a treasured memory and appreciate you. Iggy, Diana, Gillian, Cynthia,

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Get vital bonuses at ... Denzil, Nigel, Ritu, Marie, Henry, Carolyn, Iggy, Aaron, Joanna, Lillian, Egbert, Andrea, Kirit, Glenn, Sherry, Vally, Lorna, Lorraine, Zoe, Raynor, Tony, Gerard, Mani, Ashley, Lester, Avy, Ruth, Leisha, Savio, Edlyn, Vivienne, Carlos, Lisa, Irving, Cherise, Yorrick, Heather, Ryan, Darryn, Jason, Jordon, Sharyon, Myron, Shannon, Dustin, Wilson, Alina, Sharon, Fiona, Wifred, Marise, Natasha, Tamara, Melaney, Walter, Melrick, Dolores, Minella, Marilou, Marise, Rachel, Cissy, Tinny, Sheryl, Colin, Mary-Anne, Moez, Melissa, Michelle, and Marlene. “Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.” – Eleanor Roosevelt (former first lady of the United States)

SCHOOL TEACHERS Miss Athayde, thank you for teaching me how to sing on stage and for letting me be a part of Sylvia’s Saturday Set. Miss Hallegua, credit in my confidence for English writing goes to you. You believed in me and encouraged me. Mr Nepali, thank you for choosing to train me in gymnastics. I didn’t come to you. You saw me experimenting with gym apparatus and asked to train me. Little did I know at the time how very valuable your coaching would be in shaping my life.

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com MY CHILDHOOD FRIENDS Meena, you were one of my best friends growing up. What pranks we played! I remember us quietly turning off the TV with our “hidden” remote just for fun!!! No one could figure it out!! I loved running and playing basketball with you. Thank you for keeping this friendship going. The memory of your suji still makes my mouth water! I loved chatting with your mum, Kanti, too. The sound of her laugh still rings in my ears and makes me smile. Shalini, Hanael, Kurt, and Zolan, you were the reason I looked forward to summer vacations! The never-ending bike rides, playing soccer, tag, and countless other outdoor and indoor games, contributed to my love of sports today.

MY COLLEGE FRIENDS Jessica, Gauri, Dilnaz, Meherangiz, Benaifer, Danby, Lyndon, Denzil, Samira, Cheryl, Newton, and Sandra, special thanks goes to you. My college days were a huge transitional stage in my life. This was when I finally started believing in myself and that I could make a difference. Whether it was under the arches, in the canteen, away in Khandala, or any other place, I thank every single one of you who helped me in my transformation.

FAMILY FRIENDS Uncle Colin, Aunty Neena, Monica, Deepika, Uncle Julius, Aunty Jean, Paul, Lynn, Janis, Aunty Phil, Uncle Greg Andrew, Patricia, Bernice, Joe, Sonia, Adrian, and Aunty Audrey, thank

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Get vital bonuses at ... you for all the fun times and learning experiences from rollicking meetups , jumping off running trains, playing “dark room,” and my first “no-parent” parties.

MY FIRST STAGE FRIENDS We were young teenagers and asked to volunteer and perform for church and other events. It was so much fun that we did it again and again! Thank you each and every one for the amazing times we had choreographing, rehearsing, performing, and bonding. This gave me the experience and the confidence to move forward and become a professional performing artist. Some of you are here by association, and because you are connected in some way to my friends from this group. Thank you Bryce, Kornelia, Savio, Anna, Allwyn, Cabrino, Francis, Mariola, Dominic, Vijay, Steven, Lora, Darryl, Priya, Tyrone, Benno, Max, Harold, Laila, Leona, Joanne, Geraldine, Natasha, Nisha, Tania, Ayesha, Barry, Diego, Gitanjali, Christophe, Cajie, Rohan, Judy, Anisha, Sunjeev, Genevieve, Trevor, Monisha, Paul, and Jaqueline.

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.’” – C.S. Lewis (British writer, lay theologian)

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com MY LIFE SAVERS Dr. Barbara Ghosh, Dr. F. Soonawalla, Father A.V. D’souza, the staff of Ashvini Hospital, and the staff of Trillium Hospital, because of you I’m alive and able to do what I do today. I thank you for your dedication to helping me.

