Kids Fitness Classes

Do kids these days really need a formal exercise class? That’s what I wondered when I did a story for the Standard-Examiner about health clubs that are offering children’s fitness classes.

I watched one of these classes being taught at Skills Fitness in Bountiful. Gary Seljaas, the gym’s president, said about 75 children between ages 3-18 are currently enrolled in the kids fitness classes, which are divided into age-appropriate groups. Becca Brown, a certified trainer (and seen in the red shirt in the photos), is teaching a lot of the classes.

In talking to Seljaas, it’s clear that times have changed from my small-town childhood, when we roamed freely through fields, waded in creeks, and rode our bikes or horses miles at a time. Some of us had physical chores  — milking cows, mowing lawns, pulling weeds, lifting hay bales. We also played a lot of active games like sandlot baseball, Red Rover, and that perennial favorite, Tag.

We watched a few favorite TV shows, but there were only three channels to choose from. (Just writing this is making me feel old!) We had to create our own fun.

Seljaas contrasted that with today’s nonstop entertainment on TV, computers, tablets and phones. Kids spent a lot more time watching than doing.  Friends get together to play video games or hang out on social media. Unless they are playing on their Wii, they are likely just sitting.

As this “screen time” has increased over the years, kids’ activity levels have dropped, and that’s a big factor in childhood obesity, Seljaas said.

Also, neighborhoods are not as safe as they once were. Parents don’t feel comfortable just letting the kids roam outside all day without any supervision.

These are reasons why parents need to make a point of scheduling physical activities for their children, rather than letting it happen spontaneously as they did in past generations, said Seljass, who holds a master’s degree in exercise science.

Seljaas did his master’s thesis on childhood obesity in 1991, when there was very little information on the topic. Now, childhood obesity rates have risen so much that you hear or read about it everywhere. In his research he found a strong link between inactivity and obesity among the 300-plus Utah County children who participated in the study.

There was also a strong relationship between inactivity and high cholesterol levels.

“And that was before the Internet and all the other forms of entertainment that we

have today,” he said.

It’s true that our local communities have lots of  organized sports — soccer, baseball, football, basketball — where gets can get some activity. There are also dance, tumbling, gymnastics, and karate lessons available nearly everywhere.  The fitness classes can complement sports conditioning, because the activities help improve footwork, agility and coordination. And fitness classes may be the answer for kids who  just don’t like the competition of sports, and don’t have an interest in a specialized area such as dance or karate.

In a sample class offered to the children of local bloggers, two certified trainers led the kids in kids jumping and running games, and a little kickboxing as well.

There was no drill sergeant yelling, “Hit the floor and give me 10 push-ups!” It just seemed like the kids were having fun.

Depending on the age group, kids will get to try yoga, cycling, strength and flexibility training, and even Zumba.

“We offer programs for those who just want the basics,” Seljaas said. “We try to create fun, because over the years, we’ve taken the fun out of fitness and activity.”

He said if you want your kids to be active, you need to model that behavior and do family activities together.

Looking back on my own kids, I’m not saying that we were the Fit Family of the Neighborhood. But we did a lot of activities together. Some that I remember include hiking to Timpanogas Cave, rollerblading and biking together (I pushed the baby’s stroller while rollerblading and my older kids would bike), playing tennis, dancing, bowling, skiing, shooting baskets in the driveway, and doing a lot of swimming in the summer. Some of that “swimming” was just going down the waterslides at Cherry Hill, but you have to climb up the hill every time!  We were fortunate that our house bordered on a park, so the neighborhood kids were out just about every night playing soccer or football.  The playgrounds offer younger kids a lot of opportunities to climb and run around. In fact, I think kids can get a lot of wiggles out in the winter time by going to a fast-food playground….although I guess the fast food might cancel out some of the exercise.

Another point that some of the fitness experts made: If kids do a variety of things, it’s more likely they will discover their passions. For instance, my oldest son never considered playing basketball a “chore” because he loved it so much, and he still plays in leagues to this day.

Another tip: Look for athletic programs and classes that kids can do with friends, or where they can make new friends. If there’s a social component, kids are more likely to stick with it.

Seljaas said it’s important to set limits on screen time; and to not automatically use the TV, iPad, laptop or smartphone to pacify a whiny child. It will teach them to expect constant entertainment.

“Sometimes it’s fine to watch a video in the van if you are traveling long distances and it occupies them,” said Seljaas. “But get out of the car and do something physical, too.”