YOUTH FITNESS
The youth of today are our future of tomorrow. Therefore it's super important for them to be healthy and fit. There are of course many distractions that exist today that didn't when I was a kid. Internet, video games, social media, etc. Unfortunately as a result of this, kids are now more sedentary than they've ever been before. So there's the problem.
HOW DO WE GET KIDS INTERESTED IN FITNESS?
Of course as I'm sure you already know, people won't do something unless it's fun. Hardly a revelation, but it still needs to be pointed out. Personally I think the best way is to make a game out of it or do something along the lines of interval training. It's effective, certainly not boring, and can also encourage some healthy competition. Actually this works well with adults also, but it's essential for kids. So how do we do this? There are a number of exercises and methods that work well with this. Here are some of my favourites.
BOXING - Who doesn't love punching things? It's a lot of fun and it's a great workout
ANIMAL CRAWLS - There are numerous exercise you can do here. Mostly revolving around the ABCs. That's Ape Crawl, Bear Crawl, and Crab Crawl. One game that works really well is Crab Crawl Soccer with a Stability ball.
OBSTACLE COURSE - There is huge variety here. But an example could be to start with an Agility Ladder, then go onto cone shuttle runs, then go to Bear Crawl, then run back to the starting line.
MODIFIED KIDS GAMES - Seriously things like Hot Potato and Hop Scotch work great for fitness
ROLL THE DICE - Each number corresponds to a different exercise. Everyone takes turns rolling the dice and everyone as a group does the exercises for a pre-determined number of reps.
FITNESS CIRCUIT - Not exactly a game by nature, but it can still be gamified. Exercises can be timed and people can compete for number of reps.
There are of course limitless possibilities, but these are probably my top picks. Having worked with kids in a variety of different environments and situations, it truly is a joy to see their faces light up when they see how fun fitness can be. So I'm not saying to throw away your IPads and phones and all that. But I am saying that you should include fitness in your daily life. I can confidently say that it will enhance all other parts of your life.