Children's Exercise
Veggie
Workout
By
Christina Chapan
Fit
4 Fun Kids' Fitness
A
new year presents a great opportunity to teach
kids about the healthy habit of exercising. Nearly
half of all elementary school students are at
an unhealthy weight, which can subject them to
coronary disease, blindness, stroke, asthma, as
well as a poor self-image. Currently, Illinois
is the only state that requires daily P.E. for
every public school student. It is therefore paramount
that trainers and group instructors step up there
roles in teaching children the importance of exercising
daily. Children are easily motivated, but they
can exhibit a wide range of exercising habits.
What follows is a series of exercises with which
I myself have had considerable success in getting
the children off the couch. The exercises are
aerobic, toning, and stretching routines named
after different vegetables or fruits. This tactic
of attaching names to exercises serves not only
to “juice up” an ordinary workout,
but also effectively impresses the importance
of eating healthy fruits and vegetables upon the
children.
The
first priority for the children’s fitness
trainer must always be to make exercising fun.
Music from http://www.dole5aday.com is a great
place to start. The music that is available from
this web site is "kid friendly" and
boasts the benefits of eating healthy fruits and
vegetables. Moreover, downloading the music from
this site is free, making it “mom and dad
friendly” in the process! For those who
do not have ready online access or who simply
prefer to investigate other resources, most local
libraries have a wide selection of music expressing
the importance of eating healthy fruits and vegetables.
For
general warm-ups, try the "Tater Tot Trot."
Jog in place and pump your arms. Every ten steps
or so slowly stretch your neck, look back at the
right shoulder and then at the left shoulder.
For "Spud Sprints" look straight ahead
and speed up to a running pace. It is important
that students land on their heels and not on their
toes. If fairly large plot of ground is available,
try trotting on a running trail inside or outside.
The "Trot" works the posterior deltoid,
hamstrings, quadriceps, and illiposoas.
The
"Strawberry Stretch" is a great exercise
to stretch the back, arms, and shoulders. It teaches
balance and coordination. First, cross your right
foot in front of your left. Bend down, touch your
right toe, count to eight, and then straighten
up. Make sure your back stays straight and does
not arch. Cross your left foot in front of your
right and repeat the stretch. The "Strawberry
Stretch" works the lattisimus dorsi, teres
major, the triceps, and the biceps. It also engages
all three parts of the deltoid, including the
anterior, posterior, and the lateral parts of
the shoulder.
"Pumpkin
Peeler" works the legs, back, arms, and shoulders.
It also requires balance and dexterity. To perform
this exercise, stand and lock your fingers together
behind your back. Bend forward at the waist and
keep your legs straight. With your fingers still
locked, raise your arms over your head. Hold for
a count of eight. This can also be done by bending
at the knees. Teach the children the importance
of flexibility by stretching the calf and leg
muscles. The "Pumpkin Peeler" synergistically
incorporates the lattismus dorsi, teres major,
and deltoids, while it gently stretches the legs.
The"
Sweet Pea Ski" benefits the muscles in the
legs and challenges the child’s balance.
One should begin with feet together. Slowly bend
at the knees while swinging both your arms to
the right as if you were using two ski poles on
that side. Straighten up then repeat the bend
and swing to the left. The "Sweet Pea"
is great for the inner thigh, the hip adductor,
or the gracilis. It is good for the hip flexors,
the obliques, and the pectineus. This exercise
offers the added benefit of working the whole
gluteus, which includes the maximums, medius,
and minimus.
"Pepper
Pops" are great for both the beginner and
the advanced exerciser. It works the legs, chest,
and back. Do jumping jacks and clap above your
head. For a "Pepper Pop Plus", add a
right kick and a left kick with a clap under the
knee while ensuring that the back stays straight.
These additional movements work the erector spinae
at the lower back. The muscles of the chest, namely
the serratus anterior and the pectorals major,
also receive a workout.
The
"Broccoli Bounce" is good for the upper
and lower body. Stand with hands clasped behind
your heck and your elbows drawn back. Walk in
place, raising your knees, bring your left elbow
down to touch it. When you lift your left knee,
bring your right elbow down to touch it. The "Broccoli"
is good for both the hamstrings and the quadriceps.
It works the smaller muscles as well as the important
part of the legs, the calves, or the gastrocneumuis,
soleus, tibialis anterior and the knee.
"Cauliflower
Chippers" are a great way to end an aerobic
session. It works the knees and the arms. Bounce
up and down with your knees without taking your
feet off the floor. At the same time, stretch
your arms to each side and swing them in giant
circles. You may also flex and extend the important
yet neglected extensors and flexors of the wrists.
You can change the movement of the chippers as
well as cooling down by a stretch by elongating
your shoulders, back, chest, and arms. The students
should be encouraged to walk slowly in order to
stretch their legs properly.
You
can add additional ideas to the session by playing
the video section from the Veggie Tales song,"
The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything. "Reward
measured improvement with their own copy of the
video, and have parents of your clients take turns
bringing the snack of fruits and vegetables. Exercise
can be fun for children with just a little bit
of creativity.
References:
Big
Idea Productions, Ultimate Silly Songs, Word 1997
Brownell,
Kelly D., Food Fight, McGraw Hill, 2004
Dauer.
Victor P. and Pangrazi, Robert P. Dynamic Physical
Education for Elementary School Children, Macmillan,
1989
Dole
5 A Day Music
Essential
Youth Fitness
Fitness
for Fun and for Future
Learning
90, Couch Potato Jive, September 1990
Murphy,
Ann Pleshette, Are Food Ads Fueling Childhood
Obesity. December 2, 2003
New
York Daily News, Fighting Child Obesity, November
24, 2003
Time
Magazine, Why So Many of Us Are Getting Diabetes,
December 8, 2003
Time
Magazine Article
Christina
Chapan is an ACE certified personal trainer, fitness
author, education conference speaker and elementary
school teacher. She also works in the after school
care program at her school. In her spare time,
she works as a youth sponsor at her church. If
you are interested in learning more about Christina,
please visit her websites:
Fit
4 Fun
Fit
4 Fun Kids Fitness