MY PROFESSIONAL INSPIRATIONS Quentin, you were my writing mentor. You were brilliant and full of life. You had so much patience when you coached me, and knew just how to guide and inspire me when I was ready to give up. I loved our brainstorming and training sessions. Your belief in my abilities gave me the confidence to work hard and actually get results. The Shiamak Group My 18-year association with the Shiamak group was truly a journey of discovery and self-realization from start to finish. I was honored to work with and learn from each and every one of you in some capacity or another. Since I left the group over 15 years ago, many of you have moved on too, and personal life experiences have led you in different directions. I’m mentioning you here, as part of this group, as this was where I got to know you first. This is where you taught me how to work really hard and still have fun! I found many soul mates and forged lifelong friendships. To all of you who are still in my life, I am so honored to be someone you chose to hang on to!! Shiamak, thank you for introducing me to the world of professional dance, believing in me, and pushing me to

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Get vital bonuses at ... constantly discover potential and latent talent in areas I didn’t know I had! You gave me the foundation on which I was able to keep building and growing to who I am today. (When my friends still catch me “voguing,” I think of you!) If you were my friend in this group, you helped me on my journey to this point, and I sincerely thank you. Margarett, Ira, Smita, Samanta, Jimmy, Aneesha, Tarana, Tina, Anjali, Dilshad, Aparajita, Henry, Sheahan, Aaron, Mehnaz, Arnavaz, Percy, Hermann, Akash, Vijay, Gautam, Anosh, Bhavesh, Rajesh, Shiraz, Lester, Nadina, Rhea, Ketan, Fali, Mukesh, Vishal, Vrrajesh, Mrudang, Ssmilly, Heena, Suresh, Nazim, Sheldon, Evelyn, Roopa, Pravin, Vrinda, Priyanka, Terence, Dinyar, Karen, Deeba, Marischa, Malavika, Mehernaaz, Glen, Suragini, Mitul, Gauri, Anjali, Natasha, Diya, Roshni, Rupa, Manish, Sumit, Shruti, Rohan, Abhishek, Jyoti, Mahzi, Farzana, Genie, Atul, Alene, Sita, Priya, Meenakshi, Nakul, Mitali, Shakun, Rajiv, Shanti, Vishay, Mona, Roosevelt, Dwayne, Bala, Veera, Marzi, Kashmira, Tehmina, Yashwant, Ramakant, Dayanand, Salim, Steven, Salien and Manoj, thank you for taking more time out than others in the group to help, laugh, and/or chill with me, teaching me super big life lessons on stage and off. Midnight pranks, coffee shop capers, and sequin (tikkli) sticking meetups were all a part and parcel of an unforgettable experience.

Bollywood Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Sharukh Khan, and Shahid Kapoor, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to work with you in person, on stage, and/or in movies. 134

www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com Goodlife Fitness David Patchell Evans, you were my first Canadian inspiration in fitness. Being a part of Goodlife Fitness changed my life. You motivated me to believe in my dream, work hard to achieve it, and that happiness was a choice no matter what happens in your life. Silken Lauman, your book, Child’s Play, inspired me to start training children in fitness as well as dance and yoga. My team at Goodlife was amazing! A group of super talented women who inspired and helped each other: Catherine, Ellie, Krista, Ashley, Barbara, Shelley, Edyta, Emily, Kyla, Maria, Delesah, Ritu, Sarah, and Taryn. Thank you for the support in hard times, and for the fun in the good times. “The delicate art of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves.” – Steven Spielberg (American film director, founding pioneer of the new Hollywood era)

Current Mentors Raymond Aaron, I am deeply thankful that our paths crossed. Thanks for being an invaluable source of inspiration and so ready to share your wisdom with me, to help me be the best version of myself. It’s mind boggling how much I learn every time we meet.

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Get vital bonuses at ... Liz, Mikee, Andrew, Chinmai, Christina, Jodie, Naval, and all of you on the Raymond team, thanks for being encouraging and supportive in my book writing adventure. I would be lost without your guidance. Tony Robbins, Dean Graziosi, Brian Tracy, Jack Canfield, Russel Brunson, Jenna Kutcher, Brendon Burchard, Danny Iny, Abe Crystal and Jamie Kern Lima thank you for being the voice in my ear when working, driving, jogging or just need motivation! Your insights help me stay on track and be focused even when life is off balance. Ernestine Shepherd, it was an honor being on stage with you. My children still talk about meeting the oldest professional bodybuilder in the world! Thank you for being such an inspiration to the world, my kids, and myself. Trevorlyn Menezes, thank you for believing in me, promoting me, and helping me move forward and grow. Your advice has helped me make important decisions in my business.

