Children And Exercise

If you have a child of about 6 to 8 years old that wants to start exercising and lifting weights, you may be wondering what to do.  While some think it is perfectly okay for children to exercise, others think differently.

The fact is that it is  beneficial for your child to partake in exercise  or a weight training regimen, however there are few things you should keep in mind.

No matter how you look at it, children are not adults therefore you can't use the same methods and intensity for adults also for children, as children are different from adults emotionally, anatomically, and physically.

The skeletal bones of children don't get mature until they get to between 14 - 22 years of age.  Exercising during childhood can have a very critical effect on their bone health that can last for their entire lives. 

Children have immature temperature regulation systems due to their having a large surface area compared to their muscle mass which will cause them to be more susceptible to injury when they are not properly warmed up.

Children don't sweat as much as adults do, so they will be more susceptible to heat exhaustion.  Due to their low muscle mass and immature hormone system, it makes it harder for them to develop strength and speed. Their breathing and heart response during exercise are also different from that of adults, which will affect their capacity to exercise.

Before setting up exercise programs for children, first and foremost you should obtain a medical clearance.  The first approach to designing a program is to establish a repetition range of 8 - 12 and keep the work load appropriate for the range.

You should ensure that workouts are spread out enough to have at least 1 - 2 full days of rest between workouts. The main focus when working out should be on the form of every exercise performed, and not on the amount of weight being lifted.

Before weight training, warm up and stretching should be done.  Start your children off with light loads and then make adjustments accordingly.  No more than 3 non consecutive exercise sessions should be done in a week.   

You should also see to it that they drink plenty of water before, during, and after exercise.  Getting enough water is very important with exercise, as it is often times very easy to get dehydrated, especially with children.

BENEFITS OF EXERCISE TO HEALTH AND WEALTH

Generally people agree that health is wealth which is true. Health is paramount to wealth as long as both are concerned hence the saying that HEALTH IS WEALTH and not the other way round.

Regular exercising like jogging, skipping, running, swimming, cycling, playing sports, long walks and many more can improve your health, self confidence, quality of life and most importantly lower the risk of you developing serious health issues.

For you to be wealthy and keep your wealthy you must be healthy and for you to be healthy you need to have an active life style, be physically and mentally fit and alert. To achieve all these mentioned above exercise and fitness are major factors.

Engaging in exercise helps increase our energy level which actually mean that we will have more energy to work and do business. In other words exercise helps us to create wealth. People often say that health is more important than wealth but in practical they do the opposite. They spend much time at work and in business and give little or no time for exercise and other activities that will actually improve their health. This eventually breaks them down and they will be spending their wealth to regain their health. 
This cycle continues unless you strike a balance between their quest for wealth and staying healthy. To achieve this, apart from diet, a program of exercise should be an integral part of your daily or weekly activity that must not be ignored as it will enhance your physical, mental and internal well being.

Health is dependent on exercise, wealth is dependent on health. EXERCISE! BE FIT!.......Give your health the required attention so that you can keep your wealth.

MAKE YOUR HOME A BETTER GYM

The explosive growth of home exercise equipment is an ample proof that home exercise is the new phenomenon in fitness and living an active life style. Great results can be achieved exercising at home as long as you determined, focus know what you are doing.

Your rug/carpet or an exercise mat, some light weight dumbbells, exercise tubing, determination and commitment are all it takes to get a good result exercising at home. Individuals with erratic work schedule, stay-at-home moms and individuals who work from home can simply set up a gym atmosphere in the comfort of their homes as this is a perfect solution to their exercise and fitness needs. 
 Determination, commitment, self motivation and discipline are very vital factors for you to get very good results exercising at home since you will be on your own.

The intimidating social atmosphere of a health club or a paid gym, waiting in line for equipment coupled with the fact that most people flirt more and exercise less discourage people from exercising at health clubs or gym. A hectic schedule, a long stay in transit and domestic engagements can also discourage you from exercising at home. However studies have shown that people exercising at home are more likely to stick to their program than those exercising at a club.

To obtain the best result, warming up for about 10 – 15 minutes with light aerobics exercise, walking, jogging, cycling, taking deep breaths and stretching before starting strength training is necessary as it helps the muscles relax and rejuvenate. An exercise like pushups, abdominal, stretching and some flexibility exercises does not require equipment.

Get that physical outlook and internal wellness; be fit while relaxing at home. Make your home your gym now.