It’s best to introduce kids to fitness programs early. That way, they’ll build healthy exercise habits that will benefit them for their entire lives.
From sports to Krav Maga for Kids, here are some tips to help get your kids away from digital distractions and start taking up hobbies that will help them keep their minds and bodies sharp for their whole lives to come.
Gameification, the concept of adding game-like elements to something in order to make it more appealing to engage with, has been proven to work wonders with business and education when implemented correctly, and the same ideas can apply to kid’s health as well. Putting your Kid’s physical fitness into the context of gaming, with scores and rewards based on their performance, can make them excited to do better and encourage good habits. Setting weekly or monthly goals, with prizes to incentivize your kid to reach them, will make a world of difference towards inspiring enthusiasm in physical activity.
Nobody likes a screaming soccer mom or a belligerent hockey dad, least of all the kids their ire is directed towards. Kids fitness programs like sports are a lot more effective and engaging for them if you compliment them when they’re doing well instead of badgering them when they struggle; there’s no better feeling than to know you’re getting a thumbs up from your friends and family. You don’t have to treat them like Sammy Sosa every time they hit a bunt, but giving them the proper credit when they succeed will be far more encouraging than dressing them down when they fail.
Speaking of self-esteem, what better way is there to feel better about yourself than to know you can take down any goons that try to hassle you? These physical disciplines can give children a much-needed confidence boost, and can be a great alternative for kids who don’t take to team sports but still want (or need) to get fit. Teaching a kid self-defense in a controlled environment is a great way to teach them discipline and responsibility, and isn’t a half-bad method of burning off fat and sugar to boot.
A self-defense class like Krav Maga for Kids at Krav Maga Worldwide is the ultimate kids fitness program. It teaches children habits that will help keep them in shape, and the skills to help them stay safe that will benefit them for their entire lives.
Whether it’s a good habit like studying for a test or a bad one like smoking, kids are far more likely to engage in certain activities if their peers are doing them as well. Why not join up with the other parents in your neighborhood and try to make sports and high-energy activities something your entire block can get involved in? A weekly soccer or softball game will be a lot more enticing to a youngster if they know all their pals are going to be on the field playing with them.
Sports are all about practice and getting better at something worthwhile, but there’s no sense in torturing a kid with one grueling disappointment after another if a certain athletic pursuit isn’t shaping up to be their taste. Don’t get too discouraged if your child isn’t taking to a particular kids fitness program like soccer or basketball; golf or judo might end up being right up their alley. There are as many different ways to get fit as there are kids in the world, and one of them is bound to stick with your child.
Children can get hyped up when they realize they’re doing a good job, but they can just as easily become discouraged if they see that one of their peers is even better than they are at something they love. Sometimes it’s necessary to explain to your little one that everyone has different body types and skill levels, and the proficiency of another child has nothing to do with how well they do the exact same thing. Teach your kids that physical fitness is more than how they compare to others. If they’re having fun and staying healthy, they’re getting everything they need out of the sport in question.
Kids love to spend time with their parents from an early age, and they have a tendency to become interested in the same things that you are. To get your child interested, help build their excitement for a kids fitness program in advance.
Sit your child down with you the next time your team hits the field, and let them ask questions about what they’re seeing and how the game is being played. Your excitement can be infectious, and teaching them to engage with their passions will both keep them interested and help increase their understanding of sports in general.
Free play is an important part of growing up, and playing by yourself or in an unstructured way is a great way for a kid to figure out what kinds of structured activities they will enjoy. Sometimes a child can get overwhelmed if they’re pushed into group activities with too much fervor. Letting them explore and exhaust private activities on their own terms will often help them appreciate the appeal of team efforts and disciplined tasks in the long run.
What do you think about our list? What are your go-to kids fitness programs? Are there any ways you’ve managed to get your children excited about sports and fitness that we haven’t mentioned here? There are almost as many ways for kids to engage in sports and athletics as there are kids themselves, so don’t hesitate to tell us about anything we may have left out or share any success stories that might help other parents raise fit and healthy kids with great physical fitness habits. Leave us a comment below and tell us all about your experience!
]]>Making sure you stretch properly before every workout should be the first thing you do in any physical fitness program. Checking to see that you’re limbered up isn’t one of the more glamorous parts of our regimen, but it’ll definitely make sure you can pull off our moves more easily than you’d be able to otherwise.
All the Krav Maga prowess on earth isn’t going to make a huge difference if you don’t have the stamina to carry your techniques out when the going gets tough. Learn well from MMA spectacle Bob Sapp, an absolute colossus of a man that nevertheless holds a dismal win-loss record thanks to his inability to fight effectively due to becoming quickly exhausted. It’s paramount that your personal physical fitness program includes a robust amount of aerobic exercise. Cardio builds endurance, and you never know how long a potential confrontation will last or how much it might take out of you.
Mixing up your cardio program with a few different aerobic exercises—say, running one day and swimming the next—will keep your heart and respiratory system on its toes, and that will prove vital in making sure you don’t get winded during an altercation. It’s also an easy and even enjoyable way to keep your routine from growing stale. A physical fitness program without cardio is like a diet without fruits or vegetables: you need at least a little to make sure you have the energy for whatever comes next.
Having healthy muscles will make it a lot easier and more enjoyable to learn some of the trickier techniques that Krav Maga can throw your way. Whether you’re going for tone, volume, or a combination of the two, muscle mass doesn’t just allow your blows to hit harder, it boosts your metabolism and is incredibly beneficial for your heart as well.
This is why building muscle is the cornerstone of almost every physical fitness program: it has a ripple effect (besides the one it’ll give your pecs, of course) that helps you out with both your cardio training and your diet. By extension, it makes your technique easier to practice as well, and that’s probably why you’re working with Krav Maga Worldwide in the first place. And hey, speaking of your diet...
You might be able to bench press a Subaru, but without a good diet, your physical fitness program isn’t going to be giving you all the benefits it could be. Fatty and sugary foods will wreak havoc on your cardiovascular system, and without a good amount of protein, you’re not going to be able to stay strong for those intense encounters that could decide your fate. Stocking up on lean and nutritious meals will give you the energy you need to see your training through to its potential. No two people are going to share the same ideal diet, of course, but we have some advice for what foods will help bolster your physical fitness program right here on our blog.
No surprises here, but Krav Maga itself is a fantastic way to get in shape even apart from the physical conditioning that should go into making you the best warrior you can be. There’s a reason we offer an entire fitness program based around the tenets of Krav Maga! What could be a better workout than learning the timing, countering, grabs and footwork that come with the discipline from a certified instructor in the flesh? Krav Maga as a physical fitness program makes a perfect companion to Krav Maga as the ultimate form of self-defense.
Whether you’re a born fitness freak or you’re just getting used to the idea of putting down the doughnuts and picking up the dumbbells, Krav Maga Worldwide accepts students with all body types and levels of proficiency. Our only requirements are a willingness to learn and a dedication to work hard. If you’re not sure what kind of diet would work best for your physical fitness program, talk to a dietician, or seek the advice of one of our trainers at any of our many locations worldwide.
Are there any fitness tips you have for aspiring Krav Maga masters, or any questions you have about anything we’ve discussed here? Leave a comment below and make your voice heard. For more intensive questions, get in touch with us directly and we’ll be happy to help you out. And for more great columns like the one you just finished reading, make sure to keep up with our blog.
Your ideal physical fitness program is closer at hand than you think, so step into a certified Krav Maga Worldwide training center today and start crafting the body and mind you’ve always wanted.
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