By NATALIA HAWK
When I was three, my mum signed me up for dance class. She bought me a little black leotard and matching little black bike shorts and took me to the classes, which involved very little dancing and lots of clapping and skipping around a room.
I wasn’t a particularly co-ordinated child, and couldn’t actually skip, but that didn’t matter at all. Because I was three. No-one expects you to be Beyonce or anything.
I think most Australian kids have a similar story. We usually start sport at a very early age – dancing, or gymnastics, or swimming, or soccer – and it isn’t taken at all seriously. Which is a good thing, because encouraging three-year-olds to be competitive would be really silly when they’re only just figuring out how to catch a ball. I’ve seen those Sunday kiddie soccer games. It’s like herding cats. Cats that happen to be wearing ridiculously cute little jerseys.
It’s obviously great to get kids active at a young age – especially if they end up finding something that they really, really enjoy. But this week, I think kiddie fitness reached a bit of an extreme level… with the introduction of CrossFit for toddlers.
You’ve probably heard of CrossFit. It’s an incredibly demanding type of exercise that’s a cross between aerobics/gymnastics, body weight exercises and weight lifting. In an average CrossFit session, you may be required to do sprints, kettleball lifts, rope climbs, skipping, weights and many many other painful things. Lots of adults have been taking part and seeing serious results.
A gym in Long Island in the US has decided that kids shouldn’t miss out on all the pain fun. They’re going to begin offering CrossFit classes to kids as young as three. A kiddie version, with an emphasis on strength and conditioning.
I’m not sure why three year olds need strength and conditioning, but hey, what would I know?
Top Comments
Various methods are used to accomplish the strengthening of kids but Cross Fit is one of best method. This program incorporates all the important elements focused on in the adult workout, but at a much lower level. This workout is great for
kids, as Cross Fit aims to improve neurological adaptations.
CrossFit for kids is AWESOME and my 7 year old LOVES it! CrossFit is about being safe and doing movements properly so no 3 year old will be doing weights as this would be dangerous. Getting kids active, having fun being active, being challenged, etc is brilliant from any age and the kids will learn how to move their bodies and do body weight movements, it's brilliant!! If you've never tried it, you shouldn't comment! Let's get kids active again and stop moaning when they are. It looks like the kids in this picture are having a ball!