In my blog, I usually target us seasoned folks -- the ones just before or after the midlife crisis. And that’s fine, we need health and fitness advice and I like us. But today, we’ll take a look at the youngsters, our offspring.
Our kids are the future. It’s our responsibility to make sure we raise them well. They are the future of mankind. That means to love them and to be nice to them but also not to spoil them. Too much spoiling won’t do any good to any one. Kids need to understand meritocracy. In our comfy world we are often getting too easy. But the law of nature remains that if you want something you need to work for it.
Extra-curricular activities are super important. I’d argue even more important than school for building character and values. In the United States, team sports are listed among the top community fitness classes for kids, alongside activities like dance, martial arts, and swimming. In Spain, sports-related activities are the most common type of extracurricular activity, with 80-90% of the population aged 5-18 participating in such activities for an average of five hours per week. Many kids are enrolled in multiple activities.
Now, while sports are a solid option for exercise, general fitness classes can be an amazing alternative, too, that parents can consider.
In this article, I present nine good reasons why signing your kids up for fitness classes can be transformative in physical, mental and social areas.
The Long-Term Physical Transformation
Naturally, getting your kid to be active and fit in childhood is going to be great for physical development. Exercise in childhood brings several great improvements to life.
The biggest, long-term benefit is improved bone strength with a significant reduction of conditions like osteoporosis. As I discussed before, older people tend to have brittle bones. This is osteoporosis. A lot of these problems are a result of inactivity and lack of exercise in young age. One study tracked 1,200 people born in 1985 for over 30 years. The findings of this longitudinal study confirm that kids who had the highest level of cardio-respiratory and muscular fitness ended up scoring higher also in cognitive tests during middle and later age.
Improved Physical Fitness
Fitness classes for kids, such as those that contain circuit training, are designed to enhance cardiovascular fitness and muscular strength. They involve a variety of exercises that target different muscle groups, promoting overall physical health and helping children develop a strong, lean physique and better resistance.
Enhanced Coordination and Agility
Activities in fitness classes often include dynamic movements like jump roping and agility drills, which improve balance and coordination. This is particularly beneficial for participation in sports, as it enhances performance in activities that require quick changes in direction and explosive movements.
Flexibility and Injury Prevention
Regular participation in fitness classes encourages dynamic stretching and exercises that improve flexibility and mobility. This increased range of motion is crucial for injury prevention, allowing kids to move more freely and safely in their daily activities and sports.
The Benefits go Beyond Physical Improvement
It is an established fact that online gaming and social media are prime factors that contribute to a sedentary lifestyle. For kids, this means an increased risk of obesity, mental health challenges, and decreased cardiovascular health. The scary part though, is that if nothing is done, these issues can and will escalate into adulthood, where the dangers multiply significantly.
Interestingly the benefits of kids’ fitness classes aren’t limited to physical improvements. Fitness classes and a general healthy lifestyle are useful for improving other areas of life. According to Mission Grit, a leading children development institute, kids often see a number of unique benefits when enrolled in fitness classes. These typically improve confidence, social skills, and working under stress. As adults, we are all too aware of how vital these skills are for success in everyday life.
The social skills aspect is noteworthy because these classes can be a unique way to help get overly shy kids to be more outgoing. They are exposed to trainers and other kids and have to learn how to communicate and collaborate. This isn’t by accident. Many of these classes consciously create activities that act as a sandbox for developing these skills.
Boosted Cognitive Function
Kids fitness classes have shown to have a protective effect on the brain, enhancing memory and cognitive function. Regular physical activity can lead to better focus and improved academic performance, as it stimulates brain health and neuroplasticity.
Increased Self-Confidence
As kids progress in their fitness classes, they experience improvements in strength and endurance, which can significantly boost their self-esteem. Achieving fitness goals fosters a sense of accomplishment that translates into other areas of life.
Stress Reduction
Physical activity releases endorphins, which help reduce stress and improve mood. This is especially important for children who may face academic pressures or social challenges.
It Gives Kids an Escape From the Social Media Trap
We live in a time of algorithm-based attention-grabbing social media. If we, as adults, don’t intervene and involve ourselves, there is a good chance that kids become addicted. This is the harsh reality of life today. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, teens are spending about nine hours every day behind a screen. Social media is a big part of this picture, with the top three most downloaded apps being TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat.
While it might seem like social media has your kid in a tight grip, there’s still hope. If you can offer them multiple alternative ways to spend time, you’d be surprised to see how many kids put down their phones more often.
Teamwork and Social Interaction
Fitness classes often involve group activities that promote teamwork and social interaction among peers. This environment helps children develop social skills, build friendships, and learn the importance of collaboration.
Fun and Engagement
Fitness classes are designed to be enjoyable, incorporating games and friendly competition that keep kids engaged. This fun approach encourages lifelong habits of physical activity, making exercise a regular part of their lives.
Forming Healthy Habits
Healthy habits are very powerful and can be an effective companion for life. Introducing kids to such habits early on will influence them to make “the right” decisions with respect to health. Like learning a language, the earlier we start, the easier it is. Approximately 50% of all gym members cancel their memberships within six months. However, if you can instill a commitment to fitness from childhood, it can help our kids make the right choices about staying fit and healthy, well into adulthood and beyond.
9 Reasons Why Fitness Classes Are Transformative for Kids
Our kids are the future. Today I wanted to look into the transformative benefits of fitness classes for children. These classes promote not only physical fitness but also mental and social development. Key benefits include improved physical health, enhanced coordination, increased flexibility, boosted cognitive function, greater self-confidence, stress reduction, and the development of social skills and teamwork.
Let’s also not forget that fitness classes or any sort of exercise provide a valuable alternative to excessive screen time and social media use, which poses a huge risk to children's health. I conclude with the importance of instilling healthy habits early in life. Overall, fitness classes are presented as a holistic approach to fostering children's well-being.