TV Shows That Have Driven Me The shows that have helped motivate, inspire, and guide me with ideas, helping me move forward, are Breakfast Television, The Marilyn Denis Show, CP24, and CBC. Talk show hosts who have motivated me are Oprah, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, Samantha Bee, and Lilly Singh.

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com My Students and Clients, Past and Present If you are a student/client of mine, or have been in the past, I thank you for giving me the privilege to share my knowledge with you and let me help you. A teacher can’t teach if no one wants to learn!

MY BUILDING BRIDGES GROUP My dear friends from the Building Bridges group, you came into my life at a transformational point, and I wouldn’t be doing any of the things I am without you. You have helped change my life in more ways than one. I thank you for your part in making this an amazing team. A special shout out to Melissa, Liza, Felicia, Paramita, Ritu, Roccio, Elena, Beverly, Anita, Taqdees, Oby, Tayyeba, Edyta, Dina, Patience, Hilary, Novellete, Unathi, Keisha, Nargis, and Karima.

CHURCH GROUP Father Mario, thank you for the weekly motivational talks that I have grown to love and look forward to. Madge, Gladys, and Natalie, thanks for your support. You’ve cheered me on for years now, and I truly appreciate it.

THE LUIS FAMILY Derek, Francis, Vicky, Diana, and Albert, thank you for teaching me how to thrive. You gave me the strength to keep believing in myself and the truth when it was being twisted by

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Get vital bonuses at ... others to bring me down. Thanks to you, I have learnt that another person’s lies and misrepresented half-truths will not change reality. They can’t define me if I don’t let them. You taught me that for every person who walks away believing the lies, double the number will walk with me and stand up for me as they see the truth.

MY NOW The last 2 years have marked yet another transformation in my life. It has been a time filled with rediscovering, reinventing, and forging new paths when the old led to a dead end. This time was a blessing in disguise, because when I was at my lowest and I looked up, I realized that I had been blessed with personal champions—amazing superstars who had faith in me when I didn’t know how to move forward on my own. They encouraged, pushed, and guided me to this point, constantly reaching out with calls, emails, or inspirational texts. “Lots of people want to drive with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.” – Oprah Winfrey (media executive, talk show host, philanthropist)

Margarett, Steve, Abi’el, Barbara, Candice, Liza, Alysha, Raphael, Regan, Elaine, Lester, Joey, David, Rupa, Manish, Nitara, Samvith, Jeina, Diya, Jimmy, Ira, Ariyana, Amaya, Darius, Stan, Phila, Freda, Beryl, Percy, Ritu, Paramita, Felicia,

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www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com Uncle Malcom, Aunty Phina, Uncle Edmond, Darryl, Priya, Brenda, Dudley, and Alison, thank you for showering me with your love and support. Aunty Neri, Aunty Norma, Rex, Marie, Peter, Chong, Wendy, Ashley, Judy, Randolph, Aubrey, Ryan, and Uncle Leslie, I am also thankful for you who are there on the sidelines, who I know will help me if I ever need it.

My Canadian Lobo Cousins Francesca, Jennifer, Melanie, Val, Peter, Yvette, Celine, Nisha, Frank, Xavia, Cashmira, Kyle, Dianne, Avery, Sloane, Alicia, Claire, Katrina, Peter, Ann Marie, Sophia, Madelyn, Grace, and Elise, I am so grateful to have you in my life. From cottage time to Easter lunches, your warmth and hospitality makes every visit fun and memorable. I’m looking forward to many more!

