KEEPING FIT: Strength training benefits all youth

As you are undoubtedly aware, our nation is presently experiencing an epidemic of childhood obesity. Unfortunately, for every youth who is overweight, there are at least two who are not fit. With less emphasis on physical education, and even the elimination of recess in elementary schools, this sad situation is becoming more prevalent.

Overweight children typically become overweight adults, and overweight adults have significantly higher risk of serious degenerative diseases, including high blood pressure, heart problems, stroke, diabetes, several types of cancer, lower back pain and arthritis. Even worse, many children already have beginning stages of cardiovascular disease. Likewise, osteoporosis (insufficient bone development) is a childhood problem that manifests itself in the adult years.

In addition to the medical concerns associated with childhood obesity, there are many related physiological problems. Overweight youth usually score poorly on fitness tests  such as timed runs, vertical jumps, long jumps, push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups and agility assessments.

They generally don’t do well in endurance activities, such as soccer, or in jumping activities, such as basketball. They don’t even like to play tag because they are always “it.”

Psychologically, research shows that obese children score very low in self-image and self-confidence. They seldom play sports and are less involved socially than their more fit peers. One recent study sadly revealed that children who are obese and children who suffer from cancer have similar outlooks on life.

One thing we know for sure, the old adage that kids will eventually outgrow their weight problem is seldom true in today’s sedentary society. With little activity time at school or at home, obese youth need all the help we can give them to enjoy the benefits of effective exercise. Of course, any exercise is better than no exercise, but for best results, the exercise program should match the physical characteristics of children.

Youth, especially elementary school-aged children, have a distinctly different physiological pattern for performing physical activity. They exercise all-out for 30 to 60 seconds, then they rest. After a minute or two of recovery, they exercise all-out again for 30 to 60 seconds. They basically have an innate ability to exercise in an interval-training manner. Conversely, most young people do not fit the adult exercise model of a 5-minute warm-up, 30 minutes of continuous cycling or jogging, followed by a 5-minute cool-down.

One important physical activity that matches children’s physiological factors is strength exercise. They perform a 30- to 60-second set of strength exercise, rest a minute or two, then perform another set of strength exercise. In addition, heavier kids typically lift more weight than their lighter peers, making this one of the few activities in which overweight children experience success.

Another benefit of youth strength training is improved body composition. Unlike other forms of exercise, strength training builds muscle and bone resulting in a stronger musculoskeletal system and greater functional capacity. You may have heard that strength training is detrimental to muscle and bone development in children, but nothing could be further from the truth. A recent nine-month study with 9-year-old girls showed four times as much bone mineral density increase in girls who performed strength exercise compared to those who did other types of physical activity. Every research study published on youth strength training has shown positive results, with no reports of injury or developmental delay.

While some facilities have the advantage of using youth-sized strength training machines, children can attain excellent results with other types of resistance equipment including free-weights, elastic bands, medicine balls and Bowflex devices. Careful supervision, gradual progression and proper technique are the critical training components for children.

With respect to strength training protocols, boys and girls should perform about 10 basic exercises with such a resistance that they can perform 10 to 15 repetitions. When they complete 15 repetitions, the resistance should be increased by approximately 5 percent.

Proper training technique includes good posture, slow exercise speed, and full exercise range, as well as continuous breathing on every repetition. Fast reps, short reps, breathholding and squirming actions should be avoided.

Although one strength training session per week is sufficient, our research shows better results with 2 or 3 non-consecutive strength workouts on a weekly basis. Overweight boys and girls who do strength exercise in this manner average almost 3 pounds more lean (muscle) tissue and 3 pounds less fat every 8 to 10 weeks of training.

Finally, most youth (overweight or otherwise) like strength training. During our many years of providing youth strength training programs at the YMCA, the average attendance rate and course completion rate exceeded 90 percent. Twenty minutes of resistance exercise performed 2 or 3 days a week is an effective and exciting activity that provides an excellent balance of challenge, achievement and reinforcement for most boys and girls, and especially those who have excess body fat.

Wayne L. Westcott Ph.D., teaches Exercise Science at Quincy College and consults for the South Shore YMCA. He has authored 24 books on physical fitness, including Youth Strength Training.

