Exercise may not be high on your priority list with the festivities of Halloween, but it may be easier to sneak in than you think. Check out the ideas below and incorporate them while you figure out your itinerary for the evening. Whether you’re welcoming trick-or-treaters to your door or taking the children in your life trick-or-treating, we hope you have a safe, happy and healthy Halloween!
Before trick-or-treating…
- Get in the spirit of evening—dance to your favorite Halloween-themed songs! Classic songs like the Monster Mash or Ghostbusters theme song are great options! For a complete family-friendly list, click here!
- Spend a few minutes warming up before you go outside. Warming up before you do any sort of physical activity is always a good idea to prep your muscles. If you know you and your kiddos will be out for a while, get the whole family moving for a few minutes before you leave. You know they’ll be running once they walk out the door!
While waiting for trick-or-treaters…
- Similar to the above, play some Halloween music and dance waiting for the doorbell to ring. Not only will this get you moving and having fun, but it’ll also excite the trick-or-treaters.
- Try these Halloween-themed moves in between doorbell rings:
- Monster walk – This is a good warm-up activity! Click here to learn how to do it.
- Spider lunge – Get your whole body moving with this unique way to perform lunges. Learn how to do them here.
- Creepy crawler – Work out your upper body with this exercise.
- Make a game of it! For every child dressed in a certain typw of costume, perform a specific exercise after giving them candy (after you close your door, of course!). Use the examples below or create your own ideas. Modify the number of reps according to your fitness level.
- For every child dressed as a superhero, do 5 Superman sit-ups and 5 Spider-man planks.
- For every child dressed as a princess, do 10 flutter kicks.
- For every child dressed as a skeleton, witch, ghost, pumpkin or any other traditional Halloween costume, do 5 mountain climbers.
- For every child dressed as an animal, do 5 Cobras.
- Don’t sit down. Avoid the temptation of watching TV or sitting down while waiting for trick-or-treaters. Stay up and moving around your house!
- Do the seven-minute workout! Find yourself with a lull in activity? Seven minutes is all you need for a quick full-body workout that gets your heart pumping and utilizes most of your major muscle groups. Learn more here.
While out trick-or-treating…
- Map out your route. Get out early and do a dry run of your trick-or-treating trail. Then start at the beginning for the real deal.
- Walk all the way up to the house with your child rather than stopping at the sidewalk or end of the driveway and watching them to the door. This is not only a fitness tip, but also a great Halloween safety tip!
- Pick up the pace. Walk at a slightly faster pace than you normally would. Swing your arms and your feet will follow!
- Have mini races. Race your kids up each driveway. This will also help your kids get some exercise.
- Load ’em up. If you have a wagon meant to pull your kids around, bring it with you, even if your kids are adamant about walking. They will probably end up wanting a break and you’ll get to use your muscles.
- Take turns sprinting. If you, your spouse or partner, or other responsible adult take the kids out together, take turns sprinting ahead for 10-15 seconds, then back to the group.
As always, be sure to consult with your doctor before starting any new exercises.
