MAG Boys strength exercises...

[Cakequeen]

Hi,

My little boy (6 yr old (7 in February)) is based with two gyms..
1 small one with only vault and floor and he's in the process of moving to a big 6 piece gym..
Week one assessment we were told to continue our 4 hours at small gym but join them for further assessment once a week (2hrs)
Week 2 told he's definitely one to progress as incredibly flexible and stronger than he looks (looks super wimpy at the minute.. Skinny little thing )
Today week 3 we are told he can't progress to more hours until he gets strength ( his small gym have said they will only allow two training gyms until February at the latest - classed as the equivalent of one school term)
Now the goal for hm is to get him doing the same 5+ hours at this new gym but obviously they want hi, stronger!,,
He's constantly performing at hime with splits and forward rolls and round offs and we've recently bought him a chin up bar but he gets frustrated as he can only do one good one (3 slightly dodgy ones!)
We are encouraging press ups and sit ups but what else is recommended especially as he's still small?
He's also he worlds worst eater..
One day he will like something and the next he won't...
Is there anything we can try that's 'good' for him by way of gymnastics!
The only bonus on the food front is that he loves fruit and chicken but not sauces for chicken :-(

Any help would be appreciated as he doesn't like his little gym any. Ore as he's seen a big gym but we are worried (as his parents) that he won't make the transition without gaining strength :-(

Thanks

 

[skschlag]

It is hard to say, as you also don't want to push him too much at home that could cause early burnout. You know the basics...pushups, situps, pullups, handstands, lsits, vsits, etc. Not a fan of weights at this age. Body weight should be enough to build his strenght. Healthy eating.

At 6, it will come as he keeps growing. And make it all fun.

 

[Cakequeen]

Any tips on making the 'boring condition' (his words!) fun?

I have told him I'll do it with him (that should be hilarious!!) as a help.

I agree about not wanting him to burn but but he's always doing gym stuff at hime so figured better to try and make him choose conditioning ;-)

I guess with the deadline of 4 months for him to decide on his small gym or big gym (he won't be staying at the small gym that's for certain to be fair) ... So I guess it's 4 months to try and get the bigger gym to take him on 5+ hours or he'll go from 5 1/2 to 2 hours a week with the big gym dropping the small one :-/

Oh it's so frustrating. , gym is the only thing (that and playing on the flaming iPad) that he loves and he wants to do really well... I'm hoping the focus will come later as well as seemingly girls are driven and focused early on..

It's that old fine line between pushing just enough and pushing too much

 

[skschlag]

Contests always work. THere are some aps on the ipad where he could track it. Or, see if the coach at the big gym has some suggestions for him. Sometimes this kind of work from a coach is easier for the kiddo to do.

We truly don't ask D to do anything at home. He has stuff he can do but it is all on his schedule. It is hard, especially when you know they have a goal, but it has worked for him so far.

 

[Cakequeen]

Thanks for the advise..

He hasn't ever really been set targets by either gym..
We have started with the get 3 chin ups, get to 10 sit ups and that sort of thing..
Perhaps I can get some sort of reward/star chart up..
His sister has the strength and he has the flexibility... Combined they'd be amazing ;-)
Sadly they both have e stroppy I can't do it thing about them too :-o

Do you know names of any apps... I can download them for him :-D
Combine his two passions... ;-)

 

[skschlag]

Fitocracy is fun. They can level up as they do more, etc. my son used that one with his team for a while a few years ago.

 

[Cakequeen]

Thanks. Will download it :-D

 

[Sasha]

We did a sticker award chart for my son to practice splits. He's super strong so never had to be persuaded to do strength moves (since they were easy for him), but didn't love stretching, was very inflexible, and he was getting nowhere on only 2 days per week of limited stretching in class. He was 6 at the time. So maybe something like that could work for conditioning reps and meeting certain goals with your son? We had a paper chart on the wall with stars for each day of doing his stretching routine, and a reward (like a movie or outing) at the end of the month for getting a certain number of stars(he got a few free days). We also did bonus stars if he went above and beyond his basic routine. Hope you can make it fun for him!

 

[gymdog]

Monkey bars. Go to a playground that has climbing equipment.

 

[Cakequeen]

I've downloaded another app this morning.

I think a reward. Chart might work esp as he's rubbish at earning his pocket money so he could earn it this way

We've got monkey are anda trapeze in the garden but the weathers now been too great and if he has to put a coat on to play then we are all doomed d
:-D

 

[homer]

Strength definitely comes with age! If he is super flexible he will always struggle with the strength. It seems they usually are one or the other. My son was never keen to work out at home and we tried to encourage him at first but he was quite stubborn/stroppy so quickly gave it up!! He started when he was 5, he is just turned 10 now and this past summer has been the first time he has set his own goals for practice outside the gym.....and stuck with them!
I would definitely keep encouraging the chin up bar as this helps with a lot of other skills. We had ours in the entrance to the playroom and said he had to make 2 attempts every time he went in or out! He quite liked the challenge!

 

[Iwannabemargo]

Mine are very competitive, so I used to pit my son against my daughter, they both would do it if it was a competition

 

[momto2js]

We have found that swimming is an amazing way to build strength. If you have access to an indoor swimming pool during the winter it is well worth the effort. My 7 year old, conditions at home by running around the block, playing tag with friends, climbing ladders, and riding his bike. Busy boys get plenty of "conditioning" in my house.