What do you want for your 11-year-old kid?

And the answer to this question is simple- healthy, active, and away from the digital world that has become a vital part of your life. So keeping children active, healthy, and balanced is more crucial than ever in today’s world.
Now as parents, it’s your job to ensure that your children develop the good habit of exercising regularly.
But how do you know your kids are getting enough exercise or strength training, yet not too much to cause strain or injury?
So let’s get started with discussing the importance of exercise for your child.

Is Strength Training Same as Weightlifting, Bodybuilding, or Powerlifting

Refrain from mixing up strength training with weightlifting, bodybuilding, or powerlifting. Trying to get really big muscles can be too hard on young muscles, tendons, and body parts that are still growing — especially if they’re not lifting weights correctly and want to lift heavier and heavier.

For kids, it’s better to use light weights and carefully move them — and it’s really important they do it safely and the right way. Your kid can do a lot of strength exercises just using their body weight or cheap resistance bands. Other choices include free weights and weights on machines.

Importance of Training for 11-year-olds.

It goes without saying that regular exercise equips your kids with energy and robust health. And the child also learns social skills, manages stress, and develops a positive self-image. 

And the physical aspects become apparent quite soon too. Your kid has stronger bones, healthier weight levels, improved concentration, and a sense of achievement. To sum it up, physical activity is a key component that supports a child’s overall well-being.

However, the cliché that “excess of everything is bad” also holds true in this case. Just as an excess of exercise can also have its drawbacks. 

If you push your kid too much, overdoing physical activities might lead to injuries, Burnout, or a negative relationship with fitness. 

On the flip side, more exercise is needed too. You know, the lazy lifestyle of obesity, developmental issues, and reduced social interaction.

So, finding the ideal balance is the real key you’ll find in this blog. 

This blog post is dedicated to parents to help them understand the role of exercise in their kid’s life, the dangers of both over-exercising and under-exercising and how to find the perfect balance to supercharge your 11-year-old’s energy and health.

Let’s start with the Growth and Development:

At the age of 11, kids enter a phase of rapid growth and development, both physically and mentally. Their bodies are changing, and they’re starting to take on more responsibilities, more complex tasks at school and home. 

Here is the point where a balanced physical activity helps the child to grow Psychologically, emotionally, and physically. 

Physical Benefits:

Research has repeatedly affirmed the benefits of exercise for children. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children who engage in regular physical activity show better cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular strength, healthier body mass and composition, and improved cognitive function. 

These children are also less likely to develop chronic illnesses and are generally happier, illustrating the powerful impact of exercise on a child’s health.

And you have a child with a strong heart, lungs, and muscles! Regular exercise improves your kid’s cardiovascular fitness, enhancing heart and lung function. Your child also enjoys a reduced risk of developing chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes.

And your kid also has a healthy weight and stronger bones, which gives your child a healthy and lean body one can die for! With rapid growth at this stage, your kid has the power of exercise to get through the growth sprout without the usual weakness other kids experience. 

Psychological Benefits:

Exercise isn’t only about the body; it’s also about the mind! 

Regular physical activity helps kids improve their concentration, memory, and cognitive flexibility. And proper and balanced physical activity also releases endorphins, the body’s natural mood-enhancers, reducing stress levels and anxiety while fostering a positive outlook.

Social Benefits:

And the best part is your kid learns to live and behave properly. For example, if your child loves to swim, group classes allow kids to socialize, learn teamwork, and improve communication skills. 

Your child nurtures leadership skills, seeks and offers cooperation, and builds friendships, leading to well-rounded social development.

Now let’s get to the stuff that matters – how much exercise is best.

The Dangers of Over-exercising.

While physical activity is essential for a child’s health and development, there is a fine line between an appropriate amount and overdoing it. Let’s explore the dangers of over-exercising.

Over-exercising, What does it mean?

Over-exercising, or exercise addiction, is a state in which a child engages in extreme and excessive physical activity, often ignoring the body’s signals for rest and recovery. 

This could mean exercising for long durations without adequate rest or persisting with strenuous activities even when in pain or exhausted. Now it’s your job as a parent to watch out for signs such as consistent fatigue, persistent injuries, or an unhealthy obsession with exercise and put the stop there immediately.

The Consequences of Over-exercising

Over-exercising can have severe physical implications…injury, negative impacts on growth and development, and Burnout.

