Common Questions Answered

How do I get my kid started in fitness or any of it?

Thinking about how to make it fun? What motivates your child? Do they like animals or superheroes? Can you do animal movements (bear crawl, crab walk, frog hop, etc, partnered with other movements) and/or superhero wod (superman fly - hollow hold or bar hangs, hulk deadlifts, spiderman obstacle course or box jump and somersault rolls)? 

Is your child motivated intrinsically or extrinsically? Do they enjoy your praise? Do they want to earn something or mark on a chart and keep track? Do they want to work toward earning something? New workout outfit, gym implement, etc?

Do they want to play a game! What they want can be similar to what you want…how? They want to play a game and you can add movement. Example: Street Parker Says, or hungry hippo burpee relay, or squat tag? 

Do they want you to cheer them on and do a short “Kids” wod or do they want to do a partner one with you, or a you go I go format, or just mirror you in workouts. 

The options are endless! But think about what is fun first! Then think - how can I make this simple. How can you not get overwhelmed, and also them. Sometimes this takes repetition and practice. Maybe you introduce a squat in a game first, then next time play the same game and introduce a burpee, then another, then you have a movement library built up, and you can use those movements to do the Wod or create your own. If you play the same game every day GREAT. As long as they're having fun and moving, you've won. 

Also, another avenue, ask them how they FEEL before they work out, during, and after? Helps to make them realize what it is doing for their body, and in time they may realize they like it, it gives them an outlet and their minds and bodies feel better! More info to come, but science studies have shown that exercise improves mood, attention, learning, regulation, improves sleep habits and so much more. As well as a sense of accomplishment physically and mentally with doing something new, challenging, or well!

How do I teach a movement? (video with a toy car about this?) then a squish the bug video example. 

“Sometimes I struggle to know how to scale the team workouts for him, and still get a good workout for me. How much do I correct him on form when, for example, his hang power clean looks more like a bicep curl”

Movements take time to learn! Think back to the first time you did a squat or a snatch… was it perfect? Probably not! Same goes for kids. This cool thing in our brains called Neuroplasticity is there that helps us learn new things. Basically by doing activities, practicing, and getting repetitions of them, your brain creates a pathway to do these things better. Think of building a road from square one. First time you travel it, the ground has rocks and trees in the way, and you clear those. Next time you drive it, it's a little easier but now the dirt is bumpy, and you need to lay concrete. Then the road is smoother and it's faster to get there, but then you want to add lines or signs to the road. As you do something your brain learns it better, thus making it easier and doing it faster. 

We will have ideas on teaching specific movements, but start small, and without going into too much detail right now, try a strategy called “Show and tell.” Which you are probably familiar with, and honestly your child is too, that's one of the ways kids learn from birth and on, through imitation, then show and tell. Also don't be afraid to break down movements. A squat seems simple but has many pieces that go into it! You show and tell them what to do, they imitate you, and you focus on ONE point of performance, “nice work! Lets do it again!” You saw their heels come up all the way into a toe squat, so this time you say lets stomp and squish some bugs under our heels, and try again. Focusing only on heels down. More to come on this. 

Also think about simple vs complex movements- before I teach a clean and jerk, I would probably first teach an air squat, then front squat, then press, then push press/push jerk, then maybe hang variations etc. Try to choose simple movements when first teaching and build on each other. 

How do I not push my child too hard?

There is a fine line with this because we want to meet our kids where they are at, while encouraging growth and resilience, but also not burn them out, and scare them away from something they never want to do again, or build a negative relationship with you. More to come on this, but think about what is motivating them again? Can you create and set intentions for the workout or movements? Where you can help guide input to make it a challenge, but successful. In Occupational Therapy we talk about this, as creating a “just right challenge” how can we challenge them enough to allow growth, but allow them to be successful as well. Then reflecting on yourself. WHY are you wanting to push them harder? Are they ready? If not, think about what is best for them. Sometimes we can see kids' potential as adults, but they are not there mentally, emotionally, maturity wise, and this can be hard to accept, especially if physically we see great potential. This all comes in time. And with this, patience is the biggest virtue! More to come on this as well as far as, how to get a child to not push too hard. Listening to their body. Teaching the importance of rest and recovery as well. 

What are age appropriate movements, weights and reps schemes for the appropriate age groups for the daily wods to ensure safety and benefit for their growing bodies? Why can't my kid do the same thing as their sibling? Or this other kid?

