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For Some, Hitting the Gym is Child's Play ; Childhood Obesity, Fewer PE Programs in Schools Prompts Youth Movement in Health Clubs

Posted on: Thursday, 28 October 2004, 21:00 CDT

It used to be that if you were a kid who didn't like team sports, you were out of luck. That's changed.

With budget cuts pinching physical education programs in schools and childhood obesity registering high on parents' radar, community centers, health clubs, yoga studios and other fitness facilities in Clark County and across the nation are responding with innovative kid-centered exercise classes.

Pint-sized gym rats appear to be a growing trend these days. Kids, tweens and teens are eagerly signing up for group strength- training classes, individual sports clinics, aerobics, dance, yoga and more.

Dylan Nissing, an energetic 7-year-old, said he loves to play "duck, duck, yoga pose" at the kid's yoga class he takes regularly with his sister Deja, 4, at City Fitness and the Jim Parsley Center.

"I like the warrior pose best," he said, demonstrating.

Dylan plays soccer and basketball, but mom Rachel Nissing of Vancouver said she feels it's also important for her children to learn to enjoy noncompetitive exercise that they can practice long- term.

"Sports can be so competitive, so team-based," she said. "This is not as fast-paced. I think it's important for kids to learn how to relax, too. So we're dabbling in a lot of (classes) so they can find their niche."

At the Clark County Family YMCA, Stacy Orand teaches a combo- fitness class for kids which combines strength, flexibility and cardiovascular training. Kids ages 11 to 17 learn how to safely use weight training machines and equipment, in addition to experimenting with a variety of other fun exercise forms (which include jump ropes, exercise balls, resistance bands, dance and more).

"We have this whole generation of kids that are being raised in front of the television sets, which leads to inactivity," Orand said. "We're getting a lot of phone calls from parents who have overweight kids and are looking for (fitness) classes for them to take. We're trying to create new programs for a market that is just blowing up right now."

Getting kids moving

According to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association and American Sports Data, the percentage of kids ages 6 to 11 who are overweight has quadrupled since the 1960s to 15 percent. As many as one in seven kids are obese, which has parents and medical professionals fretting. Overweight children are more than twice as likely to get high blood pressure and/or heart disease as adults than kids of a normal weight. Even more alarming is the number of kids with Type 2 diabetes (which once was known as "adult- onset" diabetes before so many children started getting it).

And for the first time in a century, the Centers for Disease Control reports that today's children have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. In addition, one in three children born in the year 2000 are expected to develop diabetes in their lifetime.

"We've got to focus on youth and youth programs because we realize that not everyone wants to play a team sport, yet everybody needs physical activity to lead a healthy lifestyle," said Shawna Care, a health director for the Clark County Family YMCA. "The fact that we are one of the first generations that will outlive our children age-wise sends chills up my spine."

Adds Ken Germano, president of the American Council on Exercise: "Daily activities such as walking to school, physical education classes, after-school activities, chores and general playing have been replaced with a sedentary lifestyle in front of the TV, computer or video games. It is important for us to continually teach our kids to lead healthy and active lives now so they can avoid serious health problems in the future."

Experts say parents aren't necessarily to blame for their children's expanding waistlines. Rather, they say we live in an environment that promotes obesity. It's hardly a coincidence that the same two decades that brought the country soaring obesity rates also brought us cable TV, home computers and the proliferation of fast-food restaurants with drive-through windows, reports Prevention magazine.

So what's a parent to do?

Both City Fitness and the Clark County Family YMCA offer kid- specific programs as well as local fitness centers and yoga studios. Some community centers even offer scholarships for families who can't afford to pay.

Experts say the best way for parents to boost the health of their kids, however, is to lead by example. Whether it's taking a child for a hike or bike ride, or popping a fun exercise video into the VCR and working out together, parents can be proactive by making fitness a regular part of the family routine.

"You absolutely have to make exercise interesting even at the adult level or you are simply not going to continue," Orand said.

It's also important to gauge a child's comfort level with any exercise program. Many kids are turned off by screaming coaches and the pressure to win in team sports, which can sour their view of exercise altogether. ACE reports that girls, in particular, often abandon sports when the emphasis shifts from camaraderie to competition.

Fitness trainers say parents of shy children should pay particular attention to any activity a not-so-social family member expresses interest in. Shy kids are often more fretful and self- conscious than their outgoing and competitive counterparts. The best athletic options for them are often individual sports such as running, swimming, figure skating, snowsports, cycling and golf, because the emphasis is simply on improving their own performance rather than worrying about letting the team down.

And families don't need to enroll in expensive fitness classes or health clubs to be active, either. Walking and jogging are inexpensive and weights can be made by filling soda or detergent bottles with water or sand. Creativity is key.

But the most important component, of course, is to help a child enjoy whatever activity he or she decides to participate in.

When asked for his opinion on the exercise classes he takes, 7- year-old Dylan Nissing sums it up best: "I wouldn't want to do it if it wasn't fun."

Did you know?

* Children, like adults, should participate in vigorous physical activity on a regular basis at least 30 minutes most days of the week, according to the Physician and Sportsmedicine Journal.

* Preaching about or pushing kids into activities they don't like will backfire. Children who learn that exercise is a chore are likely to become inactive adults.

* It's important for parents to make sure activities are right for the size, age and physical development of their child. Competitive distance running is fine for a high school student, but can be too stressful (and painful) for a 6-year-old. When in doubt, check with a pediatrician or an athletic trainer.

Pumping iron

While the debate continues among exercise professionals as to whether lifting moderate to heavy weights is safe for young kids, modified resistance training (using body weight, exercise bands and weight training machines) gets a stamp of approval from the Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. According to AAP's guidelines, low-resistance exercise with small weights (less than five pounds), can help kids grow stronger.

"Many people mistakenly believe that strength training is an unsafe activity for kids. In fact, no serious injury has ever been reported in any prospective study on youth strength training," writes Wayne Westcott, a national author and voice on strength training and the fitness research director at the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Mass. "Not only is it safe for kids, but it may actually help to reduce the number of injuries they get during other physical activities."

The benefits of strength training include increased muscle mass, less fat, a higher metabolism, increased self-confidence and the development of stronger muscles, bones, tendons and ligaments. It's important to keep the amount of weight low, however, as growth plate injury or stunted growth become concerns when children lift heavy weights.

The program should address all the major muscle groups, just as adult programs do. A personal trainer or fitness instructor can help a child (and parent) develop a workout plan.

Choosing a strength training program

Doctors who write for the Physician and Sportsmedicine Journal suggest asking the following questions before letting a child begin lifting weights:

* How good is the supervision? The most important safety factor is adult supervision. Supervisors should have experience working with children and be trained in youth strength training and safety procedures.

* What should I look for in a gym or weight room? The training room should be clean and free of hazards and weights should be available in 1 to 5 pound increments.

* Is it a good program? A good strength training program begins with a warmup and progresses to simple movements, such as leg extensions, that work one joint at a time. Proper form and technique must be stressed.

* Will my child develop big muscles? It's unlikely to notice an increase in muscle size until the child goes through puberty. The child will likely demonstrate gains in strength and coordination, however.

Source: Columbian

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