Overuse of muscles and joints may lead to serious injuries like sprains, fractures, or stress injuries. Your child may also have negative experiences like growth plate injuries, delayed puberty, and in extreme cases, can even negatively impact height and weight development.

These are extremely painful and disruptive, and it’s possible that they set back your child’s active lifestyle and fitness progress and start avoiding exercise altogether.

And along with the physical problems, your child also faces psychological issues that may be worse than the apparent damages.

Kids who over-exercise are more likely to experience Burnout – chronic physical and emotional exhaustion. And the worse thing is the sense of failure or inadequacy as your child constantly pushes to achieve unrealistic fitness goals. This kind of effect can adversely impact self-esteem and overall mental health.

Now What to Do If the Child is Over-exercising?

The immediate response must be to talk to the kid and inform them about the balanced exercise’s limits. And next comes the rest and recovery.  

Taking proper rest and recovery time allows the body to repair and strengthen itself between workouts. The body replenishes energy stores and rebuilds damaged tissues during these periods, facilitating growth and preventing overuse injuries. The best idea is to consult a coach and track the child’s improvement with the help of the expert’s guidance.

While exercise is crucial for your 11-year-old’s health, it is equally essential to be vigilant against over-exercising. Keep a lookout on your kid’s exercise routine. If you feel your child is doing too much, it’s time to rest. Understanding the importance of rest helps foster a balanced and healthy approach toward exercise.

Insufficient Exercise or a Lack of Physical Activity

Just as over-exercising carries risks, insufficient exercise or a lack of physical activity also have damaging effects on your 11-year-old’s health and development. 

Let’s explore what insufficient exercise is and its potential impacts.

Insufficient exercise, or physical inactivity, is an inadequate level of physical activity that falls below the recommended guidelines.

This would mean getting less than an hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily for children.

Lazy Lifestyle and Your Kid’s Health

Leading a Lazy lifestyle has nothing but adverse effects on your child’s health.

First, your child will be obese, no doubt about that! A lack of physical activity likely leads to energy imbalance, where children take in more calories from food than they burn off through exercise. 

Over time, this can result in weight gain and increase the risk of childhood obesity, potentially leading to serious health issues in the future.

Your child also ends up with weaker bones and muscles and a bad heart. Children who don’t get enough physical activity may be more prone to stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses.

Nothing good comes with being Lazy.

Insufficient exercise can set the stage for multiple health issues for your child. Understanding these risks can help us realize the importance of ensuring our kids get the right amount of physical activity. 

Remember, balance is key, and promoting an active lifestyle while avoiding over-exercising can help your child physically and mentally thrive.

Follow the Recommended Guidelines for Children’s Physical Activities

The World Health Organization recommends that children and adolescents aged 5-17 do at least an hour of moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily. Most daily physical activity should be aerobic, with activities that strengthen muscle and bone incorporated at least thrice weekly.

Parents, it’s time to play your part:

Children follow their parents, and it’s no different when it comes to exercise. By maintaining an active lifestyle yourself, you set a positive example for your child to follow.

Now it’s time for you as a parent to find practical ways to ensure your child is getting enough exercise.

• Incorporating physical activities into the daily routine: Make exercise a part of your child’s daily life. This could be as simple as walking or cycling to school, doing chores around the house, or having a dance-off during their favorite music.

• Choosing age-appropriate, enjoyable exercises: Choosing activities your 11-year-old enjoys and feels comfortable with is essential. This could be playing a team sport like soccer, individual activities like swimming or martial arts, or even yoga and mindfulness exercises.

• Encouraging active play: Active play can be an excellent way for children to get their recommended daily physical activity. This could be playing tag in the backyard, joining a local sports team, or playing interactive video games requiring physical movement.

• Open communication about exercise and health can go a long way. Talk to your child about the importance of regular physical activity and how it contributes to their overall health and well-being. Listen to their concerns or anxieties about exercise and provide reassurance and guidance. Encourage them to voice any discomfort or tiredness related to their exercise routine.

Conclusion:

As a parent, your guidance is crucial in helping your 11-year-old establish and maintain a balanced approach to exercise. By encouraging, monitoring, and communicating effectively, you can ensure your child reaps the benefits of physical activity while avoiding the risks associated with over-exercising or under-exercising.
And you can also use the best professional help from the coaches who know how to handle the kids of all ages. The 11-year-old is on the doorstep of starting their teens so it’s highly recommended to have a coach to watch over the strength training of your kid.