Apurva Surve is a consulting sports nutritionist and has more than 11 years of experience assisting fitness enthusiasts and athletes in achieving nutrition and performance goals. She has a bachelor's and master's degree in food science and nutrition, as well as an International Olympic Committee Post Graduate Diploma in Sports Nutrition.
In this technology-driven and fast-paced world, it’s more important than ever that we prioritise the physical well-being of our children. As sedentary lifestyle becomes a norm and digital devices capture their attention, we must take proactive steps to ensure their physical strength. So, let’s dive into understanding the term strength and ways to help your kid retain it.
Why you can’t ignore your kid’s physical strength
Physical strength forms the foundation for a healthy and active lifestyle. Strong muscles and bones improve health, posture, and coordination, besides preventing injuries and speeding up recovery. Neglecting this crucial aspect of a child’s health can lead to obesity, poor posture, and reduced bone density.
Unlike adolescents, children do not usually require structured muscle-strengthening programmes such as weight lifting. Playing in a jungle gym, climbing on playground equipment, and basic gymnastics help increase body strength of kids. Other play-based strength retention activities for kids include hopping, skipping, jumping rope, or running and these activities make their bones stronger.
How to help your kid retain strength
Your kids’ fitness should have fun ways for them to stay active.
Here are a few children’s strength maintenance tips:
Incorporating things they enjoy in their daily routine will make them stick to it. Add short-duration activities at home like dancing, jumping, skipping, and doing squats throughout the day to boost their strength and endurance. In addition, encourage your child to use active forms of transportation like walking or cycling.
Parents are the first role models for their children, and they can help shape their attitudes and behaviours. By having an active lifestyle, you can set an example for kids. You can also involve your kids in simple household chores or gardening alongside other physical activities.
Besides that, a balanced diet, including calcium-rich foods such as dairy products, millet, oilseeds, green leafy vegetables, along with Vitamin D, will help increase bone strength naturally.
Ways to sustain strength in kids
Regular physical activity is key to building and maintaining your child’s strength. A mix of aerobics, strength training, and flexibility exercises ensures a comprehensive approach to their physical development. Childhood muscle endurance strategies include spending 60 minutes or more in moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity each day. The following may help in daily strength retention for children:
- Aerobic activities like walking, running, jogging
- Activities like climbing, pulling or pushing (3 days per week) to improve and retain muscle strength in kids
- For bone strength, activities such as jumping or running, at least 3 days per week, help a great deal.
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Conclusion
The best way to boost body strength is sneaking in strengthening exercises when your kids play. Taking a holistic approach to child strength retention involves considering various aspects of their overall well-being. Physical activities for continuous strength in children include activities such as climbing and swinging on trees or monkey bars, push-ups against the wall or the floor, tug of war, and lifting grocery bags at home or in a supermarket. These are all child-friendly exercises for all-day strength. Physical strength also means having strong bones. Simple activities like running and jumping that place weight on bones make them stronger. These activities make exercises fun and contribute to muscle strength, endurance, cardiovascular health and help in continuous physical development in children.As parents, it’s our responsibility to instil healthy habits for maintaining strength in children from a young age and promote muscle stamina in kids. Prioritising their physical strength through a combination of enjoyable activities, a balanced diet, and a conscious effort to make day-long strength strategies for kids will set them on a path to a robust and fulfilling life.
The views expressed are that of the expert alone.
The information provided in this content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider before making any significant changes to your diet, exercise, or medication routines.