According to the American Heart Association, ongoing research shows that the cardiovascular endurance of America’s kids is getting worse. Their research shows a drop of 6% per decade between 1970 and 2010. In fact, the cardiovascular health of children in nations around the world has declined by 5 percent each decade. We just lead the pack with 6 percent.

Some other eye-opening statistics from the research show that kids today are “roughly 15 percent less fit from a cardiovascular standpoint than their parents were as youngsters” and they run a mile run a minute and a half slower than children from 30 years ago.

All of this means it’s recommended that parents think about kids fitness a lot more than they do right now. And not just think about, do something about it.

When Does Fit Mean “Fit”?

There are several ways that kids can be fit.

• Strong (like a weightlifter)
  Flexible (like a gymnast)
  Skillful (like a tennis player)

Not all of these types of “strength” relate well to “health,” according to Grant Tomkinson, Ph.D., lead author of the study founding the American Heart Association’s research. “The most important type of fitness for good health is cardiovascular fitness, which is the ability to exercise vigorously for a long time, like running laps around a track.”

The cardiovascular trend for the world’s children (and especially America’s) is reason for concern, but these trends can be changed even for children who are part of this “degenerating generation.” The cardiovascular habits of children can be improved (with the addition to cardiovascular activities to their daily routines and lifestyle changes) so that cardio endurance can be improved.

It is important to become familiar with the components of childhood fitness. It is multifaceted–encompassing a number of aspects that have an impact on health and well-being.

• Flexibility pertains to the body’s range of motion. The goal of flexibility training is to have the maximum range of motion without pain or stiffness.
• Strength refers to the amount of weight the muscles can push, pull or support. However, strength training also strengthens the bones.
• Cardiovascular endurance is the heart’s ability to withstand extended periods of activity.
• Muscular endurance is the time the muscles can withstand pushing, pulling or supporting weight.
• Body composition is the amount (or percentage) of fat versus non-fat (bone, skin, muscle, etc.) in the body.

It’s also important to understand the anatomical and physiological differences between children and adults. Keep in mind that every child is different–some stronger in one area more so than another.

Because children grow in spurts, they are always in the process of acclimation and may lack coordination. This makes them more vulnerable to injury, and any plan to improve child fitness should account for childhood growth patterns. Children’s core muscles those muscles in the hips, back and abdomen area are not fully developed and are therefore weaker than the core muscles of adults.

Children often lack flexibility, which is an integral part of fitness and a preventative factor when it comes to injury. Therefore, flexibility training should be incorporated into any childhood fitness program.

There are several factors that can impact a child’s cardio endurance:

Diet

A well-balanced healthy diet can improve a child’s endurance. Having a daily diet that is full of nutritious foods can provide a child with more energy during school and after-school activities.

Parents can encourage healthy eating habits in their children by making healthy food choices themselves. Foods that increase stamina include bananas, red grapes, complex cards and iron-rich foods.

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests a diet that includes a mix of foods from the five food groups: fresh vegetables and fruits, whole-grains, low-fat dairy, and quality lean protein sources, including lean meats, fish, nuts, seeds and eggs).

Daily Routine

A daily routine that includes physical activity will get a child into a habit of staying active throughout their life. A daily routine that encourages fitness helps a child build up endurance.

It’s important to mix up the type of activities the child is doing. Walking or jogging, cycling, swimming and low intensity dancing are all activities that are aerobic exercises, which are low to high intensity exercises that primarily depend on aerobic energy-generating processes.

Having a child walk an hour one day is just as useful for their cardio endurance as swimming for 30 minutes another day. Mixing up these activities allows the child to not get bored of repeating the same activity each day.

Sports Involvement

Some children need the motivation of competition to keep them active. Getting them involved in sports and activities such as gymnastics or cheer can keep them physically fit and active–and add enough competition to hold their interest and enthusiasm. Children should still use aerobic activities to keep them performing at their best in these activities. For example, a sport such as basketball utilizes their aerobic exercise from jogging as they will be running up and down the court.

Gymnastics or Cheer Involvement

Supplementing cardio workouts with competitive sports such as gymnastics or cheer can improve the overall experience for a child. The benefits of cardiovascular endurance for these athletes includes improved posture and health, enhanced stamina and performance ability, improvement with anaerobic ability (high intensity floor exercises, for example, are anaerobic), reduced risk of fatigue while enhancing concentration, reduced stress levels, boosted immune system and reduced risk of injury.

