If there’s one thing kids have plenty of, it’s energy.
Whether they’re harassing your family cat at age 4 or tearing through the neighborhood on their bike when they’re 8, kids seem to have a never-ending reserve of spunk.
And if you’ve been keeping up with our blog, you know how important it can be to help your children focus that spirit surplus into an athletic endeavor.
That is why Thrive Community Fitness is launching a new group exercise program created specifically for children called Born to Move.
Born to Move is the latest offering from world-renowned group fitness company Les Mills. You may have seen or taken a Les Mills class at your local Thrive Fitness already. No? Then check your local schedule and try one out!
If you haven’t heard of Les Mills, it’s a New Zealand-based company that creates routines and soundtracks for group fitness classes. Class instructors at local fitness centers receive training from Les Mills and prove their competency before receiving certification. And individual classes change their regiment and background music on a regular basis with the launch of new routines from Les Mills.
“Those that know Les Mills know they put together a good program,” said Paul MacLurg, owner of Thrive Lacey. “Born to Move is new, but Les Mills is really popular in the world of fitness.”
So what makes Born to Move different?
Well, for starters, it represents Les Mills’ first foray into children’s classes. And they have taken their time to ensure they’re getting it right.
“We’ve gone really slow with children’s programming,” said Stephanie Penera, managing senior consultant at Les Mills. “We normally roll out new programs all at once, but we’re piloting the Born to Move program before we launch it everywhere.”
Because children of different ages often have different needs and abilities, Les Mills broke the program up into five different tracks for different age groups, including:
- 2-3 year olds
- 4-5 year olds
- 6-7 year olds
- 8-12 year olds
- 13-16 year olds
The types of exercises and choice of music for the classes vary for each age group.
For instance, the 4-and 5-year old group involves simple choreography with a focus on developing skills like self-awareness, balance, weight transfer and concentration. Whereas the 8-to-12-year old group incorporates martial arts, dance moves and games to keep wandering-prone minds engaged.
But just because the classes are fun doesn’t mean they aren’t challenging.
“They’re quite tough workouts,” said Penera. “They’re fast-paced, so just when you think you’re going to get tired or bored of it, they switch things up. We did a demo with adults, and it’s one of the most fun classes I’ve taken.”
At its core, the goal of Born to Move is to instill a love of physical activity into children in hopes that they will have the desire to remain active as adults.
Thrive Lacey, Thrive Oak Harbor, and Thrive Anacortes will be launching Born to Move this fall. Be sure to check on facebook or contact your local Thrive for details on class times and start dates. .
If you’d like to learn more about joining a Thrive fitness center, click here!