Have you ever been to the box around 5pm on Tuesdays when CrossFit Kids is wrapping up? You would definitely remember it if you have.A group of kids would have been playing tag, having burpee contests, stringing together toes to bar like it’s nothing, or trying to convince me to let them play on the rings. You would never know that they have been working out for 45 minutes with the amount of energy they have.Welcome to CrossFit Kids Renew, where burpees are fun, we spend a lot of time upside-down, and competing as ninja-warriors.Despite the whirlwind of unrestrained energy you see when you walk in, we do have a focus for each class. Each focus fits into a bigger monthly focus. September’s focus is ‘agility’. We will pursue this in a variety of ways.This week I tested the class in line sprints to see how they did with the combination of speed, and changing direction. Over the next several weeks, we’ll be working on foot speed, changing direction and responding quickly to a coach’s cue. The standards and communication will be adjusted for younger and older age groups within the class.The other focus for September will be ‘fantastic form for super-heros’, which is kid-talk for ‘why good form is important’. One of the reasons kids love being able to take part CrossFit is because it’s often an activity that their mom and/or dad does; they see adults using bars, pulling heavy loads, moving quickly through complex movements, and they want to be able to do the same.
At CrossFit Kids we do not have kids move under a load, instead we use pvc pipes for practicing ‘bar work’. In class, kids are always asking me if they can use the ‘big bars’ or ‘try lifting more’ because they think they’re invincible (remember when you were invincible?!) and they want to be like their parents!Instead of just telling them no, I’m going to begin helping them to understand why I’m saying no, and encourage them to be a ‘fantastic form superhero’. This week I simply asked them why they thought good form was important. I got a few very random answers (because...5 year olds), but a few really good ones! Next week we’ll talk about why I ask them to slow down and use good form, instead of trying to do everything as fast as possible.All of this takes place in the context of games and hands-on learning. As one of the moms put it, “I loved that my kids were being exposed to exercise in a really fun environment. They were learning key exercise skills during games and didn’t even know it!”Every third Saturday of the month we have a Family WOD, where kids and parents have the chance to workout and have fun together. Our next Family WOD will be Saturday, September 17 at 10:15am!
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