| More answers from Lisa Lynn |
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| How do I know if my child is fit enough? |
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| Lisa Lynn replies: Giving your child a "fitness checkup" isn’t hard to do and doesn’t require special equipment. Here are some easy tips: |
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| First, assess your child's overall fitness level. |
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Can your child bend over and touch their toes without bending their knees? If not, chances are he or she needs to stretch more. |
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Can your child do 25 sit ups in a minute? If not, it’s time to do more sit ups! Practice makes perfect, so set a timer and do them together as a family–and challenge each other to do more. |
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How about push ups? How many can your child do–and how many can you do? We all should be able to do at least 10 push ups. So set that timer again and keep track of your progress. |
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| Next, check your child’s endurance level. See how long it takes your child to walk a mile. |
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| Another important area to watch for in your child is muscle balance. |
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If your child's legs "bow" in or if his toes point out or inward, this could also be a sign of a muscle imbalance. |
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Observe your child’s body and listen for complaints like "I can’t run as fast as my friends." |
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Ask the "experts." Don't hesitate to ask your child’s doctor what he or she thinks about muscle imbalance. Educated trainers are also a great source of information. |
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| Finally, you can also ask your children's physical education teachers what areas your children need to improve upon and ask them for a fitness plan. |
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| For more information about physical fitness for children, visit www.presidentschallenge.com |
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| What types of exercises should my child be doing? |
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| Lisa Lynn replies: Kids are not just mini adults. Their bodies are different than yours and mine so they need to exercise a little bit differently. The most important thing is to make sure that your kids are doing some type of exercise or physical activity every day besides free play. |
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| For cardio conditioning, consider biking, swimming or a simply walking outside. Even working out on a treadmill is a good option and kids love them! |
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| For strengthening key muscles in the chest, arms and abdomen, kids should also be doing push ups and sit ups at least three times per week. They can lift weights, but not heavy weights, and they shouldn’t push themselves too hard. Consider setting up an exercise routine that the whole family can do right in your living room! |
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| To improve flexibility, a few simple stretches can keep your child from getting "pulled muscles." To begin, choose a few simple stretches and do them together during breaks between exercises. |
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| How can I get my video game junkie to exercise? |
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| Lisa Lynn replies: Have no fear, there really is a solution. First, try offering a "reward." Let your child play whatever video game he chooses as long as he exercises. For example, if he exercises for 30 minutes, he earns 30 minutes of video-playing time. |
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| And kids love Nintendo Wii! I love it because it allows your kids to play games that are actually a great form of exercise and helps them develop hand-eye coordination. You won’t believe how close it is to the real sport or activity! Another tip: Have your kids earn the game by doing their exercises and watch how fast they get off the couch! This is especially great for kids who live up north and are "stuck" indoors during the long winter months. |
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| How can I keep my son motivated to keep exercising? |
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| Lisa Lynn replies: Exercising isn't always fun for kids. If your son’s major activity is playing video games, you will have your hands full. But it’s never too late to make a change. Allow your child to choose the exercises he wants to do and take him with you to look at children’s fitness programs and even try a free class. Most of the time if they choose the exercise, children will want to do it. |
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| And don't be afraid to change the routine to keep things interesting. Kids get bored much faster than we do, so it’s normal for them to want to do different things. At the end of each type of exercise, ask your child what he wants to do next. If he doesn’t love baseball, don't force him to play. Instead, let him choose what he wants and listen. We parents tend to push what we love and then wonder why our children aren't motivated to keep doing it. Remember it’s all about progress, not perfection. |
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| Is it possible my child is playing too many sports? |
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| Lisa Lynn replies: Yes it’s possible that too much of a good thing can be bad. If your child is showing any of these signs, he or she may be overtraining. |
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Getting sick more frequently |
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Feeling tired or acting irritable |
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Complaining of soreness that doesn't go away quickly |
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Getting frequent muscle injuries |
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Having trouble sleeping or staying awake |
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Not wanting to participate in his or her favorite sport |
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| All of these can be signs that your child is doing too much. The best remedy is a short rest from the sport. The rule of thumb is to take 3 months off, even if your child excels in that sport. Even the pro's do it to stay on top of their game. With the right balance of activity and rest, children can excel at their favorite sport and stay injury-free. Best of all they will enjoy it even more! |
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