Austin Youth Fitness!
  • About Us
    • YouTube Page
    • Photos & Testimonials
    • Meet Our Coaches
    • Athlete of the Month >
      • 2021 Athlete of the Month
      • 2014 Athlete of the Month
      • 2015 Athlete of the Month
      • 2016 Athlete of the Month
      • 2017 Athlete of the Month
      • 2018 Athlete of the Month
      • 2019 Athlete of the Month
      • 2020 Athlete of the Month
    • Personal Training >
      • Mobile Fitness 2-U
  • Camps
  • Parties
  • Spring 2021 Groups

New Games & Activities

Welcome Austin Youth Fitness Coaches! This page is devoted to awesome games, new activities and great ideas to help make each of your AYF sessions FUN, FRESH and FITNESS-ORIENTED! Each category (Form, Agility and Strength, and Games) will be updated as new ideas are discovered! Never hesitate to share an idea with Larry so we can all see it on this page.

AYF Rain Policy
Our goal is to meet for running and biking group on most days without canceling. Most campuses have locations we can move inside to if there is rain, but I will make that known to you if that is needed. 

If there's a light rain without thunder or lightning, then you can continue outside, but stay close to a building you can seek shelter if needed. If you can see lightning, flee, take shelter. If you can hear it (thunder), clear it (suspend activities)."

When you first see lightning or hear thunder, suspend activities and go to shelter. A metal vehicle or a substantial building is a safe place. Wait until 30 minutes after the last observed lightning or thunder before resuming activities.

If groups needs to be canceled, please contact me and also try to text as many parents from your roster as possible.

Cold Weather Policy
Outdoor time for children has many benefits. Fresh air in a large space contains fewer germs than indoor space regardless of the temperature. Outdoor play provides for greater freedom and flexibility, fuller expression through loud talk, and a greater range of active movement.

Outdoor play also extends opportunities for large and small muscle development, as well as for social and emotional development, by offering variety, challenge and complexity in ways that are not attainable in a confined indoor space.

Please emphasize to staff and families that people do not catch a cold from being outside on a cold day. This is a longstanding myth. To catch a cold, students or staff would need to be exposed to a cold virus—something that is more probable inside a contained area (such as inside a classroom).

Cold air alone does not bring on an illness.

During inclement weather, students participate in indoor physical activities during the required W.O.W. time and may have a choice of indoor activities during recess time. All students will participate in recess unless they have exceptions provided through a medical professional statement, an ARD or a 504 plan.

AISD Recess Policy
When properly clothed, elementary school‐aged children can participate in safe, vigorous play in an outdoor environment in most weather conditions. Increased caution should be practiced when temperatures reach below 40 degrees, including the wind chill factor.

* Remind families to dress children with appropriate clothing for them to go outside; dress for the outside rather than the inside. Dressing for the outside weather is also important should the students be evacuated outside the building in the case of an emergency.
* Temperature considerations and proper clothing are as follows:
o Below 60 degrees: jacket or long sleeves recommended
o Below 50 degrees: coat and long pants recommended
o Below 40 degrees: gloves and hats with long pants and coat are necessary
* Schools should honor reasonable requests from families that a student be allowed to stay indoors. Requests based on health reasons must be honored.

* Asthmatic children, in particular, may need special accommodation of their needs during cold weather. The family and school must work to determine when the child should not participate in outdoor activities because of health concerns.

Temperature Guidelines:
Wind Chill Factor 35 to 38 degrees (dry weather):
* 45 minutes of total exposure to chill factor
* 15 minutes inside for re‐warming
* Students must be in appropriate clothing with extremities covered
Wind Chill Factor 31 to 34 degrees (dry weather):
* 30 minutes of total exposure to chill factor
* 15 minutes inside for re‐warming
* Jackets/coats must be worn at all times, extremities covered
Wind Chill Factor of Below 30 degrees:
* No outside activity
Reference http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/cold/wind_chill.shtml

Heat exhaustion symptoms include:
  • Feeling faint or dizzy
  • Excessive sweating
  • Cool, pale, clammy skin
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Rapid, weak pulse
  • Muscle cramps 
If you experience any of these symptoms, get to a cool place, drink water, take a cool shower or apply cold compresses.
Heat stroke symptoms include:
  • Throbbing headache
  • No sweating
  • Body temperature above 103 degrees
  • Red, hot, dry skin
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Rapid, strong pulse
  • May lose consciousness
If you recognize any of these symptoms in yourself or someone else, call 911 immediately and take steps to cool down until help arrives.
Keep yourself and your loved ones healthy by practicing these preventative measures: 
  • Keep yourself, your family and your pets well hydrated.
  • Stay out of the sun whenever possible.
  • Check on neighbors who may need extra assistance in the hot weather. 
  • Look before you lock—don’t leave children or pets unattended in vehicles.
For additional information, please review the Center for Disease Control’s Heat Stress Information and download their HeatApp.

​

FORM
  • Potato Chip Run: This is a great way to highlight hand form while running. Bring something for the kids to hold in their hands while running - but make it something that can't be squished! (Pringles, grapes, even a dried leaf!) Runners will hold their hands loose and open in order to prevent the item from squishing in their hands! 
  • Exaggerated Form: Sometimes it's easier for kids to see what doesn't work for running form before they can see what does! For example, have kids run lightly in place. Point out that they are probably running on the balls of their feet. Then have them run in place but on their heels! The difference will be clear. Other examples: arms flailing side to side, head down, slumped shoulders.