Follow a Plan

One of the best approaches for parents is to develop a childhood fitness plan for their child. It should be based on the components of fitness, assessment of the child’s fitness level and knowledge of the anatomical and physiological differences between adults and children. Your child’s fitness plan should include 60 minutes of physical activity every day, incorporating 3 total hours of strength training (for muscles and bones) per week.

As a parent you no doubt have spent lots of sleepless night wondering how to give your kids the best life possible. Here’s one big answer: stop buying them so many things and instead take that money and give them great, exciting experiences. Research shows they will remember special events and family adventures longer and relive the joy and excitement again and again.

Do Children Really Need More Things?

Often if you ask adults about their goals and desires, many of them want to accumulate things. More stuff. More cars. Bigger houses. Fancier clothes. And that influence rubs off on their kids too. The kids grow up believing that if they get the latest video game console, the most dolls, the biggest, most expensive teddy bears, it will make them happy.

Most of the time it never does, they play with them for a while, get bored and then start hankering after something new. Just like their parents may have got that new car they wanted but now there’s a better, fancier car they have their eyes on and the one they wanted for so long just isn’t enough.

Stuff won’t make you happy for long. Of course, it is hard to explain it to kids when their own parents do not understand it either and just keep trying to make them happy by buying them things

Experiences Last Longer than Things

So what is the best way to spend money on your kids? Always choose to get them an experience, rather than possessions. In the battle between possession and experience, experience always wins!

Were you the best possible gymnastic parent in 2018? We hope so, but there’s always room for improvement. Sometimes it’s far too easy to get lost in hustle and bustle of your child’s schedule and class and contest commitments that the real joy of being a sports parent gets a bit lost.

With the New Year here everyone is making resolutions, so we thought we’d chime in, with three important  New Year’s resolutions for all sports parents gearing up for the 2019 season:

I Will Cheer from the Sidelines, Not Try to Coach

As a parent, your job is to make sure your child gets to their practices and meets on time, that they have everything they need to practice and/or compete successfully (including the right nutrition and hydration) and then just support them like crazy! The problem is that sometimes we forget that. In the excitement of a meet – or even in practice – it is tempting to do a little sideline coaching. After all, you’re there every week, you do know what you’re talking about now.

However, if you are constantly coaching your child from your seat you are putting them in a really awkward spot; do they listen to you or their coach? It’s distracting and distressing for the gymnast, even if your advice is very well-intended. So this year let the coaches do their job so you can concentrate on yours, the most important part of which is being that reliable cheerleader every young gymnast needs.

I Will Support the Whole Team

If you couldn’t make it to a meet (because life happens) wouldn’t you want someone to cheer on your child when they put in a great performance? In 2019, don’t just resolve to support your own gymnast, resolve the support the whole team.

Cheer, applaud, give out some high-fives; you don’t need to artificially inflate anyone’s egos but give credit where credit is due! And please, don’t throw your child’s teammates under the bus when they make a mistake. It can create an uncomfortable team dynamic between the athletes that can be hard to fix.

I’ll Let the Meet Be Over When It’s Over

Sometimes things don’t go so well, and that is when being a sports parent gets super tough. After a bad practice, or a bad meet, it’s normal for even the best and brightest gymnasts to feel a little down and defeated.

Obviously you’ll want to help. But talking about what happened immediately afterwards is not the right thing to do, unless they want to. Try to start the after event conversation with something positive but then let them lead the conversation (or not, they may not want to talk at all right then.

Nit picking every single thing that went wrong isn’t going to change the outcome, and chances are it won’t make them perform better next time. Give your gymnast some time to process what happened and address it when they are ready. And the chances are they will, because they know that, no matter what, you’re on their side.

For questions and inquiries, feel free to give us a call 913-766-8918 or email us: tumble@integrityop.com

Every parent wants to do the best things for their kids. Every parent wants to find new ways to bond with their kids, especially when they are very young. And every parent certainly wants to make sure that their child is happy and healthy. And the fact is that by participating in a Parent/Tot gymnastics class you can do all of that and more.

What is a Parent/Tot Gymnastics Class?

