Kids spend far more time indoors performing sedentary activities than they did in the past, which is a contributing factor to the rise in childhood obesity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of obese children in the United States has tripled since the 1960s. An active lifestyle and regular exercise, including aerobic exercise and calisthenics, can help kids stay at a healthful weight and decrease their risk of obesity-related conditions, such as type 2 diabetes.
Bird-Dogs
Bird-dogs, also known as opposite arm and leg raises, strengthen the entire core, including the abdominal and lower back muscles. Because the movement isn’t overly challenging, it’s an ideal exercise for kids who are in the process of getting fit. Have your child get down on her hands and knees, so that her hands are aligned under her shoulders and her knees are under her hips. She should look at the floor just in front of her hands to keep her head in alignment with her spine. Instruct her to extend one leg straight back, at hip-height, while simultaneously reaching the opposite arm out, no higher than her shoulder. Have her alternate sides several times.
Crunch with Reach
Crunches strengthen the rectus abdominus, or the most superficial abdominal muscles. It’s important for your child to keep her shoulders relaxed during this exercise, which she can best achieve by reaching toward her knees with her hands, rather than interlacing her fingers and cradling her head. Have her lie on her back with her knees bent and her feet on the floor, about hip-width apart. Instruct her to pick her head up off the floor, bring her chin toward her chest, and reach her arms out at a 45-degree angle. For the crunch, she should lift her shoulders and upper ribcage off the floor while reaching her fingers toward her knees. She should return to the floor with control.
Crunch with Rotation
The crunch with a trunk rotation strengthens both the rectus abdominus and the oblique muscles. As with crunches, proper hand placement can help prevent strain through the shoulders and neck. Your child should start in the same position as a traditional crunch, lying on her back with her knees bent and her feet on the floor. Have her cross her arms over her chest, gently grasping each shoulder with the opposite hand. After lifting her head off the floor to get into position, she should curl her shoulders up to begin the crunch. As her ribcage lifts off the floor, have her rotate her trunk, bringing her shoulder toward her opposite knee. Alternate sides several times.
Modified Planks
Planks are an ideal abdominal exercise for kids because they strengthen leg, arm, and shoulder muscles simultaneously. Your child should start lying face-down on the floor, propping her upper body up on her forearms and tucking her toes into the floor. Her elbows should be under her shoulders, and she should fix her eyes on the floor in front of her, to prevent her head from dropping. Have her pull her belly button in to brace her lower back. Instruct her to press her upper body off the floor by pushing through her forearms. Her hips and thighs should also lift off the floor, while her knees and shins stay down. Tell her to hold it as long as she can, aiming for 30 seconds after practice.
References
- “Strong Kids Healthy Kids”; Fredrick Hahn; 2009
- “Strength Training For Young Athletes”; William J. Kraemer, PhD, et al.; 2005
- “Dr. Sears’ Lean Kids”; William Sears, et al.; 2003
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Childhood Obesity
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