 | Mike Kallenberger
is a fitness specialist at Health Strategies and Life Strategies Foundation. He has an Associates of Science degree from Butler County Community College and a Bachelors of Science degree in Physical Education with a minor in Health from Fort Hays State University. At Health Strategies, Mike is a Coordinator of Personal Training, and teaches or is responsible for Adaptive Physical Education, Sports Related Training, Weight Lifting, Dysrhythmia Interpretation, Pool Coordinator. Fitness Testing and Assessments. You may contact Mike at (316) 651-8012. |
Fitness
2001-10-01 17:43:00
Getting youth to exercise
Question: My son is 14. He is big boned but still is overweight. My daughter is 12 and is the skinny one in the family. I would like to get them both involved in a regular exercise regimen. I haven't talked to either of them yet. I have been thinking about self-defense courses. What would be the best areas to try and spark an interest?In regards to your question about getting your 14 year-old son and your 12 year-old daughter involved in an exercise regimen.
Answer: The best way to spark their interest is in those activities they enjoy. I feel that enrolling your children in a self-defense class would be a very wise decision. Many self defense classes help children work on a variety of skills. These skills may involve body coordination, balance, flexibility, muscular strength, endurance, and cardiovascular fitness. There is a variety of Wellness Centers in the Wichita area that can help your children develop a personalized fitness program catered to your children's interest. When developing a program for age specific individuals such as your children, many considerations may need to be looked at. During weight bearing activities such as free weights or machine weights, the emphasis should not be on weight but repetitions and technique. The most important aspect of a personalized fitness program that children need to be aware of is cardiovascular fitness. Cardiovascular fitness is continuous movement for a period of 20-60 minutes a day, three to four timex per week, while raising and maintaining their heart rate in their target heart rate zone. These are just a few important aspects of physical fitness to look for when developing a personalized fitness program for your children. The most important thing to remember is to get your children involved in activities that will become habit forming and enjoyable for them.