The Crew Zara, Aaron, Faye, Stian, Erik, Deren, and Dana, thank you for being the performing dance members of our crew! Your dedication to rehearsal and zest for performing is awesome. Joshua, Austen, Alijah, and Amaya, thank you for bringing jokes and laughter to every single get together. Sonja, Tom, Alfred, Helen, Amrita, Andrew, Keith, Savita, and Jade, you have stuck around through thick and thin, crazy waterslides, soccer training, dance classes, and fun parties included! As a crew, you are the best!! 139

Get vital bonuses at ... The Boys and Girls Club of Peel Thank you for the fun field trips, hockey and baseball tickets, and memorable meetups. I would specially like to thank Nikki, Jasmin, and Hira for being such enterprising facilitators. My Facebook Friends and Instagram Followers I thank you for taking the time to read, like, love, and comment on my posts, and for keeping in touch. Your support helps keep me going. You I’m sure you thought I had forgotten about you! Surprise, I didn’t! You play a very important part in my life. I now thank you! If you know me, and I haven’t thanked you earlier, I sincerely thank you now. Thank you for being a part of my becoming. If you don’t know me, I thank you for being present in this book. Not only did you read and follow the whole book, but you also made it through my long list of acknowledgements! Thank you for being dedicated to improving your fitness and that of your family. You are a champion! “When all the dust is settled and all the crowds are gone, the things that matter are faith, family, and friends.” – Barbara Bush (former first lady of the United States) 140

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ABOUT RENITA LOBO Renita Lobo was born twice. An award-winning author, influencer and the founder of super U fitness (guess you got this by now...LOL), Renita is an accomplished trainer with over 25 years of experience in fitness. She has successfully taught dance, yoga, and fitness internationally to thousands of students, from 12 months to 84 years, and has been repeatedly seen on stage with superstars, and on film in multiple Bollywood movies. When she is not coaching, Renita loves choosing fun places to be active in. Dancing on the Great Wall of China, horseback riding around the pyramids of Egypt, sky diving in the foothills of the Himalayas, and practicing yoga on the beaches of Hawaii are some of her cherished memories. After immigrating from Mumbai, India, to Mississauga, Canada, Renita is happiest working out, hiking, biking, and camping with her 2 children. You will often see her yelling her lungs out on crazy rides at Wonderland, having cozy family picnics along the lakeshore, or laughing with other parents outside her kids’ after school classes. But it wasn’t always like this. A near fatal accident left her bedridden, and she wasn’t expected to completely recover. Waking up in the hospital ICU was like being born again, but the incident had devastated Renita. She was depressed, lacked confidence, and completely withdrew from the world. Life was a struggle physically, mentally, and emotionally.

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Get vital bonuses at ... Renita has now decided to dedicate her life to teaching you and your family fun ways to get fit and stay active. Interested? Renita would love to help you on your fitness journey. She conducts global online one-on-one and group training sessions for all age groups, and in-person coaching sessions and presentations too. Below are a few of the customizable ways she can help you either virtually or in person. •

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Power Play Rookie Super Launcher – an instructional video, with visual demonstrations and explanations to give you that additional knowledge and support you need to launch your Power Play family workout successfully. Power Play Winner’s Super Sessions – an intensive training course to help you and your family master the Power Play Program. Exclusive membership to The Power Play Champion Super Circle – a mentoring program to help ensure success for you and your family as you get fit together using the Power Play Program. Super U Fit Kids – daycare and school fitness dance and yoga classes for your children – lunch and after school classes available. Super U Family Coaching – personal training for you and your family. Super U Training – personalized one on one adult or child dance/fitness/yoga classes, at home, at your work, or for special occasions. This can be in person or virtual. Super U Club Classes – group/buddy coaching classes dance/fitness/yoga classes for small or large groups, at home, at your work, or for special occasions. This can be in person or virtual. 142

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Multiple online courses – to help support your different fitness goals. Fitness motivational keynote speaker/presenter – at an event of your choice.

For more information, you can get in touch and stay connected with her in many ways. The book website and contact page – www.powerplaythesuperufitnessway.com Email – [email protected] Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/superufitness/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/superufitness LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/in/renita-lobo-superufitness You can, of course, just Google “Renita Lobo superUfitness,” and links to her and her website will magically pop up on your screen! Go ahead, try it! Didn’t work?? Uh oh, check your spelling and try again! Renita is looking forward to you sharing your successes, and helping you with your challenges. She is your biggest cheerleader in your journey to become a Power Play Champion!

“You have the power to choose your own happy ending. Take charge. Take action and play along the way!” – Renita Lobo (award-winning author, influencer, fitness coach)

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