6 Steps to Kids Fitness

Thanks to a fast food/soda pop diet and the attractions of the TV, childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions.

“It’s not unusual to see a 12–year–old weighing 250 pounds,” says Christiane Wert, M.P.H., R.D., program director for KidShape, a Los Angeles weight management program for children.

Overweight kids are targets for other kids’ barbs, which can leave emotional scars, but there are more immediate physical concerns – high blood pressure, cholesterol and increased risk of heart disease. Excessive weight also exacerbates asthma, contributes to orthopedic problems like hip displacement and knee fractures, and may lead to early menstruation in pre–teen girls, a risk factor for breast cancer.

The problems are all preventable, Wert says, if children slim down by eating nutritious food and getting more physically active. It’s not just a matter of cutting calories, which tends to deplete muscle mass along with fat; this kind of “dieting” not only weakens children, but ultimately slows down fat metabolism.

In contrast, exercise boosts metabolism on a 24–hour basis. When kids are regularly active, their bodies burn more calories even when they’re sitting around watching Xena.

Here are some of Wert’s ideas for enticing even the most sedentary kids to get physical:

Make exercise fun.

“Think of activities that kids enjoy and that they’ll succeed at,” advises Wert. “If you pick an activity that’s too difficult for them to master, they’ll feel like failures and won’t want to keep doing it.” Ice skating, inline skating, or skiing, for example, may be great for some, but too complex for others. Consider snowshoeing, a bike ride, a martial arts class, or even something as simple as a hike through the park or a brisk walk at your favorite shopping center. Better yet: Ask your kids what they might like to try.

The family that plays together…

Parents (and siblings) should get on board with the new exercise program. The more family members who get enthusiastically involved, the better. “If parents see exercise as a chore, kids will sense that and won’t want to do it,” notes Wert. Instead, form Team Family so that the child doesn’t feel singled out or punished for being overweight. When was the last time you did something fun and active with your children?

Reward effort.

Set up a point system for exercise. For instance, keep track of everyone’s exercise feats with a chart on the refrigerator. Don’t make it a competition, but reward the whole group’s accomplishment. When everyone has done three exercise activities a week, say, celebrate by doing something special. But never use high–calorie sweets or fatty foods as a reward, Wert cautions; it sends the wrong message. “Food is something to nourish the body, not a reward or punishment,” she states firmly: “If at the end of a week of healthful eating, you reward your child with an ice cream sundae, it will seem more desirable than the healthful food. The child may become consumed thinking about it.”

Instead of food, try tickets to a sporting event, the theater, a concert or the movies. Girls might like a massage or facial at a day spa. Or splurge on athletic equipment like skates, mountain bikes, a gym membership, even something as simple as a jump rope or wacky exercise video.

Circuit–train at home.

Who needs a fancy home gym when you’ve got stairs, living room furniture and canned goods? Using everyday items as exercise tools makes for creative fun. Wert suggests establishing workout stations throughout the house for specific exercises. Do as much as you can at one spot in two or three minutes, then move on to the next station.

Jog five or six times up and down the stairs in the allotted time, move on to crunches with your legs up on the couch, then hustle to the kitchen to curl two 10–oz. cans of tomatoes or water bottles. Finish the routine by jumping rope on the porch. Do the circuit several times. Make it more fun by blasting your kids’ favorite music.

Dance!
Turn your living room into a disco. Pump up the volume, and shake it. Sure, it’s high on the corniness meter, but it can also be a lot of goofy fun.

Play schoolyard games.

Tag, touch football and capture the flag are aerobic outdoor games that everyone can play. Invite other families on your block to join in, and it becomes a big social event –– not like exercise at all. When they’re having fun, kids barely notice the huffing and puffing.

When the weather is nasty, a great indoor option is crab soccer. Get down crab–like, scuttling on your hands and feet to move a soft Nerf ball from one end of the family or rumpus room to the other. Just be sure to clear away anything breakable before you start.

Buiding Confident Kids

It takes confidence to be a kid. Whether going to a new school or stepping up to bat for the first time, kids face a lot of uncharted territory.

Naturally, parents want to instill a can-do attitude in their kids so that they’ll bravely take on new challenges and, over time, believe in themselves. While each child is a little different, parents can follow some general guidelines to build kids’ confidence.

Self–confidence rises out of a sense of competence. In other words, kids develop confidence not because parents tell them they’re great, but because of their achievements, big and small. Sure, it’s good to hear encouraging words from mom and dad. But words of praise mean more when they refer to a child’s specific efforts or new abilities.

When kids achieve something, whether it’s brushing their own teeth or riding a bike, they get a sense of themselves as able and capable, and tap into that high–octane fuel of confidence.

Building self–confidence can begin very early. When babies learn to turn the pages of a book or toddlers learn to walk, they are getting the idea “I can do it!” With each new skill and milestone, kids can develop increasing confidence.

Parents can help by giving kids lots of opportunities to practice and master their skills, letting kids make mistakes and being there to boost their spirits so they keep trying. Respond with interest and excitement when kids show off a new skill, and reward them with praise when they achieve a goal or make a good effort.

