Volume 18, Number 1, Fall 2007

Fitness Tips for Every Age

Excerpted from Fit Factor from the Unites State Air Force Services

• Infants and toddlers: help them learn to enjoy outdoor activity and unstructured exploration—always under proper supervision—including walking in the neighborhood, unorganized free play outdoors and walking through a park or zoo.

• Ages 4 to 6: free play should be encouraged, with an emphasis on fun. Appropriate activities might include running, swimming, tumbling, throwing and catching. Reduce reliance on strollers and cars, and preschoolers should begin walking tolerable distances with family members.

• Ages 6 to 9: encourage walking, dancing or jumping rope. Organized sports should have flexible rules and short instruction time, allowing free time in practices and focusing on enjoyment rather than competition.

• Ages 10 to 12: focus on activities involving family and friends. Organized sports can begin to focus on skill development, as well as strategy. Weight training can be started in this age group, with proper supervision, stressing proper technique, light weights and high repetitions.

• Adolescents: identifying activities that are fun and include friends is crucial for long-term participation. Activities can include individual fitness (dance, yoga, running), active transportation (walking, cycling), household chores and competitive and noncompetitive sports. Weight training may continue with longer sets or heavier weights and shorter sets, as the child reaches physical maturity.