Teach your child the importance of fitness when he's young to help him stay healthy throughout his life. Encourage your child to get an hour of physical activity every day. However, she doesn't need to exercise for one continuous hour; small bouts that add up to 60 minutes are acceptable. Design a well-rounded routine that includes head-to-toe exercises for kids.
Strength Training
Include strength training in your child's fitness plan. He doesn't need a vigorous weight training program to get stronger. Improve your kid's strength with body weight exercises. Examples include pushups and pullups at the playground, as well as sessions on a rock climbing wall. Teach your child proper pushup form to help her avoid injury; ask her to pull in her abdominal muscles and maintain a straight line from her head to her heels. If she can't maintain proper form in a full pushup position, teach your child a modified pushup, in which she rests her weight on her knees.
Cardiovascular Exercise
Kids need to strengthen their hearts with cardiovascular exercise. Everyday normal play will increase your child's endurance. Encourage your child to spend time on the monkey bars, playing basketball, chasing the dog and playing tag to exercise his heart and improve his physical fitness. Most children will play at an appropriate intensity level without encouragement. Challenge your child with races if she isn't exerting enough energy. Racing doesn't need a winner and a loser -- track your child's race times and ask her to beat her previous record.
Core Workouts
A child's core muscles -- or abdomen, back and hips -- get a workout every time she plays. Her core muscles work to stabilize her body as she runs, jumps and climbs. However, teaching your child to do crunches will ensure his core muscles develop strongly enough. Teach your child proper form to protect his back from strain. Ask him to lie flat on the ground, place his hands behind his head and pull his abdominal muscles in as he crunches his head and shoulders off the floor. Tell him to gently rest his head in his hands and avoid pulling on his head. Start with three sets of eight crunches, building toward three sets of 12 crunches as your child's strength improves.
Flexibility
Don't overlook flexibility when creating a fitness routine for your child. In addition to relieving tension and stress, flexibility helps prevent injury. Ask your child to stretch at the end of every workout. Set goals for her, such as touching her toes in a standing or seated position. Teach your child to hold his legs straight when reaching for his toes. Ask him to reach until he feels a stretch, but stop before he feels pain. Don't let your child bounce in this position. Ask her to hold this stationery stretch for 30 seconds.
Member Comments