"I have no strength," he said.
My son is at an age where he is all legs and arms that act like rubber bands. He's an active kid and in good shape overall. However, in sports you need certain levels of power and flexibility and strength, none of which my son possesses. I suggested that he begin a strength training program.
"I'm not lifting weights," he said.
Weight lifting is only one form of strength training, and one not necessarily recommended for young kids. For older kids, parents should makes sure their teens get proper instruction when they are lifting weights. Each sport will require a different set of repetitions, and a good coach or strength trainer at school will be able to provide the supervision and information you need.
Younger kids should be encouraged to take advantage of the simple exercises they learn at school: push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, jumping rope, squats, to name a few. While none of these are exercises that will create Mark McGwire-sized muscles, they will strengthen the muscles and give kids a good fitness headstart into sports.
However, these exercises need parental supervision as well. They are all exercises that can be done incorrectly, and incorrectly done exercises can cause injury. For example, my aerobics instructors have warned that squats and lunges done improperly (knees extended over the feet) can cause knee damage. The pages I've included have more in-depth descriptions and exercises, but here are some basics, based on what I've read and my own experiences in aerobics classes:
Push-ups - we aren't talking about Marine push-ups here. The easiest way to begin is to press your hands against a wall and your feet far enough away that when you extend your arms, the elbows are straight. These wall push-ups (push-outs?) are a good introduction to the exercise. They should build up arm strength. After the child feels confident, move to modified push-ups on the floor (resting on bent knees). A parent or older sibling is definitely helpful here, to make sure the body is going down straight.
Sit-ups - I'd bet that most kids learn how to do proper sit-ups in school. However, it is real easy to use the neck muscles to lift the body rather then the abs. A trick I learned is to let the head go limp into the hands.
Go To Page: 1 2
