In our screen-saturated age, getting under 18s off the couch and into a healthy routine from a young age could be the rhythm they need to kick start a healthy lifestyle on their own. For some kids, getting them to do any sort of exercise is a constant challenge, and for other sports-driven youngsters, too many hours on the field, the track, or the pool can take a toll. Eighty8 Fitness head coach Tyler has launched Form88, a class dedicated to providing youth with a well-rounded approach to training and forming the right habits from a young age.
“In the past there has certainly been a bad stigma around lifting weights too early or going to the gym if you’re under 18 before your body is fully developed,” Tyler says. “I wanted to create a class where the correct coaching could be applied, with practical education about resistance training in an environment where kids weren’t afraid to ask questions.”
Tyler has been working on the program which is tailored to underage training for developing bodies and it’s launching this week!
“I created this program to provide a safe, fun, training environment to introduce kids and teens to a healthy and active lifestyle through exercise. All classes are designed to suit adolescence, our strength and conditioning program focuses on setting up solid foundations, allowing all kids and teens to reach their physical potential,” he says.
While Form88 improves sporting prowess for those involved in team sports, the underage training has meant students’ muscles and joints are more engaged in cross-training activity rather than sticking to the one sport and developing wear and tear. Essentially, the core of the training is to learn how the body moves naturally to prolong someone’s training lifecycle.
“We educate on recovery time, adequate nutrition and hydration as a high priority. But what we have seen in the trial which has been really rewarding is how quickly the under 18s have developed confidence, self-esteem and new friendships.”
While the picture painted may be kids burnt out and overworked it’s in fact quite the opposite. Strengthening and conditioning with Form88 involves participants using their own body weight to target the main muscle groups through exercises such as push-ups, squats, lunges and step-ups; and supervised small weights where appropriate.
When a teen’s 18th birthday comes around and they walk into a gym for the very first time, they would have already formed the correct techniques and the right mindset to ask for help.
Form88 is for the ages of 7 – 17.
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