Fittest Dad on the Block

Give yourself the gift of fitness this Father's Day with these tips from the pros.

by Kate Dailey for ExerciseTV

We celebrate all types of dads on Father's Day: tall dads, short dads, young dads, old dads, funny dads, serious dads, dads that can dance and dads with two left feet. But no matter what kind of dad you are, you'll live longer, feel better and increase your self-esteem by including regular exercise in your life. In turn, you'll be a better husband, father, and friend with an improved quality of life. So give yourself the gift of fitness this Father's Day with these tips from the pros.

THE WEEKEND WARRIOR

The Situation: You want to have it all: a jam-packed work week followed by an athletic Saturday and Sunday. But your type-A, all-or-nothing personality-along with the stop-and-start workout routines-can leave you injured (that's where the nothing part comes in). 

The Solution: Mini-Workouts

We're not talking about daily trips to the gym or a sweat-breaking series of pre-dawn calisthenics. There are moves you can fit into your already busy days. "In every aspect of your life you have the ability to stretch yourself in a way that will help with your weekend warrior activities," says Steve Maresca, an Exercise TV trainer. "If you're brushing your teeth, brush on one foot. Don't bend at the waist to pick up the kids' toys-bend at your knees," he said. Both of these small gestures will help improve your balance and your body awareness, keys to preventing injury. And before you start your weekend war, "get up 15 to 20 minutes earlier and stretch out," says Jake Steinfeld, the founder of Exercise TV. The basic stretches you learned in gym class will do the trick. "It may sound simple but that could save a hamstring, Achilles tendon, knee or lower back injury," he says.

THE COUCH POTATO

The Situation: You want to get fit, but between Netflix, the huge flat screen, and all the new HD programming, it's so darned hard to get off the couch! No one expects you to go from a channel-surfing lump to a big-wave surfing stud overnight, but there are small changes you can do to stay in shape (aside from cutting down on the snacks).

The Solution: The 90-second Workout

"You're not going to get people not to watch TV," says Steinfeld. "There's too much good stuff on." But that doesn't mean you can't burn calories. "During a commercial break, everyone gets down to do a pushup or a sit up," he says. Holding a lunge or a squat for a 30-second commercial will leave you feeling the burn when your favorite showreturns, switching up your body and keeping you from getting bored.

THE TECHNOLOGY FIEND

The Situation: BlackBerry? Got it. iPhone? Can't wait for the next generation. From Quicken to Twitter and Flickr to Facebook, your life is online-and your body is hunched over your super-cool MacBook Air. Combine that with the tiny, repetitive motions that accompany texting, gaming, and typing, and even a slim dad can end up with aches and pains.

The Solution: Posture Perfection

"TheNo. 1 thing computer fans have to consider is their posture at the keyboard," says Maresca. Slouching all day can leave you exhausted and sore, but you don't need an expensive ergonomic chair to sit straighter. "You constantly need to be aware of your body: Am I slouching over my keyboard? Is my shoulder over my hips, am I standing up tall?" says Maresca. Keep a reminder by your workstation, whether it's a sticky note on your monitor that says "POSTURE" or an hourly alarm on your cell phone.

When you work out, focus on the rhombus and medial muscles (the muscles in the center of your upper back. "Any type of rowing movement, whether that's on a machine or dumbbell bent over row," will help strengthen that area and make it easier and more comfortable to sit up straight, says Maresca. Superman moves will strengthen your lower back and prevent pain.

THE DAD-TO-BE

The Situation: In less than a year, your life will be totally different-and you won't want to miss a second of it. "You don't want to be standing on the sidelines," says Steinfeld. "The time goes by so fast." And since your baby momma is taking nine months to totally change her body (and make a new one) why shouldn't you do the same?

The Solution: Baby Boot Camp

"Holding that little one, even if it's 6 to 7 pounds, is going to put back stress on you," says Maresca, so even if you're in shape you'll feel the strain of constantly carting around a baby. Work on full-body movements, like a squat to press, to increase strength and flexibility. These moves also help you get in a good workout quickly-which will be important once the baby comes. "In doing so, you also create better blood flow, which means you're going to be more alert and have the capacity to do longer nights," says Maresca, who says that adding any movement onto a move, like spreading your fingers far apart when lunging, makes the heart pump harder, builds endurance, and gives you more energy.

THE ROLE MODEL

The Situation: You've put on a few pounds and want to firm up, mostly as an example for your kids, who are also looking a little heavy. How can you get them working out without making it feel like a chore?

The Solution: Make Exercise Fun

"I tell parents all the time that they lead by example," says Steinfeld, who's also chair of the California Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. "If you're watching four hours of TV, they'll watch four hours of TV. If you're eating the crummy stuff, they'll do the same." They'll follow your lead-if you start working out, they will too. And it's not just the muscles that will grow stronger. "When you can all get out and take a walk, you all start talking about how everyone's day is. There are so many ways to get in shape together that don't cost anything, but add value to the family."

You don't have to lead the way all the time. Following your children's example-goofing around with them on the jungle gym, joining them in a game of freeze tag-can help you burn calories as well. "I've had clients say, ´I know your workout is great, but I played with the kids for 45 minutes and I'm sorer than I've ever been,'" says Maresca.