Can you believe that school is out and the summer vacation starts next week?

What to do with your children?

Of course the YMCA is an awesome place to spend your summer. Besides our summer camps and wonderful facility, we promote healthy families and children.

I have had numerous parents ask me if it is OK to work out with their child, and how old they can start a fitness program. In this day and age, with obesity growing rapidly, a scheduled exercise program is a wonderful part of a healthy lifestyle.

Children who are less than 12 years of age should focus on exercises that involve their body weight (push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, etc.). It does not mean they can not use weights, just make sure you monitor them closely. Typically, I tell the parents to never go over a weight that surpasses their body weight. And that would be for exercises such as leg presses and squats. Schedule an appointment with a personal trainer if you can, it will be worth it. When working out, the emphasis should be on correct form and not weight or number of lifts. The American Orthopedic Society of Sports Medicine recommends 2 or 3 training sessions per week. (this is for any child, preadolescent and adolescents.) The program should include 20 to 30 minutes of training with warm-up and cool-down periods of stretching exercises. Olympic-style and competitive weightlifting are very dangerous for any age group and should be avoided entirely in the prepubescent and adolescent age groups. Olympic movements such as the power clean, snatch and clean-and-jerk, are associated with lower back injuries and spinal defects. The child should begin weight resistance that allows 3 sets of 6 to 15 repetitions. Remember, correct form should be the focus. Although preadolescent children have the potential to make modest strength gains, resistance training should ideally begin in adolescence (12-19 years old). The reason I like to start them young is because it instills a healthy lifestyle principle, early in life. Make sure your child has fun and experiences a variety of exercises. Both of my daughters are very active. My daughter Edie is in the Army and stationed at Fort Bragg where part of their job is exercise to stay fit. And my daughter Frankie is doing basic combat training right now at Fort Sill in Oklahoma. We are becoming a true Army family and I am very proud of both of them. My son Andrew is a track athlete and we are in the middle of track and field season and physically active enough. Fitness for all three of my children has been part of their lives since they were babies. Enjoy your workout with your child, try some classes together or have one of the trainers assist you in a program that works for both of you. Not only will you teach them a great habit, but more important, you are spending quality time with your child, which is priceless.

Have a great summer!

Ester H Marsh ACSM Cpt, Associate Executive and Health and Fitness Director JF Hurley Family YMCA