Toddlers like to move and once they start walking they like to move a lot. Sometimes those movements are a little uncoordinated and wobbly, but a few tumbles and spills are all a part of growing up.

A parent/tot gymnastics class, like the ones we hold at Integrity Gymnastics, sees kids from walking age (whenever that is for each individual child) to around three years old get introduced to the basics of simple gymnastics – jumps, rolls, handstands, swings, walking on the beam and more – in a safe, friendly environment that’s all about fun. They get to have Mom or Dad stick around too, which is not just an extra bonus for them but for their parent too.

Benefits of Gymnastics for Young Toddlers

Two years old (the age when most kids are walking reasonably well) may seem very young to start participating in gymnastics but there are actually a lot of proven benefits for kids in doing so. Gymnastics helps improve all around coordination – both whole body coordination and hand-eye coordination – and is great for building strength in a toddler’s fast-growing body as well. A gymnastics class will also make sure that your toddler remains as active as medical experts say they should (especially as you know they’ll want to ‘practice’ even on the days they don’t go to class)

But there are more than just physical benefits to be gained from a parent/tot gymnastics class. Gymnastics is all about discipline and teamwork, and the sooner any child begins developing these essential life skills the better. Research has shown that kids who participate in organized sports before they enter formal schooling tend to perform better across the board once they do. A gymnastics class is also a great way for toddlers to begin learning how to make friends and socialize in general.

Benefits of a Parent/Tot Class for Moms and Dads

Many parents may think, in the beginning, that their presence at a parent/tot class is simply required to help their child stay calm and happy, but there is actually a lot more to it than that. These classes are a great bonding opportunity too, as in our busy lives taking an hour out to focus solely on our kids is not always easy. Sharing in the pride a child feels when they master a new skill is pretty special and a parent/tot gymnastics class allows you to do that at least once a week.

The class also opens the door to new friendships and social interactions for grown-ups too. It’s far too easy to get caught up in everything that needs to be done at home and at work and forget that grown-ups benefit from socializing too.

Where They Can Go Next

For some children, attending gymnastics classes remains a fun, but not very serious activity. And that’s OK, in fact, it’s great, there’s a lot to be gained from recreational gymnastics at any age. For others, a parent/tot gymnastics class is the spark that begins a lifelong love of the sport and the springboard into competitive gymnastics. We see both scenarios play out all the time. And grin every time we do!

Learn more about Parent/Tot Gymnastics Classes at Integrity Gymnastics here.

As an adult, you know that stressing themselves out over the competition is not going to help them one little bit and may even decrease their chances of reaching their potential. If you’re a kid though, that can be really hard to see or understand, they just want to do well. But you can help. Here are some great strategies you can share with them to help manage their stress and get better results at the same time:

Encourage Proper Time Management

Time management is not just a great tool for grown-ups, it’s a way for athletic kids to actually reap some rewards from their efforts. While practice is important, especially before a big meet, ensure that your child makes time for everything else that’s important; schoolwork, homework and spending time away from it all with friends. Help them set a timetable for each day and ensure that it covers everything they need to do – and should do – and is easy to stick to.

Eat Right

Snatching snacks and junk food because they want to keep practicing is something many athletic kids are tempted to do. Don’t let them though! They need all of their energy and good health in a naturally stressful time like this and eating right is one of the best ways to maintain that. Insist that they come to the table for proper meals, not only to eat but also to get a much needed break from all that physical effort.

Sleep Right

Burning the midnight oil isn’t good for anyone and it’s certainly bad for kids trying to compete at any level of gymnastics or athletics. Set a proper bedtime (even for teens) that will give them 7-8 hours of sleep a night and even if you have to take away their laptop/smartphone or TV to make sure they get to bed on time do it. Sure, they might be a little mad for a few minutes but the improvement in the way they feel after a good night’s sleep will offset all of that pretty quickly.

Make Time for Fun

Even as a parent it can be all too easy to let your child practice for too long at one time. They need breaks or the result will be ‘burn out’, so make sure that they have time to relax, listen to music, play a video game or just chat on the phone st allow their brain to ‘recharge’ between practice sessions.