AGILITY AND STRENGTH
  • Obstacle Course: This is a great way to have fun while strengthening more than just legs! Use the playground or set up an obstacle course that requires use of the whole body. Equipment like jump ropes can be used if a playground isn't available. 
  • Chalk Squares/Agility Ladder: Make squares using chalk (if available) or ropes (if on grass). Have runners do different activities in and out of the squares. For example, have one square be the hopping on one foot square, 
  • Partner/Strength Chase: Partner up the runners, then arrange them in a large square. The partners will be switching off during this drill: while one partner runs two laps around the perimeter of the square, the other partner will be doing a strength exercise, such as plank, push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, squats, etc.
  • Negative Splits/Pacing: Runners will start out with a slow lap around the track. Next lap will be slightly faster, then faster on the third lap. See how long they can keep up the "negative split" on the track. Great way to explain pacing and "not going all out in the first 5 minutes"!

GAMES:
  • Trees and Wizards:  This game is similar to Sharks and Minnows. Runners start in a line at one end of the field with one "wizard" in the middle as the tagger. Each runner who is tagged becomes a "tree" and must stay put in the place she was tagged. She now is able to tag other runners, but is only able to move by shuffling side to side. The required movements of the trees can be different each time, for example, changing the side-shuffling to hopping on one foot or skipping in order to tag others.
  • Run Rabbit Run: A great game of never-ending chase! Two teams are made and runners start around a perimeter. One "rabbit" from each team takes off around the perimeter. All the other rabbits chase the first two rabbits as they all run around the same perimeter. Each time a rabbit from one team passes a rabbit from the other team, a point is won for the faster rabbit's team. 
  • Pirate Treasure: This game uses a small perimeter (like a hula hoop) to hold "treasure" (bean bags). Two teams race against each other to collect the most treasure at the feet of the coach. 
  • Dragon's Tail (Dragon Slayer): There are two ways to play this game! First way: each runner has a "tail" or handkerchief in his shorts. Runners begin running around, pulling tails. When a runner's tail is pulled, he must stop where he is and perform 10 jumping jacks (or other activity). He then may continue the game. Second way: There are two to four "slayers" who are responsible for pulling the tails of the runners. Whichever slayer ends up with the most tails wins!
  • Bean Bag Toss Tag: This will require everyone to have a partner and one bean bag to share with partner. They will stand 8 to 10 feet away from their partner. Let them know when you blow the whistle once, they need to start underhand tossing the bean bag back and forth. When they hear two whistles blown, they stop tossing. Whoever has the bean bag is the tagger and tries to go run and tag their partner only.  Once they tag their partner, they drop the bean bag on the floor by their partner, and now the partner is the tagger again. Keep going back and forth until they hear one whistle, and that's when they start tossing back and forth in place.  Can continue for many rounds.
  • Sharks and Minnows: Pick one kid to stand on the opposite line (they will be the shark. On you word, the minnows will try to run to the other line and avoid being tagged by the shark. The shark tries to tag as many minnows as they can. If a minnow is tagged, they turn into a shark for the next round.
  • Up/Down Tag: This is a great game involving lots of running! In this game, everyone is it. Runners are trying to tag anyone in the group.  If someone gets tagged, they have to take a knee on the ground. They are only free when the person who tagged them gets tagged and goes down on their knee. So when someone gets tagged, remind them to watch who tagged them so they know when they are freed! This is a great game to call lots of jail breaks so kids keep running and running! If there ever is a tie with tagging, then rock, paper, scissors will be used to break the tie.






Lesson Plans By Week

1st_week_running_plans_-_agenda__1_.pdf
File Size: 52 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


2nd_week_running_plans_-_agenda.pdf
File Size: 77 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


3rd_week_running_plans_-_agenda.pdf
File Size: 76 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


4th_week_running_plans_-_agenda.pdf
File Size: 77 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

v-day_scavenger_hunt.doc.pdf
File Size: 56 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


5th_week_running_plans_-_agenda.pdf
File Size: 75 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


6th_week_running_plans_-_agenda.pdf
File Size: 74 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


7th_week_running_plans_-_agenda__2_.pdf
File Size: 54 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


8th_week_running_plans_-_agenda__1_.pdf
File Size: 60 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


9th_week_running_plans_-_agenda__1_.pdf
File Size: 61 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


10th_week_running_plans_-_agenda__1_.pdf
File Size: 58 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


11th_week_running_plans_-_agenda__1_.pdf
File Size: 60 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


12th_week_running_plans_-_agenda.pdf
File Size: 75 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Running Group Questions - larry@austinyouthfitness.com
Biking Group Questions - Alli_Phillips@sbcglobal.net

512-537-9795
  • About Us
    • YouTube Page
    • Photos & Testimonials
    • Meet Our Coaches
    • Athlete of the Month >
      • 2021 Athlete of the Month
      • 2014 Athlete of the Month
      • 2015 Athlete of the Month
      • 2016 Athlete of the Month
      • 2017 Athlete of the Month
      • 2018 Athlete of the Month
      • 2019 Athlete of the Month
      • 2020 Athlete of the Month
    • Personal Training >
      • Mobile Fitness 2-U
  • Camps
  • Parties
  • Spring 2021 Groups