Keeping Kids Active

Remember when kids used to never be in the house? When I was growing up I spent almost all my time playing with friends, riding bikes, jumping around, running like a maniac and playing sports. But kids today don't do much of that anymore and also don't understand that there are times when there is a winner and a loser. Kids today are more inactive than ever before, which is why I'm so happy that we at ChrisFit implemented a new KidsFit class.

Now I know there's a stigma against kids lifting weights. That it's bad for them because it can stunt their growth. But the truth of the matter is that a child is less likely to have a growth stunting injury playing a sport like football or soccer or baseball than they are lifting weights. Now that being said, kids of certain ages also don't need to be lifting weight.
Yes you read that right kids of certain ages also don't need to be lifting weight. Kids between the ages of 3-5 can 100% work with weight, however with that said they are going to be working with bodyweight only exercises because kids in that age group lack the necessary skills needed to coordinate their limbs with additional weight. So a child between 3-5 should be using unweighted/bodyweight only exercises.
Kids ages 6-12 can work with some additional weight, for instance light dumbbells, a kettlebell and things of that nature because they have developed more neurons and brain to muscle connections at this age. However they still aren't only enough to be working with heavy loads like squats and deadlifts but can still start moving some weight which moves them into a category called unloaded movement. Unloaded meaning completely capable of fully functioning with proper form and good mechanics.
Teenagers is where we can start making the big changes. Because teens have hormones coursing through them allowing them to adapt and grow we can start loading them for hypertrophic muscular growth and giving them loaded exercises with proper form to allow them to get bigger and stronger. Teens want to grow and get strong to become better at sports so we can start using things outside of bodyweight exercises and light dumbbells and kettle bells. We can start giving them loaded barbells and even start teaching more advanced exercises like a cleans. A clean requires strength speed and directional change which a young child doesn't have the neural capacity to learn yet, however a teen does.

So let's break down fitness and get kids moving in a fun and safe way. Get some dumbbells or bars in their hands, and start bringing back a healthier lifestyle to kids.

Jack Lazarus