Benefits of a Balanced Body with Youth Pilates
Child obesity in America is a major problem, resulting in lifelong health complications, increased risk for heart and cardiovascular disease, and bad habits being passed along to the next generation of children.
Unfortunately, many children today are also more sedentary than they were ten or twenty years ago, and it’s taking a toll. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years.”
One solution to this problem is encouraging children to get active at an early age. There are many benefits to working to achieve a balanced body with Pilates at any age but especially for children and teens.
Here are three benefits of building a balanced body with youth Pilates.
1. Establish good habits early.
Establishing healthy habits early on is the best way to combat a sedentary, unhealthy lifestyle. Pilates encourages children to begin developing a balanced body at an early age by improving posture, strengthening the core muscles and improving spinal alignment. Pilates also helps children adjust more quickly to the bodily changes they experience as they age, and gives them the confidence they need to grow into a mature, well-balanced individual.
2. Increased attention span.
We all know children have a hard time paying attention, especially for long periods of time. Building a balanced body with the help of a Pilates instructor teaches young children how to learn and pay attention in a class environment, while also having the freedom to move around and be active. This can help increase a child’s attention span and provide valuable experience in a safe, teacher-student setting.
3. Avoid rigorous, harmful workouts.
It’s natural for parents to be concerned about workouts that may be too harsh or rigorous for their children. Kids and teens should not be participating in workouts that are too extreme or challenging for them. This can lead to injury and lifelong consequences. Practicing Pilates is a safe, gentle way for children and teens to build a balanced body without the risk of injury.
How to Find Pilates Instruction for Children
As important as it is to encourage your child to be active, it’s even more vital that you find an experienced Pilates instructor who has experience working with children. This will ensure that your child receives the best and safest instruction for their age group.
Ask friends, neighbors or coworkers for suggestions on where to start. Oftentimes, the best Pilates studios can be found with word-of-mouth recommendations.
Before signing your child or teen up for a class at your local Pilates studio, meet with the instructor and interview him or her to assess his or her qualifications. The instructor should have a certification from a respected Pilates certification program, have several years of youth Pilates instruction, and should offer a particular program designed especially for children and teens.
Also make sure to ask if you can sit in on lessons (if you prefer that), how the youth Pilates class differ from the adult classes, and what you can expect from each class.
Work Toward a Balanced Body with Sheppard Method Pilates
Achieving a balanced body with youth Pilates is a great goal at any age – whether your child is seven years old or a sixteen years old. Contact Sheppard Method Pilates today to learn more about our youth Pilates offerings. We are more than happy to work with you to find the best fit for your child.