Just Breathe (Right)

Once they are in the real competition situation for some kids that is when the real stress hits. Something as simple as proper breathing can help a lot though. Encourage your kid to learn to deep breathe, breathing in, and then breathing out to a slow count of four. It will be helpful if they practice this exercise when they aren’t stressed so that they know how to do it when they actually need it.

Every parent wants their athletic child to do well in their chosen sport and especially in competitions. By making use of these tips and tricks as well as by offering an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on when they need it you can help make sure they do.

For questions and inquiries, feel free to give us a call 913-766-8918 or email us: tumble@integrityop.com

“How was gym today?” is a question every gym parent wants to ask their kid on the car ride home.

Unfortunately, this age-old, open-ended question loses it’s importance when the word “fine” become the oh-so-common answer. Here is a list of 25 questions to ask your young athlete (not all in the same day of course), that will provide some welcome variety to you and your child!

Communication Tips:

(1) Ask questions to spark communication, not to interrogate.
(2) Listen. Let them work out their thoughts before you interject.
(3) Validate. Validate their feelings and thoughts. Share your own assertions if needed.
(4) Keep the big picture in mind. What life lesson are they learning from their reflection?
(5) Foster a love for the sport. Sometimes it’s just about having fun, nothing more. And that’s an important part of the sport – in fact any sport – that should never be forgotten.

So, onto those questions:

1. What were you most proud of accomplishing at gym today?
2. What was the hardest part of your workout today?
3. Did any specific corrections stand out to you today? And why?
4. What did you do that made you an awesome teammate today?
5. What muscles do you think worked the hardest today?
6. Were you proud of any of your teammates today?
7. Who was a great example to you today? And why?
8. What was the funniest thing about gymnastics today?
9. If you could have worked only one skill today, what would it have been?
10. What was your favorite assignment today?
11. Pick one word to describe today’s workout.
12. On a scale of 1 to 10, how hard did you work today?
13. On a scale of 1 to 10, how much did you love workout today?
14. Pick one word to describe your attitude during workout today
15. What was the best thing about Beam today?
16. What was the best thing about Bars today?
17. What was the best thing about Floor today?
18. What was the best thing about Vault today?
19. If you weren’t at workout/class today, what would you have missed?
20. What did you learn from your mistakes today?
21. Who inspired you at the gym today?
22. Right now, why are you glad you are a gymnast?
23. Did anything funny happen at gymnastics today?
24. What skills will you be doing in your dreams tonight?
25. What weaknesses did you work towards turning into strengths today?

Obviously, it’s best to work these questions into conversation naturally, rather than reciting them, something that might make your questions sound more like an integration. However, do take the time to do so. Communication between parent and child is hugely important – especially for an athletic child who is often too busy to talk. You’ll learn more about your child and they will feel happier and more secure because they will know that their parents are truly interested not only in what they do but how they feel about it as well.

For questions and inquiries, feel free to give us a call 913-766-8918 or email us: tumble@integrityop.com

The good news is that there are lots of ways to bond and stay active together outside of your kid’s gymnastics (or other sporting activities) and your own solo keep fit routine. Here are a few of our personal favorites for you to consider

Bike Riding

When was the last time you went on a bike ride? If the answer is that it’s been a while, then the time to get back in the saddle is now. Not only is biking a great physical activity for both kids and adults but it can also be a great way to explore the great outdoors around you. And did you know that in Overland Park alone there are over 35 miles of formal bike trails on offer? Marked trails are available for bike riders of all skill levels, even the smallest riders, so there is no excuse not to get out there and ride!

Ice skating

Ice skating is a fun way to burn calories while building muscles and balance (great for gymnasts) There is something of a learning curve involved for those who have never hit the ice but if you take it slow (and maybe wear some padded leggings) most people pick it up very quickly. And if you skate as a family the little tumbles – and helping keep each up – will all be a part of the fun. And don’t forget, yummy hot chocolate is pretty much obligatory after a session on the ice, so there’s another bonding opportunity right there.

Trampoline Park

Be honest – as you’ve watched your kids play on the trampolines, you’ve been tempted to go join in on the fun. Stop thinking about it and do it! Fair warning – those flips and tricks look much easier than they are and there is no shame in simple jumps or racing down the trampoline runs: you’ll have just as much fun as you did as a kid.

Mini Golf

Who doesn’t love a game of mini golf? Especially if you can turn a round into a mini-family competition (well as long as you all resolve not to let things get too heated!)