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From increased participation, to the layout of the circuits, and the training of our coaches, the program has evolved tremendously in the past 5 years. When CHAMPIONS first started, participants rotated through 4 exercise circuits.  In the Fall of 2009 we turned two of the exercise circuits into a game and relay circuit. Now we have 2 exercise and 2 tactical game circuits with a focused weekly theme.  Some of the themes that the program touches on are space, mobility, speed and control, being sneaky and support/teamwork.  We have also correlated the CHAMPIONS program with the Florida Physical Education Standards and Benchmarks so that gaps and overlaps are not present between the two “schools of teaching.”

This semester’s Training and Certification program hosted speakers that highlighted instructional pairing and the different learning styles of children.  Education was provided on auditory, kinesthetic and visual learning styles as well as teaching best practices for these learning styles. Discussion took place on transformational leadership, in which the leader acts as a role-model and a motivator.  Transformational leadership isn’t based on a “give or take” relationship, but on their ability to make a change through example.  Some of the local P.E teachers and CHAMPIONS kids came out to spend the weekend with us, and a BBQ was held at the end to thank everyone for their participation in the event!

This year we are conducting a research study on the
CHAMPIONS program. The purpose of the study is to examine the effectiveness of the CHAMPIONS’ program in affecting change in selected markers of fitness, physical activity, psychosocial factors, academic performance and school attendance in elementary and middle school children.  We have been working towards this study for the past 5 years and are excited to share our results with everyone!

For more information regarding the CHAMPIONS program and to see the markets this program serves visit: http://www.mychampions.com/

The CHAMPIONS program was launched in 2006 with ten schools in Leon County (Tallahassee, FL) through a community partnership with a local HMO, Capital Health Plan.  In its fifth year, the program has expanded into three additional north Florida counties and three Delaware counties; now being delivered to 55 schools.  The CHAMPIONS model is outcome-driven and has proven to be effective in consistently normalizing BMI over a five-year period for a student population that exceeds 25,000 students.  It has gained national attention from both the Alliance of Community Health Plans and the Nation’s ‘Let’s Move!’ initiative.

This summer we have been working hard getting ready for the upcoming school year. We have rewritten the workouts for each grade level, and added in over 30 tactical games.  Since the program is outcome-driven, the children are tested at the beginning and end of each semester.  Our database is now up and running so the kids can actually log on and see their testing scores for as long as they have been with the program.  The database allows them to compare their performance to other kids in the program as well as measure their school with any other school in the program.

If you would like to enroll your child in the CHAMPIONS program it is never too late! Enrollment forms are available at your child’s school or visit www.mychampions.com for additional information.  If your child is in Middle School, the program is offered during their Physical Education class.

There’s no doubt about it, childhood obesity has become a red hot topic.  And if you look at the stats, you can see why.  Recent studies show that the percentage of overweight children between the ages of 6 and 11 has more than doubled from 7 percent in 1980 to 16 percent in 2002.

In view of this, the Center for Disease Control in the USA recently predicted that this generation of children may be the first in our nation’s history to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents.

Why doctors and scientists are concerned about obesity
During the past two decades, as high calorie, processed fast foods have infiltrated our diets, and addictive video games and computer screens have become more enticing than shooting hoops or playing bball in the back yard, the number of excessively overweight children and teenagers in the United States and other countries in the western world has risen dramatically.

Most obese children are also at a much higher risk for weight-related health issues in adulthood.  In addition, childhood obesity is associated with a number of health and sociological problems that can pervade into adulthood, including:

Physical health problem

1. Heart disease caused by high cholesterol and high blood pressure
2. Type 2 diabetes
3. Asthma
4. Sleep apnea

Sociological problems

1. Often the early target of bullying and early social discrimination
2. Low self esteem
3. Poor academic performance
4. Social functioning issues

The solution starts with a vision
Amid a plethora of depressing statistics, there is hope for the future.  As much of the western world gets fatter by the day, one region in Florida’s state capital is bucking the trend and leading the fight against childhood obesity.  Quietly and confidently, without any media sensationalism or public fanfare, children in Leon County schools and other districts in the Big Bend Area are becoming fitter, stronger, and healthier.

What’s the secret?  A pioneering corporate vision and a ground-breaking exercise program designed specifically to help school children from grades K through eight get moving and to physically develop their body in a fun, engaging and non-competitive atmosphere.

Five years ago, Capital Health Plan, one of the nation’s leading HMOs, was looking to launch a program that would positively impact the health and wellness of the local community.  It would have been easy for Capital Health Plan to sponsor a triathlon, a marathon or some mass-participation outdoor event.  Instead, the company wanted to build a program with longevity and real, tangible benefits that would lead to systematic change.