With plentiful opportunities, good instruction, and lots of patience from parents, kids can master basic skills – like tying their shoes and making the bed. Then, when other important challenges present themselves, kids can approach them knowing that they have already been successful in other areas.

Stay on the Sidelines

Of course, supervision is important to ensure that kids stay safe. But to help them really learn a new skill, it’s also important not to hover. Give kids the opportunity to try something new, make mistakes, and learn from them.

For instance, if your son wants to learn how to make a peanut butter sandwich, demonstrate, set up the ingredients, and let him give it a try. Will he make a bit of a mess? Almost certainly. But don’t swoop in the second some jelly hits the countertop. In fact, avoid any criticism that could discourage him from trying again. If you step in to finish the sandwich, your son will think, “Oh well, I guess I can’t make sandwiches.” But if you have patience for the mess and the time it takes to learn, the payoff will be real. Someday soon he’ll be able to say, “I’m hungry for lunch, so I’m going to make my own sandwich.” You might even reply, “Great, can you make me one, too?” What a clear sign of your faith in his abilities!

Offer Encouragement and Praise

Sometimes, it won’t be you swooping in when your child falters, but your child giving up. Help by encouraging persistence in the midst of frustration. By trying again, kids learn that obstacles can be overcome.

Once kids reach a goal, you’ll want to praise not only the end result but also their willingness to stick with it. For instance, after your son has mastered making that peanut butter sandwich you might show your confidence by saying, “Next time, want to learn how to crack an egg?” Sandwich fixing and egg cracking might not seem like huge achievements, but they’re important steps in the right direction – toward your child’s independence.

Throughout childhood, parents have chances to prepare kids to take care of themselves. Sure, it’s great to feel needed, but as kids steadily gain confidence and independence, their relationship with you can be even richer. You can be bonded, not just by dependence, but also by love and shared pride in all they’ve achieved. Eventually, your grown–up kids just might say thanks for how prepared they feel for the road ahead – a road they can take with confidence.

Youth Martial Arts Program

The Summer of Innovation is here! When you don’t Evolve you Dissolve! What you are doing today will soon be old news. Our goal with the Summer of Innovation Program is to help our students have an exciting summer of special events, great experiences and training sessions that will keep them motivated, improve their skills and create new friendships and memories that last forever! Below is an outline of our New Youth Martial Arts Program.

Basic Martial Arts
We start with Creating Champions from the inside.
Building confidence and learning Martial Arts basics
in small steps. Improving physical strength and becoming
champions.

Higher Level Training
We step up the training to a higher level program called the
LEADERSHIP Program. The students go up another level
and become martial arts athletes leaders in our community,
and champions in the game of life.

Character Development Program
Repetition of life skills in karate class, in the classroom, and at
home start to become a way of life.

The Black Belt Test
High performance martial arts techniques and a strong
character start to really develop to a high level. Students
turn into martial arts warriors. Fast, powerful, and confident
strong Black Belts.

Advanced Curriculum, Leading and Teaching
All Leadership students learn advanced techniques and begin
learning how to teach and lead others.

Coaches’ Day

Attention Parents:
Our Coaches’ Day hand target Seminar is the perfect opportunity to help your child learn and improve at home! We’ll coach you on how to be a great coach – and help improve your child’s focus, self-esteem, and concentration. Come learn to hold hand targets safely and have a great time in this fun event! Price includes the Seminar and a FREE hand target.

Limited Space Available!

*Ask about our Pre-Certified Training Equipment Special

Kung Fu Panda 2 Training Class

Kung Fu Panda 2: Dragon Warrior Challenge.

The first 15 students to reach 15 points will win Kung Fu Panda 2 prizes!!

This will be a DOUBLE Points event. So that means Students can earn points for each of the following missions:

• Friend Attends training class = 4 points for Student
• Friend enrolls in summer program = 20 points for Student

Master the skills of the furious five!

Using the promotional movie “The Secrets of the Furious Five,” and positive martial arts instructors, the kids attending our training class will be working on their patience, courage, confidence, self-control, and respect – without even knowing it! Our class will focus on using an exciting martial arts class with the theme of Kung Fu Panda 2 for character development. The students will leave our school happy with new level of self-esteem.

Bring a buddy to share this FREE training class with! We’ll see you on Friday, June 3rd, from 6:45PM – 7:45PM!

Kung Fu Panda 2: Dragon Warrior Challenge

The Panda-monium has begun! In honor of the release of Kung Fu Panda 2 we are starting up a fun, exciting, and totally AWESOME contest: The Dragon Warrior Challenge.

Every time you bring a new friend or family member in to an event or for a free lesson you earn Dragon Warrior points. The first 15 students to reach 15 points will win the following Kung Fu Panda 2 prizes:

• T-Shirt (Youth M-Youth XL Available)
• Beach Ball
• Playing Cards
• 2 Pencils
• Mini Movie Poster
• 2 Removable Tattoos

Students can earn points for each of the following missions:

• Friend Attends class = 1 point for Student
• Friend Attends training class = 2 points for Student
• Friend Attends summer camp = 5 points for Student
• Friend enrolls in summer program = 10 points for Student

Get the new Kung Fu Panda 2 VIP Passes and get started towards winning your prizes. Here are suggestions to help you win our totally AWESOME prizes:

• Kung Fu Panda 2 Training Class (Friday, June 3rd 6:45pm-7:45pm)
• Summer Camp #1 (July 11th – July 15th)
• Summer Camp #2 (August 22nd – August 26th)

Invite these people:

• Family members
• Friends
• Classroom friends
• Parents and parents’ friends
• Sports team
• Businesses
• Church, Boy/Girl Scouts Group or organization you belong to

Invite everyone you know so you can win!

