Cardio Fit Class for Teens

Ages: 10 years till 17 years

Children have a natural yearning for physical activities. However, in the teen years, young individuals who were used to move around continuously might lose interest in physical activity and focus on other stuff such as friends, studying, part-time jobs, etc. Yet, as movement is a key contributor to health and happiness associated with a higher quality of life, improved health, better mood and enhanced brain growth and functioning, we should try hard to encourage them to participate in activities that will contribute to a lifetime of happy and healthy living. If we encourage them to include movement and exercising from the early stages of their development, we will be giving them a valuable gift that will endure throughout their lives. Teens need at least 60 minutes of activity every day!

How does it work?

The Three Elements of Fitness

We can see the three elements of fitness just by watching a kid in the playground. Bending to draw on the ground with chalk (stretching), running after the ball (endurance), crossing the monkey bars (strength), etc…

In every session, S-miles Cardio Fit sessions are geared towards including the 3 elements of fitness in a creative and up to date manner.

1- Endurance
Cardio exercises are all the exercises that uses large muscle movement over a sustained period of time; thus raising our heart beats rate. As movement makes our muscles stronger; our heart which is a muscle, goes stronger with exercises. Endurance is attained when regular cardio activities strengthen the heart and improves the body's ability to deliver oxygen to all its cells.

3- Flexibility

Stretching allows muscles and joints to bend and move easily through their full range of motion. It is important to maintain this ability that kids already have.

Why does it work? Importance of exercise for pre-teen and teenagers

Being active is a great way to spend time with friends, meet new people, feel good and break up long stretches of sitting and studying.

Exercises improve Physical Health

• Improve heart health by decreasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases
• Develop strong muscles, bones and good posture
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Improve sleep
• Reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by decreasing insulin sensitivity and improving carbohydrate metabolism
• Lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels
• Strengthen the immune system and the body's ability to fight disease
• Increase blood flow to all tissues which in hand helps in the transportation of oxygen and nutrients to the body's cells

Exercises improve Mental Health

• Increase blood and oxygen flow to the brain
• Boost levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a substance essential for the growth of brain cells and stimulates neurogenesis—the birth of new neurons
• Enhance the brain's metabolism which improves concentration and memory
• Burn off excess harmful hormones and, at the same time, increase the release of beneficial ones. One of the beneficial hormones acts as neurotransmitter for establishing new memories
• Teach new skills
• Increase self-confidence
• Reduce stress due to increasing the levels of norepinephrine and endorphins resulting in a reduction of stress and an improvement of mood
• Give opportunities for making and keeping friendships
• Help individual to develop a better outlook on life as a result of an improved self-esteem and confidence
• Decrease anxiety

Mounting evidence for the cognitive benefits of exercise

There is a growing body of literature and extensive research studies between 2007 and 2016 that shows the benefits of physical activity on the growth and functions of the brain. Results of related studies showed the effects of daily physical activity on brain functions when comparing individuals who are physically active to those who are not:

• Enhancement of brain function brain processing activity and cognition, therefore positively influencing academic performance. Boosted children's performance on tests of reading, spelling, and arithmetic. Another study found that kids who exercised 10-20 minutes prior to a math test outperformed kids in sedentary control group

• More accurate performance and speed when challenged with cognitive tasks that require lots of concentration and attention (compared to others not engaged in physical activities)

• Improved executive function, ones responsible to help us pay attention, plan, and resist distractions

• Better performance on tests of focus and cognitive flexibility--the ability to switch between tasks while maintaining speed and accuracy

• And what about ADHD? Studies showed that daily physical activity gave those kids a special boost, altering their brain activity in ways that enhanced self-discipline

Raising our Kids to be fit

S-miles team is as concerned as many of you regarding the mounting problem of overweight and obesity. The health issues for overweight and obesity should be a wakeup call for everyone. One of the major reasons for this issue is the lack of physical activity caused by the popularity of video games or the declining hours of physical education at schools.

It is vital to reverse this growing trend by encouraging your children to move and exercise more and instill in them the wisdom of good nutrition and a healthy life style.

• Give your children ample of opportunity to engage in a variety of age-appropriate activities
• Establish a regular and consistent schedule for cardio physical activities
• Incorporate activity into daily routines, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator
• Be a positive role model for your family by embracing a healthier life style
• Keep it fun, so you can push your kids to want more

OUR BODIES WERE MADE TO MOVE!

For more info regarding the date and time of the sessions, please don't hesitate to contact us on +961 71 74 74 54

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Special Miles Team