Teen Fitness Programs

With the pressures today's teenagers have to face, it's no wonder why so many are struggling with remaining physically fit. Only about 38% of them get enough exercise, which means the other 62% are setting themselves up for a sedentary life and all the problems that arise later in life. Now's the time to change these statistics. Research has shown that kids who play sports, or who are physically active, are less likely to have these problems later in life.

The medical community has been sounding the alarm: America's kids are in worse physical shape than they were 20 years ago. This is particularly concerning because overweight teens often grow into overweight adults, and overweight adults develop more heart disease, diabetes, gout, and arthritis. The New England Journal of Medicine reported that obese teenagers in the top 25 percent of their weight categories have twice the death rate in their 70s as men and women who were thin as teens. Every time teens sprawl in front of the TV, their metabolism slows to a crawl. Researchers at Memphis State University and the University of Tennessee explored the link several years ago and were startled to find that kids' metabolisms were lower while they were watching television than when they were resting and doing nothing at all! The typical teen now spends almost 30 hours a week in front of the tube, while eating high-fat snacks.

Eating Disorders have become a real problem facing teens, including obesity, bulimia, and anorexia and lead to furthering problems with poor self-esteem and a distortion of self-image, all forgetting about the most important stuff-- the insides of these kids! Between poor nutrition and a lack of proper exercise the kids and teens face a scary and frightening future if not addressed now! Kids are eating more fast foods than ever before. The obesity statistics are staggering. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, obesity is now the most chronic health problem among U.S. children. If the current epidemic of child and teen obesity continues without change, life expectancy could be shortened for these children and will also seriously impact their self-image as they mature. The rates of overweight children and adolescents have doubled and tripled in the last few decades. Being overweight puts kids at risk both physically and emotionally and it can negatively impact their ability to function well as adults. Adolescent girls face tremendous pressures with their weight and image. Less than one in three adolescents get regular physical exercise. An increase in sedentary activities, such as watching television, playing video games, and internet activity, have contributed to a gross decline in physical activity.

The Fitness Guru™ offers a Kids & Teen Fitness program to address the growing epidemic. The programs are designed to introduce teenagers to basic strength training principles and techniques. This program will emphasize the importance of strength training as part of a healthy lifestyle, focus on exercise safety and injury prevention, and promote a positive self-image.

The programs also entail an educational nutrition element to teach kids and teens about the food groups, how to read food labels and the importance of good, well-balanced nutrition. Other topics that are addressed include:

Teen Fitness Programs can be offered in the following ways:
-1:1 Individual personalized training
-Buddy/or group training (2-3 semi-private)
-Booty boot camp training
-After school or summer programs with a group of 5 or more

If you are interested in having The Fitness Guru™ come and speak to a group, here are a few of the topics we can address, but will customize the engagement to meet your group's need: