Strength training: Recommended for kids by Total Body Fitness when done correctly

Strength training offers kids many benefits, but there are important caveats to keep in mind. Here's what you need to know about youth strength training.

Strength training for kids? You bet! Done properly, strength training offers many bonuses to young athletes. Strength training is even a good idea for kids who simply want to look and feel better. In fact, strength training can put your child on a lifetime path to better health and fitness. According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), strength training can be a fun way for kids to build healthy muscles, joints, and bones. With a properly designed and supervised program, they can improve endurance, total fitness level, and sports performance. Strength training can even help prevent injuries and speed up recovery.

Strength training, not weightlifting

For kids, light resistance and controlled movements are best — with a special emphasis on proper technique and safety. Your child can do many strength training exercises with his or her own body weight or inexpensive resistance tubing. Free weights and machine weights are other options. Specific exercises should be learned without resistance. When proper techinique is mastered, small amounts of resistance (body weight, band, or weight) can be added. In general as kids get older and stronger, they can gradually increase the amount of resistance they use. Muscle strains are the most common form of injury, and the lower back is the most commonly injured area. But these injuries usually happen because the child has not used the proper lifting technique or is trying to lift too much weight.

Don't confuse strength training with weightlifting, bodybuilding or powerlifting. These activities are largely driven by competition, with participants vying to lift heavier weights or build bigger muscles than those of other athletes. This can put too much strain on young muscles, tendons and areas of cartilage that haven't yet turned to bone (growth plates) — especially when proper technique is sacrificed in favor of lifting larger amounts of weight.

For kids, what are the benefits of strength training?

Done properly, strength training can:

§ Increase your child's muscle strength and endurance

§ Help protect your child's muscles and joints from injury

§ Improve your child's performance in nearly any sport, from dancing and figure skating to football and soccer

And strength training isn't only for athletes. Even if your child isn't interested in sports, strength training can:

§ Strengthen your child's bones

§ Help promote healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels

§ Boost your child's metabolism

§ Help your child maintain a healthy weight

§ Improve your child's self-esteem

SOME INFO ABOUT CRAMPING WHEN RUNNING AS WELL AS HELPFUL TIPS TO ALLEVIATE THE PAIN

Side stitches are fairly common when you start running. No one knows why they occur, but there are some things you can do to minimize them. One cause is running before you've completely digested a meal, which may cause stomach cramps. Wait 2 to 4 hours after a large meal before running. Side stitches can also be caused by weak stomach muscles. Your abs do a lot of work to keep your body in position while you're running. Doing consistent ab and lower back exercises will help strengthen your torso and reduce those stitches. If you get a side stitch while running, slow down to a walk and try holding your hands up in the air as you take deep breaths. Sometimes pressing into the cramp and massaging it can help, too.

Most of us experience them at one time or another. That sharp twinge of pain just below the rib cage usually on the right. It is particularly common in runners and has been known to slow some down to a walk until the pain subsides.

Up until recently there was no clear explanation for the cause of this annoying cramp, also called exercise related transient abdominal pain (ETAP). Now researchers believe that the side stitch is caused by stretching the ligaments that extend from the diaphragm to the internal organs, particularly the liver. The jarring motion of running while breathing in and out stretches these ligaments. Runners tend to exhale every two or four steps. Most people exhale as the left foot hits the ground, but some people exhale when the right foot hits the ground. It is the later group who seem more prone to get side stitches.

Exhaling when the right foot hits the ground causes greater forces on the liver (which is on the right side just below the rib cage). So just as the liver is dropping down the diaphragm raises for the exhalation. It is believed this repeated stretching leads to spasms in the diaphragm.

Stopping a Side Stitch
To stop a side stitch when running, stop running and place your hand into the right side of your belly and push up, lifting the liver slightly. Inhale and exhale evenly as you push up.

Preventing a Side Stitch
To prevent a side stitch, take even, deep breaths while running. Shallow breathing tends to increase the risk of cramping because the diaphragm is always slightly raised and never lowers far enough to allow the ligaments to relax. When this happens the diaphragm becomes stressed and a spasm or "stitch" is more likely.

Some other ways to alleviate the pain of a side stitch include:

· Time your eating. Having food in your stomach during a workout may increase cramping by creating more force on the ligaments (avoid eating one to two hours before a workout). Also, avoid eating protein which takes longer to digest, choose carbohydrates instead.

· Stretching may prevent or relieve a cramp. Raise your right arm straight up and lean toward the left. Hold for 30 seconds, release, then stretch the other side.

· Slow down your pace until pain lessens.

· Breathe deep to stretch the diaphragm.

· Drink before exercise; dehydration can increase muscle cramps.

· Massage or press on the area with pain. Bend forward to stretch the diaphragm and ease the pain.

· * If you continue to experience pain, see your doctor.

TBFitness wants you to know the Difference between a Cold and H1N1 Flu Symptoms

H1N1 flu is about to be upon us and we need to be on top of information regarding it. Here is a comparison to the

normal cold symptoms .

Know the Difference between a Cold and H1N1 Flu Symptoms

Symptom


Cold


H1N1 Flu

Fever


Fever is rare with a cold.


Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases. A temperature of 100°F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the H1N1 flu.

Coughing


A hacking, productive (mucus- producing) cough is often present with a cold.


A non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with the H1N1 flu (sometimes referred to as dry cough).

Aches


Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold.


Severe aches and pains are common with the H1N1 flu.

Stuffy Nose


Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week.


Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the H1N1 flu.

Chills


Chills are uncommon with a cold.


60% of people who have the H1N1 flu experience chills.

Tiredness


Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold.


Tiredness is moderate to severe with the H1N1 flu.

Sneezing


Sneezing is commonly present with a cold.


Sneezing is not common with the H1N1 flu.

Sudden Symptoms


Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days.


The H1N1 flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains.

Headache


A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold.


A headache is very common with the H1N1 flu, present in 80% of flu cases.

Sore Throat


Sore throat is commonly present with a cold.


Sore throat is not commonly present with the H1N1 flu.

Chest Discomfort


Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold.


Chest discomfort is often severe with the H1N1 flu.


The only way to stop the spread of the epidemic is to spread the awareness.