05 Aug Let’s get kids moving for better mental and physical health!
A child or teen who is physically active not only sleeps better, enjoys better focus and improved social skills, they also tend to have better long term mental health and lowered levels of depression according to research from across the globe.
The health of our children and teens today is of growing concern for many parents and is increasingly impacted by the culture of convenience that is rapidly enveloping the western world.
A recent World Health Organisation report into rates of obesity and overweight found that while adult obesity rates had doubled since 1990, adolescent obesity had quadrupled over the same period.
Flex studio founder, Heather Thomas, says engagement in regular physical activity and sports is an important factor in the physical and mental health of our children and teens.
However, making sure that it was enjoyable, inclusive and ‘fun’ was also a key factor.
Recent data from a National Sports and Society Survey found that long-term youth sports participation boosts adult mental health and that those who played regular sport through to the age of 18 displayed the least depression and anxiety symptoms.
Whether that’s running, hiking, bike riding or aerial classes, the benefits of getting them up and moving are many and continue well into adulthood.
New York based celebrity fitness trainer, wellness entrepreneur and father of two David Kirsch – whose clients include Heidi Klum, Kate Upton and Jennifer Lopez – is a long time advocate of getting kids active early and regularly works out with his own six year old twin daughters.
“To me, loving your kids means teaching them to make smart choices from an early age – not just handing over sweet treats,’ he told Yahoo parenting recently.
He shared: ‘The moment your kids start crawling they are exercising. To them, movement is fun and organic… It is adults who have turned daily activity into a mandatory chore.’
‘Many kids today don’t get the level of activity that they need and that, coupled with some other factors, has contributed to the sad and deeply troubling childhood obesity epidemic.’
He added that one of the most important lessons to teach kids was that ‘bodies come in all shapes and sizes and that being healthy is more important than being thin’.
Heather is also a strong proponent of body positivity and building kids confidence via physical activity.
“Many of us think that being a healthy example to our children is hard work but it’s really as simple as finding some time – any time – to get any kind of physical activity into your day.”
“Over time, you will increase your fitness, become more confident trying new ways of exercising and inadvertently pass that on to your children. One day, your good habits will become theirs.
“At Flex studio Hong Kong we offer a range of classes for kids and teens, welcoming children starting from as young as eight years old.
She said she started offering classes for children and teens way back in 2009 at Flex’s Hong Kong-based studio as awareness of the benefits of Pilates for children increased.
“The exercises and classes we run are always tailored to fit the age and size of the participants, with only teens participating in reformer classes for example because younger, smaller bodies are not well-suited for it.
“Mat Pilates is more appropriate for preteens and our popular aerial classes are suitable for a wider range of ages, starting from as young as 8 years old.”
While an overly rigorous, or excessively competitive exercise regimen is not always suitable or beneficial for young children, lower impact workouts and activities such as Pilates provide a safe and healthy option for growing bodies.
“Our classes are also great for helping children and young people to develop self-confidence with their bodies as they progress and build their strength and flexibility and confidence, ensuring they also have a positive impact on their self-esteem.”
While young children should always be encouraged to run, jump and skip and engage in unstructured play, she said it is important also that they start to get in touch with their bodies as they grow and develop.
Starting the process early and making it fun and age appropriate will help them develop a positive mind and muscle connection as they grow and help them develop what hopefully becomes a lifelong love of physical activity.
She said the popularity of the classes has been growing year on year in line with an increasing awareness among parents and teens about the importance of health and fitness.
“There is a particular focus on spinal health, especially for teens who spend a lot of time on screens or sitting, as well as those involved in sports who seek to enhance their performance through Pilates.”
Heather said the studio’s aerial classes were among the most popular with children and young people attending the studio.
Let’s exercise but let’s make it fun!
“The key is to make fitness enjoyable and that is borne out not only by research but by anecdotal experience.
“Our aerial classes, for example, are very popular because they not only make exercise fun but also help decompress the spine and offer the unique sensation of ‘flying’ with the unique sensory experience they offer of being cocooned in a hammock is also very beneficial.”
“I like aerial because it helps loosen your muscles if they are sore and also makes you more flexible and it’s really fun” was the feedback from one of our keen young aerial participants.
“I feel more flexible because before I couldn’t really do the splits and barely open my legs to V-shape, but now I can expand my legs more.” She adds, “I feel stronger in my arms too as sometimes in the warmup we do the hanging exercise and that has helped me.”
So what are the benefits of Pilates for children and teens?
“While the popularity and benefits of Pilates among adults is now well known and widely accepted, the benefits to children and young people, while not as well known, are equally significant,” explained Heather.
These include better posture and spinal alignment as children grow and develop.
Pilates practice helps strengthen the deep postural muscles that support spinal alignment, which means better posture and less back injuries later in life.
Heather said Pilates can also help children and teens improve their concentration and focus, calm them down using practiced breathing techniques and help promote a more positive mindset.
“Kids also benefit in terms of improved strength, flexibility and balance, which in turn can help their performance on the soccer, hockey or netball field and build their confidence and strength as they progress.
“Pilates can also become a lifelong passion!” she said.
“Once learned it is learned for life and can be practiced at any age into our 90s and beyond – there are so many benefits to starting young.”
For more information about our classes for children and teens please contact our Flex Studio Hong Kong.
Flex Studio Hong Kong
Central : 3F Man Cheung Building 15-17 Wyndham Street, Central
T: 2813 2399 WA +852 5740 5103
Island South : Shops 2205 & 2209 One Island South 2 Heung Yip Road, Wong Chuk Hang
T: 2813 2212 WA: +852 5740 9420
