Kids who participate in team sports may be getting less exercise than they think, a study finds. Soccer players were active for a bit longer than baseball and softball players.
At Master Lowell’s MMA you can be sure kids will get there 60 minutes of exercise recommended by Pediatricians. At Master Lowell’s we work on three aspects of fitness that are essential to children’s health and well being. First we work on flexibility. Every class at Master Lowell’s opens with a series of yoga stretches and postures. Next we work on endurance with cardio vascular training consisting of aerobic exercise such as running, hitting various pads, shadow boxing and repetition drills. Then we finish with strength training. Body weight exercise and various calisthenics complete our workouts. Master Lowell emphasizes healthy eating habits and educates kids on proper nutrition. At Master Lowell’s, children get a self esteem boost from learning mixed martial Arts, along with self defense techniques that gives kid’s confidence that they can defend themselves in any situation on the ground or standing up. Master Lowell’s is just what the Pediatrician ordered a healthy body and mind.
Many parents encourage their kids to take part in team sports, thinking they'll get their recommended daily activity. But a new study suggests that children who play sports might not get enough daily exercise, and teens may get even less.
The study, released today in the journal Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, looked at how much exercise 200 kids age 7 to 14 got while playing team soccer, baseball or softball. The children wore accelerometers that tracked movement and intensity during team practice time, which ranged from 40 to 130 minutes for soccer and 35 to 217 minutes for baseball and softball.
Researchers discovered that among all participants, only 24% got the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity during practices. The news for teens was even worse -- only 10% of children age 11 to 14 reached that amount. All participants averaged about 45 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity.
The sports, chosen for their popularity and different activity levels, did show disparities. Soccer players were active for an average of 13.7 minutes more than those who played baseball or softball.
Boys outdid girls during practice, spending on average 10.7 more minutes being active. And both boys and girls were inactive for an average 30 minutes per practice.
In the study, the authors wrote, "The health effects of youth sports could be improved by adopting policies and practices that ensure youth obtain sufficient physical activity during practices: emphasizing participation over competition, sponsoring teams for all skill levels across all ages.
At Master Lowell’s MMA Academy we emphasize participation at your own pace. Competition is to oneself for oneself. We train kids individually according to their needs both mentally and physically. The instructors at Master Lowell’s will work with children in a disciplined yet fun environment. Encouraging children to be their best and give their best in school, sports and at the academy. If your child needs a great fitness program along with the confidence and achievement of learning the art of self defense. Please call us at 1.321.255.3474 to make an appointment for a visit our academy.
