How To Help My Child Be More Athletic
As a parent, you want your kid to perform excellently in every area, and that includes sports, if your kid is an athlete.
There are lots of things to take note of if you want to learn how to help your kid be more athletic. You need to be aware and pay more attention to detail and learn more about your kid’s sport and the areas that need improvement. You want your kid to live up to his/her potential and improve in their sport, but you play a major role in ensuring their success. You can engage them in various activities, exercises, and other routines that will develop their athletic abilities and cause them to shine on game day. Raising an elite athlete does not just happen by chance. Deliberate measures will have to be taken, and that will involve your full participation if you intend to sharpen your kid’s skills and get them to be more athletic.
Your athlete kid will have to work on essential aspects of sports that include flexibility, motor skills, balance, and hand-eye coordination. To achieve this feat, there are some focus areas to hit on. Strength, flexibility, endurance, and coordination are essential if becoming more athletic is your goal. Working on these four areas is a great way to raise an elite athlete. These skills make or break an athlete. I’ll expound on each of them as you go along the article.
STRENGTH
Kids seem to have a lot of energy, right? But to help your child be more athletic, you need to introduce a strength or conditioning routine. Resistance or weights are a great way to get started on this journey. Make sure to do appropriate research on limits and safety precautions so as not to overburden your kids.
FLEXIBILITY
Remember how you could bend into puzzling shapes as a kid? Well, kids are naturally blessed with more flexibility than adults. You should take advantage of that by emphasizing the need for stretching to your child athlete. Develop a stretch routine. Stretching regularly will further enhance their flexibility and also help prevent injuries.
ENDURANCE
Supporting your young child is a rewarding time for you and your kid as long as you can keep things interesting. Perseverance is an important skill to have as an athlete, so working on it will help your kid be more athletic. Playing football or racing is a great way to work on endurance. When racing, ensure your kid does not quit halfway, as quitting is no way to be an elite athlete. Encourage your child to stick to the end no matter what. I mean, you do not want to see your kid run out of the field on game day because they got tired. Be mindful and careful not to push them too hard and know that kids do not have the same physical strength. Know your child’s limit and act accordingly.
COORDINATION
When it comes to coordination, there are a lot of things to look out for, depending on your kid’s sport. Excellent hand-eye coordination is part of what makes an elite athlete. Running, jumping, catching, throwing, scoring, among others, are skills that require repetitive practice to master. At this stage, your kid might begin to feel frustrated and might even want to quit. It is your job to encourage your kid and help him/her be more athletic with repetitive training.
Now you’ve learned about essential sports skills; there are exercises that will be quite helpful in making your kid more athletic. These exercises will help improve their strength, flexibility, endurance, and coordination. Want to raise an elite athlete? Here are some activities you should try:
- Box Jumps: This is an excellent exercise your athlete should try. Box jumps done the right way strengthens the lower limbs and muscles, which is what we want, stronger muscles. It’s a pretty straightforward exercise. Place a box in front of your kid that can bear a child’s weight, have them bend their needs, and spread feet apart. They should be in a safe distance from the box. Get them in a semi-squat stance, and on your mark, they’ll jump right on top of the box. Again make sure the box is something that can bear your child’s weight, preferably wood or metal, to avoid casualties.
- Skipping: Skipping is not only fun but an excellent way to develop your lower extremities and also practice endurance. Skipping can be done with friends as it is more fun that way, and your kid will most likely enjoy it. You can also hop in now and then. To make things more interesting, you can create a little competition on who can skip the longest and even get a small prize for the winner. This will enhance your kid’s competitive spirit and push them to do their best. This is not an attempt to pressure your kid into trying to outshine their friends but a way to help them develop their athletic capabilities.
- Squats: It is not only adults looking to get in shape that should do squats, but kid athletes can also take advantage of this exercise. There are regular squats where you just have to slowly get into squatting position and back up with your feet spread apart. There are also wall squats. To do wall squats, stand in front of a wall with both hands on your head and do a regular squat. Regular squats will help you make the movements easily with time.
- Resistance Running: Running generally is an excellent cardio exercise. It is suitable for the heart, and it strengthens the muscles. Resistance running involves running with a weight strapped to your back with a rope. This is also a good test of endurance and strength. Doing resistance running will increase your average running speed, which is needed if your kid is into a sport that involves running for most of the game like football and basketball. Be cautious not to overburden your kid with an overwhelming weight.
- Stretches: I have mentioned earlier how times are essential in building your kid’s flexibility. Research stretch routines that stretch out the entire body parts. Stretching correctly will guarantee desired results, making your kid more flexible. Stretches do not require a burst of energy, and they are quite relaxing. You can do stretches with your kid as it will also be quite helpful for you. It also makes for excellent bonding time, right? I know. Get your stretch on!
- Nutrition: Providing your kid with nutritious meals and making sure they stay hydrated is also part of what makes an elite athlete. A healthy diet will provide your kid with nutrients they need to grow, be more athletic, and perform excellently in their sport.
Now, a lot has been said on how to help your child be more athletic; it’s time for some action. With these exercises and skill sharpening, your kid is set out to be a star. Remember, consistency and discipline are key. Having a routine or a plan and sticking to it are two different things. Sticking to the program you construct to help your kid is what will help you raise that elite athlete.
Can you train to be athletic?
Can you train to be athletic? Yes, but only with consistent activity and focus on developing balance, explosiveness, change of direction, and stamina. You must create a mindset of growth and continued learning. Set short term goals that will push you towards your ultimate vision.
How can I improve my athleticism?
To improve athleticism, you must work on your balance, strength, flexibility, explosive power, and mobility in all directions. Try participating in multiple different activities and sports.
How can I move more athletically?
How can I move more athletically? The first step is to train like an athlete, not a bodybuilder. Aesthetics have nothing to do with athleticism; work on flexibility, coordination, and natural functional movements. Develop strong core muscles and training your legs. Implement plyometrics, stretching, running, and change of direction drills.
Are you born with athleticism?
Some people are born with some innate skills but athleticism can be developed with consistent activity over a long period of time.