We will have some guidance on ‘general milestones” for kids, not only physically, but mentally as well. It is important to keep in mind that all kids are vastly different. Giving an age appropriate set of movements, weights, and reps can vary so much depending on many things: experience of the child, or lack of, coordination and body control ability of the child, physical development, maturity, motivation, ability to learn and correct movements, different abilities, progression of gross motor or fine motor development, ability to pick up on new skills and apply, growth spurts (is my child suddenly getting used to their new long legs or bigger feet),  intent for the workout, your child's current state of health or injury or fatigue. The list can go on, but what we are hoping is to teach and give tools and education on how to scale workouts up and down, just as you do for your own workouts. We will have more info on suggestions on where to start age wise, pre-k, kids, teens etc. but want to keep in mind that age is just the first factor in determining where to start, but often is not always the best. For examples as I've given before you may know a 8 year old not wanting to move, an awkward body, wants fun and games, while another 8 year old may have been motivated to workout earlier, crushes workouts, squat form is great, and wants a challenge and this is FUN to them. Just like in my crossfit kids classes I coach, I have some kids that have been 9 in a teens class and some 11 year olds in the kids class. Or some 7 year olds in the preschool class with differing abilities, and some 4 year olds ready to do part of a kids class. This brings us back to simple, fun, and successful! You are an expert in your own child, and we have expertise in the general. But also more than willing to problem solve. This is what we do in the OT world as well. Finding the just right challenge, client centered specific is part of my expertise. 

What about weight? When can they use this? 

Again more to come for each age group. But for all starters, similar to on ramp, start unweighted, and body weight movements. Why? You ask? Because if you are not able to move your own body weight and coordinate it through movements, it is going to be 100% harder to do it with an implement, and then an implement that has a challenging load. Form is always priority, then intensity, then load. We want to keep our children safe, and successful, and make sure they can do this for a lifetime and a long time. So in short it is safer. As practice, and repetition, and mastery of movement occur, then and only then can and should weight be added (again with the motivation to- some of us only do shift or body weight workouts and that's what we prefer, and people often underestimate just how strong you can get just using your own body weight. I'd challenge you as an adult to do some bear crawls, crab walks, somersaults, bar hangs, planks, etc and tell me it's too easy. 

If they can do 100 air squats with amazing form, then adding in light weight eventually will be easier for them as they've built neurological pathways between the brain and body to move well. IF a kid is asking for weight, make it apparent about how they earn it, or realize when is an okay time to use for skill but not in intensity. 

Well what about the barbell you ask? When to use a barbell? How to prep them for a barbell?

Generally like said above as a growing kid learning new movements, or an adult learning new movements, Moving your body is hard enough so adding a barbell makes it tough. Move your body well first, without an implement. For kids this can take years. Once they can move well try adding in med balls, light kb or db, etc and this allows them to practice moving with and implement, increasing the challenge of load against their body. But again never too heavy, and never weight over form. 

Ask yourself what is the goal with weight? Is it about getting stronger? I'll answer that shortly. 

Think of it as stepping stones, if you can't move yourself well, don't add more.Can you anyways? absolutely? Is this bad? No? Depending. So why not add the barbell right away? Adding in a bar means adding weight, adding in a barbell ALSO means adding bar path, and this complicated things. As an adult, tell me it isn't challenging to keep the bar close, and perfect barbell path form? Well for a growing child this too. Moving implements with weight that do not involve bar path first like db and kb can help in the learning process. Before a barbell, the suggestion is to always start with PVC. That way they can learn barpath without load, and complexity or injury potential. From here once they move well, working toward a PVC filled with sand, or training bars, and then barbells. Learning and having the maturing to use a barbell, being in control of the barbell, barbell safety, barbell bailing, comes in time. And must be earned. 

Finally back to the question about why weight? Why more weight for kids? Well if your answer is because you want them to get stronger, here is something to consider. 

Up until puberty hits, children do not have the hormones to truly build muscle and strength like adults do. Therefore giving them more weight is not essential or of big reward until then. Instead, taking that time to work on form and technique can help neurologically build solid pathways and a base for when they can start moving, and maximize a time in their life when they can get stronger. More to come on tips for this for when barbell does come into play, safety, programming ideas etc 

How do I get my athlete to not be sloppy and silly and lose form?

 Praise what you want to see and change the goal of the workout or intention set together. Children want to be silly and have fun! So let it be! Maybe then the workout turns into a game with squats and freezing and somersaults, etc. with no weights or implements that they can hurt themselves with. In time maturity and motivation changes with expectation of when you earn implements can help them to know maybe when they want to start focusing on form. In the meantime try to encourage good form, or points of performance by kneeling out games, squishing bugs with your squat heels, pressing up the sky in a press or freeze dance game, etc. 

