Personal trainers, personal trainer hopefuls, fitness chicks, anyone with fitness

[mrplunkey]

I'd definately go with full-body workouts at a moderate to low intensity. Also, have her use her own bodyweight whenever possible (i.e one legged squats with her other foot eleveated behind her on a box so she's feeling only her own bodyweight) and keep reps high.

Finally, and this is must my personal opinion here... ZERO impact. It may be an outdated, debunked myth, but anything that might mess with a kids growth plates scares the hell out of me.

 

[Sassy69]

Do they actually let 12 yrs olds into the weights area? As I recall my old Y didn't. Also will she even be able to fit into the machines? Honestly you might want to look at something more like some fitball work, core strength stuff, yoga, etc. Push-ups, isometrics, plyometrics, etc. You may be able to have one of the fitness class teachers put together a routine that is outside the classes for now. This is all stuff she can do at home w/ videos. I'm not saying get her the tapes & leave her to it by herself, but do it with her. I'm not so sure those machines are what she needs at that age.

 

[SoreArms]

what do you mean by "zero impact"?

Is it Ok for the weight to be in the 12-15 rep range?

 

[jenscats5]

Do they actually let 12 yrs olds into the weights area? As I recall my old Y didn't. Also will she even be able to fit into the machines? Honestly you might want to look at something more like some fitball work, core strength stuff, yoga, etc. Push-ups, isometrics, plyometrics, etc. You may be able to have one of the fitness class teachers put together a routine that is outside the classes for now. This is all stuff she can do at home w/ videos. I'm not saying get her the tapes & leave her to it by herself, but do it with her. I'm not so sure those machines are what she needs at that age.

I wondered this myself...... but I was assuming he checked into that already.... there I go assuming again!

 

[SoreArms]

Do they actually let 12 yrs olds into the weights area? As I recall my old Y didn't. Also will she even be able to fit into the machines? Honestly you might want to look at something more like some fitball work, core strength stuff, yoga, etc. Push-ups, isometrics, plyometrics, etc. You may be able to have one of the fitness class teachers put together a routine that is outside the classes for now. This is all stuff she can do at home w/ videos. I'm not saying get her the tapes & leave her to it by herself, but do it with her. I'm not so sure those machines are what she needs at that age.

every one 16 and under needs to take a teen fitness class that teaches them about the weight room, etiquette some exercises, etc..., it's moslty machine stuff though ,I don't think they do anything with free weights. She already took that class so she can go into any of the other training rooms.

I'm also not looking to turn her into a BB chick or anything like that (that would be her choice later in life I guess) for now I just want to teach a thing or two about fitness and hopefully help her get fit.

 

[mrplunkey]

what do you mean by "zero impact"?

Is it Ok for the weight to be in the 12-15 rep range?

Sure -- 12-15 reps is fantastic.

As far as zero impact, things that involve repetitive jumping, or catching (i.e. medicine ball tosses) or even things like push-ups where your hands break contact with the ground. I know this sounds silly, but I even like bikes and elliptical machines over treadmills and stair machines for the same reason.

There are people who will tell you that it's ok for 12 year olds to load and unload their joints quickly and they may be right. For me personally, and when my 13 year old son enters the training facility I work at (it's a post-retirement job) the concensus is that pre-highschool kids shouldn't 1) "Go heavy" or 2) Experience regular joint impacts.

 

[Smurfy]

Is she interested in this as well? I mean, does she enjoy her time at the Y so far?

 

[Devastation]

i still say deadlift

 

[madbomber31]

dude, you have to be kidding me...

why dont you let her have FUN instead of making her work out??? play basketball with her, race her in the pool, play four square... dont make the 12 year old work out.. that is going to cause self esteem issues (if it hasnt already). teach her good choices and bad ones (sports good- TOO MUCH TV bad... McDonalds BAD- Veggies GOOD)..

sign her up for some other after school activities.. .like your local boys & girls Clubs, soccer, basketball, volleyball... SOMETHING... but not working out.

 

[SoreArms]

dude, you have to be kidding me...

why dont you let her have FUN instead of making her work out??? play basketball with her, race her in the pool, play four square... dont make the 12 year old work out.. that is going to cause self esteem issues (if it hasnt already). teach her good choices and bad ones (sports good- TOO MUCH TV bad... McDonalds BAD- Veggies GOOD)..

sign her up for some other after school activities.. .like your local boys & girls Clubs, soccer, basketball, volleyball... SOMETHING... but not working out.

during these hours, most of the"fun stuff" at the Y is reserved for classes (basketball, swimming, etc.....), she didn't sign up for anything during the week so I would rather have her do something constructive than jsut put her on a tradmill ro elliptical or have hr stay at home. She has swimming and rock wall climbing on Satursdays which is her "fun stuff" for now. This is her second time in the rock wall climbing calss, the last time around she never made all the way to the top on the beginners wall so she knows that this time aside for more confidence she would also benifit from a) being lighter and b) being stronger.

Oh yeah, I also try to teach her about nutrition. She took class at the Y about nutrition and they had them log their meals. I have her continue the log and go over it on a weekly basis. I talk to her every day I pick her up and try to ask her questions to see how she feels about what we're doing. I also have concerns that she's either not enjoying it or that it's going to cause a complex, so far she seems into it (atleast from what she tells me). I try not to be forcefull about it.