They are running around the gym laughing without realizing how hard they are working.
This is the Crossfit Kids program at Crossfit North Vancouver and these mini-athletes are having a blast.
Crossfit is a fitness program known for its intense workouts, but with this group it’s the fun that is intense. Running, jumping and climbing are all part of the class for this group of elementary school age children, but having fun is most important.
Gym owner Dave Kitchen describes it this way: “The idea behind Crossfit Kids is to help the kids develop physically then they can take that and apply it to other activities. It is not to replace soccer or any other sport; Crossfit is here to help fill in the gaps, to help them be better able to express themselves at those other activities. It is also there for those kids that have no interest in team sports but still need to be physically active. I think it is really important for everyone to be moving their bodies but traditional sports aren’t for everyone.”
“All kids can join in this type of program,” adds his wife and co-owner Christina Kitchen. “We want to show kids how fitness is fun and to teach them to move properly, so when they apply what they do here to other activities then they’ll have a solid foundation”.
Currently the program is being offered for six- to 12-year-olds. The 45-minute class is action packed and there is a plan to start a teen class in September. The teen class will be longer and will bridge the gap between the kids and adults programs. The classes are held three times a week and participants can sign up to do one, two or three of them. They can attend any of the classes.
“We allow the kids to come to any of the classes because we understand that sometimes other things can come up, and so instead of missing a week because they can’t get here on
Tuesday then they can come in to one of the other classes that week,” explains instructor Chris Schaalo. “Our curriculum rotates and we try to stick to two or three things that we focus on for a segment so they have the chance to master them then we move on to the next one.”
Mikki and Jeff Martin developed Crossfit Kids in 2004 at the Crossfit gym they operate in Ramona, Calif. They created the Crossfit Kids program and now work with the Crossfit organization to teach it. Before starting it at CFNV the instructors took their course to get certified to teach it.
“The model they teach is to make fitness fun. If the kids are really enjoying the class they will work hard and want to come back,” says Christina.
“The biggest thing is the variety of movements we ask them to do. They get to learn how to move their body. When they go to learn new skills they are better able to learn new motor functions,” says Schaalo. “We always start from the bottom up with new movements. When learning better jumping skills we start with just a line to jump over then progress to objects, and always done in a fun way.”
Dave believes this form of fitness has benefits that extend beyond physical conditioning.
“I found Crossfit at 26 and really wish I’d discovered it sooner. It changed my life. I would have been better at everything. Not just the sports I played but better at life. It just makes you know yourself better. So I think it could be amazing for kids to be involved in the elementary program then move into the teen program because of the kind of confidence I think it would give them.”
For more information go to crossfitnorthvancouver.com or call 604-983-2368.
