My Journey With Health And Fitness – Teaching Children Lifelong Habits

Ok, I think one of the instructors broke me. I told you about the 12 days of Christmas theme from Thursday’s fitness class. Yesterday that instructor substituted for the usual Circuit Friday instructor. While some of her exercises were similar to what I have done in the past there was a lot of new and challenging ones such as alternating one armed kettlebell thrusts. By the end I was coated in sweat but appreciated the workout. Then for today’s class it was our usual Saturday instructor and she let me know what we would be doing before I grabbed my weights. I picked up my usual pairs of 10lb, 12.5lb and 15lb knowing I might add something heavier at some point. WRONG. As I was carry those weights I thought holy crap are the muscles in my arms sore. Then when we did our 1st set of squats I realized my quads were feeling highly abused. I can’t remember the last time a fitness class made my muscles ache like that. Needless to say there was a lot of use of the 10lb weights today.

I don’t know if I mentioned this previously but during the summer on several occasions I saw parents running with their young children (I’d say ages 7-9). Now the parents wisely did it as interval running as obviously the kids were not going to run a few km’s at a time. When I saw this I thought good for the parents, I wish someone had started me on my fitness journey when I was young. Today at the fitness centre there were 3 children in attendance and while they did not participate I’ve been to other classes where the young ones do a mini workout with their moms.

I get that often times parents put their kids in organized sports or dance, etc to help keep them physically active and that is a good thing. However, research has shown that children will develop fitness as a lifelong habit if parents have them engaged in their own workouts. Like the parents I mention above who were engaging their children in their own fitness activity, it doesn’t have to be full on at the same level as the adult, it is just showing them how to get moving. And really, it doesn’t have to be a formal exercise session, it can be anything like hey, lets go throw some balls or play some hoops. The point is doing the activity together to imprint fitness on the kids.

So I applaud these parents for doing this with their children. I’d like to think in 20 years I am at the same fitness centre and seeing some of the young girls joining the classes as adults.

I’m not likely going to post on Tuesday simply because it will be Christmas Eve. Having said that, best of the holiday season to all of you and your families.