Personal Achievement Academy Power Bands are in!!

OOH YEAH…Guess what came in today?? Our Personal Achievement Academy Powerbands!!

Quick Reminder: Students who have earned 150 points or higher on their Monthly Handout will earn 1 Gold Star & A Power Band.

Kid Power Health & Fitness (3.26.11)

THE CHALLENGE
The US government has declared obesity a national epidemic. Nearly one in three children in America are overweight or obese. During the past three decades, childhood obesity rates in America have tripled. It is considered to be the number one cause of disease and death in the United States. It is linked to developing depression and low self-esteem in children. Obese children have a 70% chance of remaining obese even in their adulthood.

One third of all children born this decade will suffer from chronic obesity-related health problems like:
Heart Disease, Type-2 Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Cancer, Strokes, Sleep Apnea, Asthma and more…
The annual cost to society for obesity is estimated at nearly 100 Billion dollars!

THE ANSWER
Kids Need to be Motivated, Educated and Inspired. The primary cause for obesity is the imbalance between calorie intake and calories expended. One in five school age kids eat up to 6 snacks adding up to 1,500 empty calories per day. Portions and beverage sizes are up 2 to 5 times and meals average 31% more calories. With proper education and motivation we can help inspire the youth to improve their habits.

KID POWER HEALTH AND FITNESS WORKSHOP
The Personal Achievement Academy Kid Power Health and Fitness 60 minute workshop is a fun and interactive class for kids and parents.

Attendees are educated on:
Fun Fitness Activities and Powerful Exercises Health and Nutrition The Mental Strategies to be Successful Attendees are positively encouraged to become fit and eat healthier in a cool and fun way.
BEING HEALTHY AND FIT IS COOL!

Personal Achievement Academy Official Presenter
ATA Martial Arts of Branchburg
999B US Hwy 202N
Branchburg NJ, 08876
908.541.9800

Kidz ‘N Power Bullying Prevention Program

Creating a HAPPIER Community
Bullying Prevention thru Olweus and Songahm Taekwondo

Bullying is one of the most difficult issues that students, parents and educators might encounter in or out of school. Discipline, order and respect are mainstays of Songahm Taekwondo, but many instructors offer additional support with presentations from the The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, the most researched and best-known bullying prevention program available.

Learn more about bullying, how to prevent or resolve it, and more about the Olweus program

Protect your children with bullying prevention skills and strategies by calling ATA Martial Arts of Branchburg to inquire about our upcoming seminar based on the Olweus program.

Event: Kidz ‘N Power Bullying Prevention Program
Date: Friday, July 30th
Time: 7:30pm – 8:30pm
Cost: FREE!! Bring a Friend!!

The Last Airbender Training Camp

We have another awesome event coming up in the next few weeks! We will have another chance to invite all of our friends in to take another great class themed after an up-and-coming martial arts-based movie, The Last Airbender!

Noah Ringer, the star of The Last Airbender is a 1st Degree ATA kid from Texas and he is going to be awesome in the movie! We’re going to have a special buddy camp on Saturday, July 3rd (9am to 3pm) for kids and it will be about Goal Setting and Perseverance. The characters in the movie, TV show, and books have a goal and meet many obstacles along their way and we believe that using them as an example will help teach kids to Never Give Up!

Airbender Jahng Bong/ Bo Staff Seminar!
Special Guest Instructor Mr. Lee Brings it!! We’ll do a Avatar-style Bo Staff seminar with awesome spins and strikes and maybe master the element of WIND!! Learn to use your Bo Staff like Aang the Avatar! We’ll use Bo Staff techniques and a themed weapons training class. Students will learn combinations that they can use to put into forms and make their weapons skills better!!
*Bo Staff NOT Included. Cost $35. Pre-Register Before June 30th and Save $5.

Avatar: The Last Airbender Lunch & Movie
We’ll watch as many episodes of Avatar as we can in 90 minutes. Don’t forget you can bring a friend too!! As long as they’re an Avatar fan!!

Avatar: The Last Airbender Stunt Training
Learn how to act and train just like your favorite Action Hero’s!!

Date: Saturday, July 3rd
Time: 9am – 3pm
Cost: $50 (Includes Lunch)
Friends Train FREE!!

Schedule of Events
9am – 11am – Airbender Jahng Bong/ Bo Staff Seminar! (Jahng Bong NOT Included)
11am – 1pm – Lunch & Movie
1pm – 3pm – Airbender Stunt Training Seminar

Fee: $35 per Seminar or $50 for the Whole day (Includes Lunch). Bo Staff $35.

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