What about competitive siblings? They want to win and be first.

Again, change the praise you give and the intention or the goal of the workout, the “win” of today is best knees out squat instead of who gets the most reps. Praise hard work and effort for form, rather than score. 

Team workouts- you go- i go format so they rely on each other and can set goals to “win together” or achieve together, AMRAPs, have them work for the same amount of time instead of for time workouts, and encourage them to do their best, or if you are doing some type of AMRAP rest repeated AMRAP format or EMOM try to get them to match or beat their own score. 

What about kids that want to do too much for what they are capable of? Do I crush their dreams?

 I have touched on this a little but, balance. Rest and recovery IS a part of getting better as an athlete. Also, we are adults, we must use our knowledge and experience to help them do what's best for themselves. If they have big dreams and goals, help set little ones to get them there, but to focus on instead. Example: I want to win the CrossFit games or I want to squat 200 pounds or be the fastest sprinter in the world… a cool big goal? Realistic? Maybe? Work on smaller goals to achieve! Helps with confidence. Ever heard of SMART goals?

For my athletes wanting to train for their other sports? How much is too much? 

First have them listen to their bodies. Also, you try to look for body cues, mentally and physically to check in. Kids do have lots more energy than adults most of the time, but also are usually smarter than us and will stop when something hurts, but some don't, so you being aware or checking in with their coaches as well is important. Training and fitness science shows carry over to improve sport, even though non sport specific, and can help develop speed, endurance, agility, strength, and so much more. So this might be a way to motivate kids to try some fitness if they realize it will help in their sport. Finally, allow both to happen! If a child already has a long practice for sport, that can be their movement for the day, balance to avoid burnout and or injury, and really make sure for these active kids you are talking about importance of recovery, food and fuel, hydration, etc. 

Nutrition! How do I go about introducing nutrition?

There are SO many ways to do this and theories and we have more coming on this. But in general, introducing nutrition as food is fuel, thinking about how it makes our body feel and or perform when we eat it? Also, starting by labeling. Does your child know or can label what meat is? Protein? Fats? Carbs? Veggies? Etc. Can they label a variety of foods in fun games like rainbow colors and foods, or alphabet letters and foods? Can they help in recipe making, cooking process? Do they know about their 5 senses? Can you explore textures, tastes, smells, feel, etc about foods? Oftentimes when we can explore foods for some of the picky eaters or sensory challenged eaters, low pressure, and exploring without the pressure to eat is helpful! 

How do I get them to eat more veggies or protein?

Fun recipes! Think about snacks or smoothies with veggies and protein in it. Let them have autonomy to choose what the food will be and how to cook it, and let them help prepare it. If they need some ideas, have them help you with going grocery shopping or look on Pinterest for recipes to try. Have some easy-to-manage veggies on hand (think baby carrots, snap peas, jerky). Lots more on this

How do I approach talking about nutrition with my kids? There's so much out there that can lead to disordered eating thinking." 

We get it. It can be challenging to talk about nutrition with your kids, especially if it’s been a sensitive topic for yourself. The best point to share for now is food and fuel. No food is “good” or “bad” for you in the sense of your value as a human doesn’t depend on what you eat. Ask them the question: What do you think this food does for your body? How does this food fuel your body? If it’s appropriate, incorporate the idea of “sometimes foods” and “all the time foods” as reference to what it does for our body. There are many ways to teach nutrition, and it’s often an ongoing conversation.  

What can you tell me about kids’ mental health and having a growth mindset?

 I can say from my experience in occupational therapy and also in the health world that no one's health goes singularly. Our health is holistic just like we are holistic beings. All are important and impact each other — mental, physical, social, emotionally, health and more. More to come on this, but a growth mindset create positive learning experiences that shape the way they look at life. 

What about technology? How do I get my kids away from video games to workout?

 Like anything routine, boundaries, and schedules help, asking how they feel before and after can help. We live in a world where you have to be technology savvy, but it also engulfs people's worlds. In our youth from a healthcare perspective we have been seeing more and more addictions to technology, which can pair with anxiety, social anxiety, lack of other leisure experiences, decline in development of physical health and motor skills. 

Also, studies show that technology can be very disregulating to the brain. Everything is instant and moves very fast, TV shows and characters move from one scene to the next fast, lots goes on, that in normal life, does not occur that fast with that amount of stimuli. If your child is in a bad mood, grumpy when “coming down” or stopping their technology use, this can play a role in it. So timers, schedules, expectations, and boundaries surrounding use. And then making family goals surrounding fitness and etc and how to make that fun can help to make this a more appealing experience.