Jump-start Fitness

It’s hard to beat the elation an athlete feels after making a huge play in sports. Whether it’s hitting a home run, bending a soccer ball into the top corner for a winning goal, or draining a go-ahead basket, every meaningful sporting contribution is sure to bring great joy. But big plays don’t happen in a vacuum. In order to reach their maximum potential, young athletes should strive to be in good physical health.

There are numerous benefits to maintaining a moderate level of physical fitness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 60 minutes of exercise a day can go a long way to improving a child’s overall quality of life.  Not only can it help reduce the risk of developing severe health conditions, but it also prevents symptoms of anxiety and depression. The CDC also found that kids who are physically active have improved cognitive performance and typically achieve higher grades in school.

But how early is too early when finding a fitness program for your child? Jay Mathis, a track and basketball coach and physical education teacher at St. Agnes Academy-St. Dominic School, affirms it’s fine to get them started young. “There’s a lot of data saying that it’s safe to start kids on a fitness and strength program around 7 or 8 years old,” says Mathis, “although I prefer to wait until they’re a bit older. The most formative years for strength and conditioning will be in the 10 to 14 years range.” 

Early fitness habits continue past childhood if approached correctly. Mathis, who also holds independent clinics focused on speed, strength, and conditioning, stresses this to parents when he takes on a new crop of students. While not everyone will always play sports competitively, children who build up more positive thoughts about fitness are more likely to participate in casual leagues as adults and stay active. “Keeping their fitness programs consistent is key,” Mathis says. “It imparts valuable ideals like self-discipline, which is a big factor, especially with boys.”

When getting started, it’s crucial that the programs are monitored in a controlled environment. The most important thing right out of the gate is teaching proper form; when building that habit young, injuries can be avoided further down the line. 

“I usually put my younger kids on dumbbells only, as that doesn’t affect growth plates or their young spinal columns, as might happen when lifting a bar,” says Mathis. “With lighter weights, we can put a greater focus on proper technique.” 

Mathis recommends a few light sets of dumbbell exercises with 10 to 12 repetitions. It’s also important to remember that every athlete is different. What works for one child might not be the right strategy with another. “Since I work with athletes from a variety of sports,” Mathis says, “I like to analyze each independently so we can set the proper parameters for each individual to find the good and bad, and see what we need to do to make them better athletes.”

Nowadays, there’s a heavy emphasis on specialization regimens for athletes. However, many kids aren’t quite certain on what sports they’d like to participate in, or even sure if they want to be athletes at all. Mathis warns that too much of a specific focus early on can cause youth to lose enthusiasm for exercise and burn out. Plus, repeated focus on one area can lead to repetitive use injuries. 

“You see this a lot in orthopaedics,” says Mathis. “These kids aren’t getting a broad range of motion when exercising. I may be old-school in this way, but I think the best way to figure out a way forward is to just let the kids play, and they’ll find what piques their interest.”