The idea that a kid as little as four can have a personal trainer may sound to some absurd. But is it really? The beginning of the new school year was greeted by news that half of all UK's seven year olds do not do enough exercise.
In this day and age, kids have more to choose from, than spintops and kites. Television and tablets with apps can offer plenty of entertainment at the swipe of your kid's finger.
A 2011 survey by YMCA USA, showed that 74% of parents chose to spend family time with their children sitting in front of the television, while 42% said that social distractions got in the way of active play.
Busy working lives and hectic schedules mean parents are increasingly running out of time and they feel too tired to engage in outdoor activities with their kids.
Hiring a personal trainer for your child is no longer the privilege of the rich and famous. Either due to busy schedules or simply the notion for turning to the experts, more and more parents these days hire personal trainers to ensure their children enjoy an active lifestyle.
The personal trainer who will train your child, or at least attempt to do so, will have to come up with a series of activities that are going to have to be exciting. Let's face it, when it comes to physical activity we all have our "likes" and "dislikes"; the same goes for our little ones.
The second important thing is suitability of the exercise. This is where the experience of the personal trainer comes in. A four year old for example shall not lift weights as the body is still under development and that could cause injuries and problems down the road. Muscles, tendons and ligaments do not fully develop until puberty. Most gym machines are also inappropriate as they force kids to work through unnatural movement patterns and are not designed for small bodies.
The idea here is to keep the little client happily engaged throughout the course while the activity is age appropriate and beneficial. There are number of activities to consider like using hula-hoops, short sprints, jumps or even sparring! Having trained a number of little kids, I have found sparring to be a great outdoor activity for any kid that is four years old or older. And this is why it is becoming more and more popular. Combining sparring with sprints and stretches will build up all three main elements of fitness; endurance, strength and flexibility.
Besides, not only it gets the child out in the fresh air but it also prepares them for their daily life. Exercising is not just about improving your physical strength. It is about being mentally and physically healthy, learn discipline, improve self control, progress balance and coordination, build confidence and above all have fun because, if you do not like it, you are not going to do it!