Batting Cages

Even if your kids don’t play baseball or softball, they’ll have a good time at the batting cages. Beyond the significant benefit of helping to build hand-eye coordination, it’s a great way for everyone to blow off some steam, especially stressed out adults. So, get out there, pick up a bat and whack away!

For questions and inquiries, feel free to give us a call 913-766-8918 or email us: tumble@integrityop.com

There are, in fact, lots of good reasons why cheerleading is a great option for kids – and yes, it is a sport, even Bleacher Report agrees – here are just a few of them for you to consider.

They Learn the Importance of Trust and Being Trustworthy

Cheerleading is all about trust! Kids learn the responsibility of trust, what it means to lose it and what it takes to win it back. The flyers must trust their bases to keep them in the air and to catch them when they fall. The bases have to trust that their flyers execute their skills with precision. For cheering to work the team must be on the same page and they have to trust one another. That lesson in trust – and teamwork – can then be taken forward into many other aspects of a kid’s life as they grow up.

They Learn How to Practice Good Time Management

Competition cheerleading, like any other elite sport, often calls for a big time commitment. Cheer kids must learn how to juggle not only cheer practice but also school, family commitments, friends and all the other things they need – and want – to do in their young lives. With these time management skills mastered they have learned something that will benefit them for years to come, at home, at school and certainly once they head out into the world of work.

They Develop Greater Mental Strength

Cheerleading is about 30% physical and 70% mental. Cheerleaders need to be able dance, tumble, jump and stunt multiple times in just a few minutes, and make it look good, so it is hard work! Kids learn, when cheering, how to get back up when they fall – mentally and physically – and be the better for having done so. Cheerleaders are tough cookies, and that’s a quality that can take you far in life.

They Forge Strong Friendships

Cheerleaders spend so much time together between training, competing, fundraising and display performances that they can’t help but become friends. Add to this the trust that is needed between athletes to execute all the skills that are needed for cheerleading and lifelong friendships are built. Cheerleaders end up being more like brothers and sisters than friends.

They Learn the Value of Teamwork

Cheerleading teaches kids to work as one focused unit. It helps them learn how to handle the inevitable disappointments. If one person fails, the whole team fails but if one person succeeds the whole team succeeds. It takes the hard work and kinship that is synonymous with football teams and replaces the dirt and mud with rhinestones, hairspray and bows. Cheerleaders work just as hard as a football team and they look good while they are doing it too!

Integrity Gymnastics, Dance & Cheer is one of the few organizations in Kansas City to offer exclusive cheer classes with experienced coaches. Please check out our current classes or call us if you have questions.

For questions and inquiries, feel free to give us a call 913-766-8918 or email us: tumble@integrityop.com

Being more specific, The Institute of Medicine recommends a daily allowance of:

•34 grams for 7-13-year-old children

•46 grams for girls ages 14 to 18

•52 grams for boys ages 14 to 18

Many young gymnasts and youth athletes though, even the ones whose parents believe that they have a very healthy diet, are not eating enough protein and their bodies and overall health may suffer because of this. But how do you know if you really should be adding more protein-rich foods into your child’s everyday diet? You don’t need a special book or even your doctor to tell you, as often their bodies will.

Here are just some of the telltale signs that your active child should be eating more protein:

They Crave Sweets and Never Quite Feel Full

One of the first signs that a child’s body is lacking the protein it needs is that they never seem to feel full and that a craving for sweets – a serious craving – occurs at the end of most of the meals they eat.

You might think that a body short on protein would point a person towards steak and eggs rather than the cookie jar but one of the crucial functions of protein within the body is to help regulate blood sugar levels. If kids are lacking in it, their blood sugar levels are likely to become completely erratic, especially after eating a meal, and the sweets craving is an attempt to get a quick energy fix.

Their Thinking is Cloudy

When a child’s blood sugar levels are up and down their concentration and ability to focus is often seriously compromised, leaving them feeling foggy and a bit out of it. This is because protein is essential for energy regulation as well, meaning that a snack might give them a brief up but without a regular intake of protein to stabilize things the fog is likely to almost become the norm.

Their Hair and Nails are a Mess

Not in the sense that they could use a visit to the salon, but in that their hair is thin and brittle – no matter how many expensive products you slather onto it to try to improve it and their nails are prone to easy splits and cracks too.

