There have been some new faces popping up at gyms around the nation recently, and many of them belong to children. Some kids are hitting the gym with their parents and others are taking “kids only” fitness classes along with other organized children’s exercise instruction at gyms around the country. Perhaps statistics from the Journal of the American Medical Association showing that in 2010, nearly one-third of all of American children and adolescents were overweight, and almost 17 percent of those were obese, have had something to do with more kids showing up at gyms lately. If that’s not the reason, it should be, as physical activities at the gym are beneficial to cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, social skills and mental health too. Kids that develop healthy exercise habits early will get benefits that can last a lifetime.
Because obesity is also associated with diabetes and heart disease, helping children achieve normal body weight is critical to their health later in life. Attaining proper weight without regular physical activity is almost impossible. In addition to the weight loss benefits, children that take part in the aerobics and exercise machines at the gym will also improve their cardiovascular fitness, making them less susceptible to diabetes as adults. In fact, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Physical Activities Guidelines Committee now recommends that children should take part in exercise sessions that last from 30 to 60 minutes, three or four times each week.
When children participate in gym activities, they should not ignore strength training. Kids who regularly take part in weight and resistance exercises like sit-ups or biceps curls will develop far more muscle strength than kids living a sedentary lifestyle. Regular exercise at the gym can also help a child develop a healthy mental attitude because they gain confidence while they learn new things. Participating in physical activities can also help reduce a young child's risk for depression and anxiety.
In addition to the health benefits available for kids who attend regular exercise classes at the gym, children also learn how to work with and socialize with other people in a positive way. Given the fact that the physical and mental benefits both combine to contribute to a child's overall development in a very good way, no one should be surprised to see more kids attending gyms in the future.