exercise video for 12 yr old boy

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Melissa75

Administrator
Can people make recommendations for an exercise video/program that might appeal to a middle school age boy? PXsomething? Insanity? I've heard of these things, but don't really know much about them.

It's too icy to run outside safely right now, and jogging has not appealed to my son thus far anyway. I really want to get him on a routine that appeals to him and can be done year round. He plays fall and spring team sports, but winter and summer are sedate. Fwiw, he doesn't have CF, though like me he gets pneumonia easily. I want him to have the exercise habit to possibly help him not get bronchiectasis like me, and for endorphins. I decided to post here because I imagine other parents have the same issue of wanting their child to be active consistently and year-round.
 
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Ratatosk

Administrator
Staff member
Does he play any video games? DS has a Wii and an Xbox system with the Kinect system, so he's jumping, moving his arms, entire body and I noticed they have different exercise programs including yoga, zumba, dance... I use a treadmill with a reading rack and have a cousin who watches Netflix on the ipad while on the elliptical, so maybe you could get an elliptical or treadmill.
 
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Melissa75

Administrator
He's primarily a Minecraft guy. My daughter does Wii fit but he's not drawn to it. I'll look at Xbox games that are fitness related. Maybe there is something good for him. We have shooting stuff primarily. Any recs?
 
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Ratatosk

Administrator
Staff member
DS has a star wars game on Xbox Kinect that he does lightsaber battles with. Really gets moving with it.
 
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Melissa75

Administrator
I wish indoor soccer or track (my younger son is doing that) or basketball were on the table but when I offer a "hey do ya wanna do [ ]" I get a firm no.
The light saber thing might work, but I have a hunch he might do better with something adult-ish. Something that feels serious. I just don't know what. I read a ehow article on choosing btw insanity and P90x. It sounds like insanity is more cardio and p90x is more weights, and both are possibly too intense and expensive. We do have a chinup bar, which is apparently part of the necessary gear for P90x. I'd like something cheaper and slightly less hardcore. I'll have to get a-googling.
 
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LittleLab4CF

Super Moderator
Here's an oldy but a goody. "Go, You Chicken Fat, Go" was a Federally distributed fitness song under the Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations. If you have to look at something while exercising to the song, several UTube videos and such are free and downloadable. I remember the origanal LP record had one full side dedicated to the exercise song so I'm guessing it's about 16 minutes or so. For kids or kids at heart, "Chicken Fat" is a scream, and it gives some insight into the times it was concocted.

The weather is bad, every game has been played to death, maybe it's time for a little warm up.

LL
 
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stephen

Guest
LittleLab4CF,

You got me hooked! I don't remember ever hearing it before, but YouTube quickly took care of that.

There are a number of "Go, You Chicken Fat, Go" videos, some of them fairly new.

I do however resent disparaging Chicken Fat, also known as "Schmaltz, or "Gribenes" when fried with onions. Although I don't remember eating them as a kid, almost all of my friends were "raised" on it. Somehow they survived and are still doing quite well.


PS: Although I am NOT recommending them, there are recipes for both "Schmaltz" and "Gribenes" on the web. Somehow however, I think the videos are far healthier.

Enjoy
 
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Melissa75

Administrator
LL, wow, that's a gem. Thanks for sharing. I wonder if there's a Soviet counterpart. My dad's too old to have done that in school and my older sister is too young still. We missed it--darn. :)
Stephen, I'm with you on the schmaltz. I worked in Vienna for a summer and ate it at fancy restaurants. Very tasty--like old fashioned junk food. The cheeto of another era (no cheese, I know, but that intense fatty flavor and mouth feel.) Yum.

I'm currently leaning toward T25. An Insanity program for people with more time constraints. Planning more research though.
 
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Alan245

Guest
Hmm i dont think a 12 year old boy needs exercise. He can play games. There variety of games which is being played by our kids like football, base ball and volly ball etc. These games are enough for the fitness for a child.
 
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Melissa75

Administrator
Watching the Argentina vs Iran world cup game and low and behold, an iphone commercial is playing the chicken fat song!!! Lolol
http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat...mercial_uses_kennedy_era_exercise_anthem.html

An update on the sedentary twelve yr old...every time the ice melted a bit, we sent him outside to run a mile. Maybe 1-2x a week (not ideal), then spring came and he plays a sport again (ultimate) and rides his ripstick everyday and shoots hoops in the driveway. We just ran a mud run together too. That was amazing fun.

