Our first Family Fitness Focus was Dancing, please use the above button to find out more. With the improving weather, take a look below for advice on Cycling.

Look out for our next Family Fitness Focus which will be Swimming.

As the weather improves and the nights become lighter, there has never been a better time to get on your bike and improve your fitness. Cycling is a popular form of exercise throughout the summer months and is a great way to experience the local countryside and the great outdoors. Why not spend the day cycling with the family and stop for a picnic?

If you haven't got a bike or cannot ride one, don't worry! Many local leisure centres have exercise bikes and cycle based classes like spinning or try the exercises below at home.

Cycling is a great way to exercise whilst enjoying fresh air. Cycling can also assist weight loss by burning energy (over 500 kcal per hour) and is accessible for all the family. Cycling can improve your mood and can be easily incorporated into your lifestyle, for example through cycling to work. Cycling can improve stamina and coordination as well as often providing faster way of getting from A to B in congested towns and cities! Cycling can also be a great way to exercise with friends and also to meet other people. To keep you motivated, why not try new routes to ensure that you incorporate some variety into your exercise routine. Cycling suits many lifestyles and can be easily incorporated into your exercise routine, however a protective cycling helmet is essential. 

Walking from one end of the room to another. Take bigger steps and gradually sink lower to the floor with the trailing knee progressively getting lower and lower. You should feel this on the front of the upper thighs as well as your breathing. If you do not have long rooms or much space just walk up and down the stairs (two steps at a time), after a little bit of a warm up. Take a break for every 5 times you go up and down to aid some muscular recovery. The muscles used in lunge walking or stairclimbing are fundamentally the same as those use on a bicycle.

TOP TIP: Find a local hill or incline. Walk up it then easy back down. Up it for a second time with a little bit more vigour, back down. Repeat this for 5 times then increase this number.

Recommended exercises: squats, lunges, calf raises, high knee raises.