We all spend a lot of time obsessing over the right workout program, the right exercises, and the right frequency to our training. But in truth, there’s a lot more to our workouts than that. There are the people around us, there is our potential to learn, and there is our inner (and not so inner) child that comes through when our workouts feel like play.
This week’s editor’s picks take a look at culture, community, and kids – and the unexpected ways they can impact our fitness and health.
Editor’s Picks
Giving Back: 12 Ways to Pay It Forward in Fitness
Exercise is a great gift to yourself, but it doesn’t have to be all about you. It can be about giving back to teammates, the community, and the world. Coach Amy D. Hester explains twelve simple ways you can use your workout to better the world around you.
Why Your CrossFit Gym Needs an On-Ramp Program
Becoming part of a CrossFit gym isn’t just about learning the movements. It’s also about meeting the people and getting to know the culture. Feeling like you’re part of something. Coach Amber Larsen details how an on-ramp system solves all these problems.
Follow the Client: Applying Montessori Principles in the Gym
I’ve written before about how teaching children and teaching adults doesn’t end up being all that different. Coach and teacher David Varnes addresses this same topic, but this time examining how the Montessori philosophy can make you a better trainer/coach.
Fight for the Right to Recess: 3 Reasons Kids Need Break Time
You remember how awesome recess was when you were a kid, right? Did you know fewer kids are getting recess these days? And it’s not just about them losing out on play time, it’s about the social, cultural, and emotional impact that losing recess has, too. Coach, doula, and mom Nicole Crawford explains.
Why All Swim Coaches Should Coach a Kids Camp
You see a theme here? What we can learn about coaching adults by coaching kids? This time it’s swim coach Alan Kipping-Ruane who learned a thing or two while coaching a summer camp. And while this does talk about swimming specifically, it really could be about any sport or training method.
Coaching Kids Will Brighten Up Your Week (Athlete Journal 47)
Brazilian jiu jitsu coach and competitor Jess Papi reminded herself about the joy of competition, win or lose, by helping coach the kids from her academy recently. Sometimes when things get serious, it’s good to think about how a child would approach it.
Photo 1 courtesy of Amy D. Hester.
Photo 2 courtesy of Shutterstock.