Many people fail to realize that both hair and nails are made up almost completely of protein. When a body is short on the stuff it will, in an attempt to do the best it can with the limited resources it is being given to work with, divert protein away from non-essential systems like hair and nails in order to keep more vital functions going.

Where to Get More Protein

As there is a lot of conflicting information out there about what you should and should not be feeding your children, in general, it can be rather hard to figure out just how best to add extra protein to their diet. Dairy is a good source, but didn’t you hear that they should be eating less of that? And red meat come to that matter, another good source of protein, isn’t that supposed to be bad for them as well?

Well no, LEAN red meat and low-fat dairy are both still great sources of protein, especially for kids, but so are legumes, quinoa, eggs, edamame and nuts, so even a vegetarian can boost their protein intake rather easily and still enjoy what they eat.

Youth Athletes and Protein Supplements

What those protein supplements that adult athletes are consuming in huge quantities? Nothing is wrong with supplementing a balanced diet with the occasional smoothie that includes a scoop of protein powder. The danger arises when someone, especially a growing youth, uses these powders instead of eating enough whole foods.

Additional risks emerge when a kid consumes large volumes of these processed powders. Many are loaded with sugar and unhealthful ingredients such as artificial flavorings, artificial sweeteners, untested herbs, antibiotics, and heavy metals. Many are not even regulated by the FDA.

Both Consumer Reports and ConsumerLab.com have conducted independent tests uncovering that many brands contain toxic chemicals and other undisclosed ingredients, while other brands were found guilty of exaggerating the amount of nutrients they supply. So, for a growing athlete they really are best avoided, and if they do need to up their protein intake it should come from their food instead.

For questions and inquiries, feel free to give us a call 913-766-8918 or email us: tumble@integrityop.com

Gymnastics in and of itself is beneficial for gymnasts at all levels of participation. Sometimes, however, when gymnasts progress well and the sport becomes a bigger – and more serious – part of their lives – things change a little.

Competitive gymnastics can be a challenge and a joy, but sometimes well-meaning parents and guardians of young gymnasts develop habits, and do things, that take away some of the great enjoyment of the sport for their kids.

With this is mind, here are some of the things parents of gymnasts should avoid doing so they don’t interfere with the positive benefits of gymnastics for kids:

• Don’t compare your gymnast’s progress with that of other gymnasts.
• Don’t become overly preoccupied with your gymnast’s success or lack of it.
• Don’t take judge’s scores too seriously, especially at the lower levels.
• Don’t forget the need for fun in gymnastics.
• Don’t stand for unacceptable behavior from your gymnast during practice or competitions.
• Don’t gossip about anyone in your gymnastics community. Word always travels fast!
• Don’t interfere unnecessarily with coaches and their coaching duties during practice or competitions.
• Don’t pressure your gymnast regarding their skill levels or competition performances.
• Don’t set unrealistic goals for your gymnast.
• Don’t predicate your love or attention on your gymnast’s competitive success.
• Don’t base your self-esteem on the success of your gymnast’s progress or competitive success.
• Don’t lose your long-term perspective about the importance of your gymnast’s participation in the sport.
• Don’t let yourself care too deeply about your gymnast’s competition results.
• Don’t undercut your gymnast’s confidence in their coaches or coaching.
• Don’t show any negative emotions while watching your gymnast practice or compete.
• Don’t try to make your gymnast talk about the event immediately after a gymnastics meet, especially if they performed less well than they had hoped.
• Don’t do or say anything to make your child feel guilty for the time and money you are spending on their gymnastics or any sacrifices you feel are making for them to participate in the sport.
• Don’t base your support for your gymnast’s participation in the sport on any expectation of a monetary return like receiving a college scholarship or winning ‘big money’ competitions.
• Don’t try to live out your own sports dreams through your gymnast.
• Don’t expect anything more from your gymnast except their best effort.
• Don’t ever do or say anything that will cause your gymnast to think less of you (like argue with other gymnasts, parents or coaches in public)
• Don’t use sarcasm, threaten or use fear to try to motivate your gymnast. Love is the best motivator.
• Don’t expect anything more from gymnastics than physical fitness, life skills and fun for your gymnast.