Inspired by the community-based initiatives of health care giant Kaiser Permanente, which include providing affordable health care for low income families, healthy eating, and park improvement and renovation programs, Capital Health Plan partnered with Titus Sports, Leon County Schools, and the World Class Schools of the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce to launch the CHP Champions Program.

Children exercise together, enjoy collaborative success
The free program, offered before and after school and during scheduled PE classes, is designed not just to improve a child’s fitness and normalize their body mass index (BMI), but to encourage healthy lifestyle habits and an intrinsic desire for staying fit and exercising throughout their lives.  Children of all skill levels and body types have the opportunity to exercise and achieve success together while also focusing on individual improvement within a structured environment, thereby improving their social and collaborative skills as well as their self efficacy and confidence.

The initial pilot program was tested at Gilchrist Elementary School in Leon County in the winter of 2005 and spring 2006, where 183 students voluntarily enrolled for the program, with 154 completing it.  In assessments designed to measure improvement in gross motor skills, a majority of students improved across all categories, with 100 percent of the participating students improving their speed (40 YD dash), strength (Broad Jump), agility (Pro Agility) and endurance (300 YD shuttle).

After receipt of a five-year grant from Capital Health Plan, the program has now reached more than 20,000 children at 54 schools in four counties throughout north Florida, Leon, Jefferson, Gadsden, and Wakulla.

The word is spreading – fast!
Building on the success achieved in Florida, Champions is gradually making inroads to other parts of the country.  At the Police Athletic League (PAL) in New Castle, Delaware, for example, 120 students per semester from four Colonial School District elementary schools enrolled in the free Champions program at the Garfield Park PAL at the end of last year.

Jimmy Riggs, executive director of the PAL of Delaware, saw Titus coaches training local athletes at the nearby Hockessin PAL and wanted to bring a similar program to Garfield Park, which serves a low income demographic.  ”I wanted to make the program available to 3rd, 4th and 5th grade children in this community who could really benefit from something like this,” Riggs says.  ”I think we can make a positive impact in their lives and in their ability to make healthy and successful lifestyle choices.”

Impressed by the current success of the Champions program, the Colonial Educational Foundation – an organization of local businesses and leaders – agreed to fund the program at Garfield Park for the current school year.  Children had to apply for the program and commitment was a key prerequisite for participation.

At Garfield Park, the children rotate from one activity to another and also participate in regular sports such as basketball and flag football.  While half of the children do Champions for 45 minutes, the others do homework and eat a hot meal provided by The Food Bank of Delaware.  Also included in the program are lessons on health and nutrition.

“For some of the kids in this area, this might be the only meal they get when they com here, it might be the only activity they get.  This is going to be a change in these kids’ lifestyles.  It’s going to give them the ability to reach for something a little bit more.”  Riggs says.

Champions Program Feedback
From the kids…
“I love the Champions program.  The workouts and drills are sometimes hard but in the end they are all fun.  Even my elementary school cousins can’t wait to come home so I can show them what I learned from Champions.  Every day I come home on the bus.  Then I show them what I learned and once they have it down pat we go outside in my backyard and we do drills for hours.  They have a lot of fun and so do I.  Thank you for picking our school to come to.  It helps a lot and I feel great.”
Drew Hostetter – Riversprings Middle School

From the parents…
“My son seems to really enjoy the CHP Champions program and the coaches.  Since he is the competitive type, he loves to come home and tell us how well he did in the different activities.  The Champions program really grabs the attention of the students, since individuals outside of the school come in and work with them.  Overall, I think my son has really enjoyed and benefited from the program, and I would love to see my other two children participate in the program when they reach school age.”
Lori Lawhon – son attends Medart Elementary School

From the school…
“Our school is experiencing better attendance because students do not want to miss a day of Champions.”
Allysun Davis – Principal, St. Johns Elementary School

From Capital Health Plan…
“We’re on the right track.  We’ve got the resources mobilized and we’ve got great collaborative partners.  We think we’re going to achieve some really dramatic success in the years to come.”
John Hogan – CEO, Capital Health Plan

The Champions Program Structure
A typical daily routine involves the following activities:

• Warm up rotation (body movement with active stretching)
• Bodyweight rotation for posture development, local/general muscular endurance, and mobility
• Implement rotation (hurdles, med balls, cones) to engage coordination and attention while still training the qualities of coordination, balance, and position strengthening
• Sprint/agility drills rotation for coordination, improved running mechanics/speed, and general aerobic conditioning
• End with obstacle courses and relay races