I'm going to try to have a plan in place for next winter--the mood, the nighttime cough, the physical health are all better if he works up a real sweat for longer than 15 min a few times a week.
 
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Twistofchaos

New member
Maybe he can go to school on a bicycle as often as possible? That's what kids do here in the Netherlands anyway also when it's icy because you get the hang of that really quick.

But you could also get him an adjustable dumbbell set. Two dumbbells that can go from a couple pounds empty to 30-40 pounds each because different exercises require different weights.
Because in a couple years you want him to start doing resistance training and that could encourage or ease him into it. He might even like it and then you can expand on that with a barbell, squat rack, pull up bar and so on or even get him a gym subscription.
 
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Melissa75

Administrator
I think he really would like dumbells/weightlifting. Is there controversy about lifting pre-puberty? I think moderation is probably the key. He is coordinated and a precise person--I think he would understand that form is the most important factor.

We are super lucky (well, luck, and we prioritized this when picking a suburb) to live in a walkable town. So, he walks to and from school every day--as well as other places. The town is moderately bikeable, and there is a group working toward improving that. But we also have a bit of a bike stealing issue in our area. It's unclear to me whether the stolen bikes aren't being properly locked up tho.

Anyway, thank you for the input. I try to strategize, and I appreciate help. In the end, you can lead the horse to water but you can't make it drink. I do offer a variety of waters and the example of MY drinking...a lot. lol


Twistofchaos said:
Maybe he can go to school on a bicycle as often as possible? That's what kids do here in the Netherlands anyway also when it's icy because you get the hang of that really quick.

But you could also get him an adjustable dumbbell set. Two dumbbells that can go from a couple pounds empty to 30-40 pounds each because different exercises require different weights.
Because in a couple years you want him to start doing resistance training and that could encourage or ease him into it. He might even like it and then you can expand on that with a barbell, squat rack, pull up bar and so on or even get him a gym subscription.
Click to expand...
 
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Twistofchaos

New member
Folkloric tales of lifting at too young an age (or heavy work and not having enough to eat. A common occurrence of the past) shunting growth and causing issues with joints and what not mainly comes from people that from much too young an age have been constantly cutting to very low bodyfat%'s leaving the body no reserves to grow, constantly frying the central nervous system, training through injuries and using huge amounts of steroids at much too young an age.

Absolutely nothing to fear with learning how to exercise and regular lifting with healthy nutrition and as you say moderation.

Also good to read he already walks to and from school. That's regular exercise and ofcourse being 12 he has the right to change his mind about what activities he likes from one week to the next.. What about skateboarding? Okay that's probably a bad advice. (Though I loved it.)
Anyway with a set of dumbbells he is set to follow a wide variety of exercise programs and it's simply very cool to own a pair of dumbbells which makes one stronger instantly.
 
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Melissa75

Administrator
Similar to a skateboard, I highly recommend the ripstik. Both my boys ride them every day (of course, it requires there be no snow on the ground, but whatever).

I ride it too, but not as often/well. I can attest that it is a good core and behind workout. I also get cardio out of it because I'm not efficient or smooth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8TpIIPKXv0

p.s. you've convinced me, I'm getting some dumbbells. local classifieds here I come.
 
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Twistofchaos

New member
Haa that looks mighty interesting. Skateboarding with more of a drifting/sliding ability. (Never heard of it, feel so old, cry myself to sleep) Might have to get me one of these ripstiks..
 
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Melissa75

Administrator
I found something new that gets everyone sweating and panting in my house, laughing too. The Xbox game "Just Dance." I was shocked that that my boys would be into it because they've never expressed interest in dancing. Dancing is MY tied-for-first-place-with-rock-climbing sport, so believe me that they've had plenty of exposure.

This approach has worked well: "Okay, everyone, up to bed. ...Oh, you're not tired? ...How about Just Dance for twenty minutes?" They're competitive with each other, so that's a motivator since your moves/accuracy are given points. They also like to watch the replay. I'm not sure how fun it would be to do solo, so parents should jump in if there are no sibs/friends over, and it's at all possible.
 
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