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Chelsea Smith, 10, works out during Family BodyJam at American Family Fitness as her parents, Marc and Tammie Smith, ham it up.
Instructors (from right) Regina Ierardi, Carmen Craven and Connie Waddell lead Family BodyJam. It involves dancing and singing.
Hunter Waddell, 10, watches as his mother, Connie Waddell, teaches Family BodyJam |
About a year ago, Marc and Tammie Smith came to a rather uncomfortable assessment: They were unhealthy.
The Smiths decided to change that.
The Stafford County family joined a gym and got their three girls, Chelsea, 10, Darby, 12, and London, 13, playing soccer.
This month, they started their own "family fitness boot camp," challenging one another to try new activities at their gym.
These activities have included a family cardio dance class, family cycling and Wallyball, a version of volleyball.
"It's tiring, but a lot of fun," London said. "I'm not really thinking I'm exercising."
The Smiths are not alone.
Across the country, families are working out in unison to get healthy and spend time together.
Since 1987, the number of children 6 to 17 who are members of health clubs has gone from 1.3 million to 3.9 million, according to a study by the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association.
Twenty-four percent of clubs now have children's exercise programs, according to the 2007 IHRSA survey.
Family exercise programs are becoming more common, according to IHRSA spokeswoman Kara Thompson, but the association hasn't yet tracked the number of clubs adding them.
In larger cities, some gyms are specializing only in family fitness.
For instance, Volt Fitness in Hackensack, N.J., caters to families with kid-size fitness equipment and offers pay-per-session workouts for families, according to an Associated Press article.
In Bethesda, Md., Funfit offers parent and toddler exercise classes and kid-safe circuit training equipment that parents can use too, said Celia Kibler, company president. The family fitness club opened 21 years ago and now offers classes across the metro Washington area, Kibler said, as well as Louisiana, Colorado and New York.
"We think it is important for parents to exercise with their kids," Kibler said. "When parents do things with their children, it means so much more."
WHAT'S AVAILABLE HERE?
Fredericksburg-area parents can find family classes at a variety of spots in the region. Here is a sampling:
At American Family Fitness in Spotsylvania County, family classes are offered for everything from cycling to aerobics.
Parents can exercise and learn self-defense techniques with their children at martial arts studios such as Seong's Martial Arts Academy in Spotsylvania.
Families can play soccer on the same team at the Fredericksburg Field House in Spotsylvania and do yoga together at the Healing Arts Yoga Center in Fredericksburg.
Some family programs have been around awhile.
Joon Seong said he has offered family classes at Seong's Martial Arts Academy since it opened 21 years ago.
The classes are held on Tuesday and Thursday nights and have been one of the academy's most popular.
Matthew Centner of Spotsylvania is learning taekwondo at the academy with his 14-year-old son, Devan.
"It's a good bonding experience," Centner said.
Kathryn Ciulla of Fredericksburg began bringing her children to the academy 10 years ago.
Ciulla is now a black belt and a teacher. She said she wasn't very physically active before taking taekwondo.
Now, she said, "I can't imagine not working out three or four times a week."
Carolyn Ciulla, 16, has grown up exercising with her family. She thinks it has made her family closer, although she admitted she doesn't like taking classes from her mom.
"It's very hard to spar your mother," she said.
Other family programs were started fairly recently.
Fredericksburg Field House's family soccer program was started two years ago and has grown from four teams to two leagues, said Andrew Battleson, an organizer. Battleson plays on a team with his wife, Katharine, and their 10-year-old son. He said it's "just a thrill" to look down the field while playing a game and see his wife and son on the same team.
"We have found through sports a way to keep the family active together," he said.
Richmond-based American Family Fitness also introduced family exercise classes at its health clubs about two years ago, said Tracie Hockaday, director of group fitness for the Spotsylvania branch.
The five family classes at the Spotsylvania club have become some of the most popular on the group fitness schedule, Hockaday said.
On the night before Thanksgiving, about 40 parents and children turned out for the Family BodyJam class, a 55-minute cardio dance workout.
"We're spending time together and getting some exercise," said Gladys Williams, who was there with her 5-year-old granddaughter Cara.
There were a couple of dads as well. They were good sports, joining in when instructors encouraged participants to "show me what you're working with, girl" and to "shake what your momma gave ya."
Christina Hargrove of Spotsylvania and two of her children, Joseph, 7, and Bryanna, 6, tried their best to follow the instructors' moves.
At the end of the class, the Hargroves had flushed cheeks and big smiles.
Hargrove said her family gave up takeout pizza on Friday nights to pay for their membership.
No one has regretted it.
"It's a great thing for us to do as a family."
WHY FAMILY FITNESS?
Families that play together are healthier, according to a brochure from Action for Healthy Kids, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving children's health.
What are some other benefits? Increased concentration and performance, reduced stress, reduced blood pressure and more energy.
Active kids are also less likely to smoke, use drugs or drink alcohol.
How much is enough?
Children need at least an hour of physical activity a day, according to the 2005 U.S. Dietary Guidelines. However, the hour doesn't need to be non-stop or even all at one time. For instance, a game of tag may go on for a few minutes and then continue after a rest period.
Kim Baer: 540/834-0656
Email: kbaer@freelancestar.com
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Here are some other ways Schedule a regular time to be active as a family. Why not have an "outdoor activity" night? Plan activities everyone can do together such as hiking, biking or swimming. Play! Go outside and play tag, kick a soccer ball, or throw a ball. Encourage unplanned activities such as racing to the house after being outdoors or playing chase! Have your child's birthday party at a climbing wall, skating rink, pool or other activity-centered place. Learn a new activity with your child. Take a canoeing course, learn to rock climb, take a swim lesson, go cross-country skiing or learn to play tennis. Your child will be more likely to try new activities if you try them with him. Go for an evening walk before or after dinner. Children love to spend special time with their parents. Use this as an opportunity to catch up on your day. When it is rainy outside, be creative! You can set up an indoor obstacle course, play hide and seek, or even dance. Cold weather means bundling up and heading outside to make leaf piles to jump in, build giant snowmen and sled when it is snowing. Or find indoor games such as tennis, basketball or swimming. Limit television and video-game time to no more than 2 hours per day on the weekends and 1e hour during the week. --Action for Healthy Kids |
