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[SoreArms]

knowledge


I am looking for tips on a 2 day per week work out routine for a 12 year old girl. Probably a circuit training routine that can mostly be done on nautilus and/or machine equipment. I'm looking for samples, guidelines, etc......


short story long

My little sister started getting chubby, too much TV and inactivity so I signed her up (and myself) up at the YMCA, I take her tuesdays, thursdays and sats. I signed her up for some classes so I did my thing in the mean time, classes are 6 weeks long. New classes just started and she didn't sign up for any classes on tuesday and thursday but she has rock wall climbing and swimming on saturday. I felt bad last week telling her to jump on the thread mill for an hour while I lifted, so I'm going to change my routine so that I can work with her on tuesday and thursday (I lift else where on Mon, Weds, and Fri).

Help me help her

thanks

 

[Devastation]

one word bro



deadlifts

 

[jenscats5]

How about a 2 day a week full body workout?? Is that what you're looking for??

 

[SoreArms]

How about a 2 day a week full body workout?? Is that what you're looking for??

are you talking about a 2 day split, or whole body both days?

I think I'd prefer a whole body workout each day but either way let me hear it please.

 

[Gambino]

clean and jerks

board presses

concrete globe lifting

seriously though, I would get her into swimming with light full body workouts 2 a week

 

[Smurfy]

lol @ clean and jerks & deadlifts.

sorearms, good on you for helping your sister out to do something healthy for her, where you can also participate.

 

[jenscats5]

are you talking about a 2 day split, or whole body both days?

I think I'd prefer a whole body workout each day but either way let me hear it please.

Well, I'm talking full body workout for 2 days.....

I guess you could have her use the: Machine press (back & shoulders), the Chest Press (chest), the Leg Sled (not the leg press with the plates) if your gym has it, and the bicep + tricep machines.....

Due to her age, I would keep it very simple & basic....

 

[SoreArms]

seriously though, I would get her into swimming with light full body workouts 2 a week

you son of a bitch! are you doing this on purpose!

 

[Gambino]

you son of a bitch! are you doing this on purpose!

sorry i didn't read the whole thread. so she already gets her cardio in i see. I would teach her some compound movements such as squats or dl's.

 

[SoreArms]

Well, I'm talking full body workout for 2 days.....

I guess you could have her use the: Machine press (back & shoulders), the Chest Press (chest), the Leg Sled (not the leg press with the plates) if your gym has it, and the bicep + tricep machines.....

Due to her age, I would keep it very simple & basic....

yes, I want to keep it simple and also end it with a 35+ minute cardio session. I just want to get her active and hopefully help her get into fitness and fit a lot sooner than I started. I light, all body routine should work great, I hope.

 

[mrplunkey]

I'd definately go with full-body workouts at a moderate to low intensity. Also, have her use her own bodyweight whenever possible (i.e one legged squats with her other foot eleveated behind her on a box so she's feeling only her own bodyweight) and keep reps high.

Finally, and this is must my personal opinion here... ZERO impact. It may be an outdated, debunked myth, but anything that might mess with a kids growth plates scares the hell out of me.

 

[Sassy69]

Do they actually let 12 yrs olds into the weights area? As I recall my old Y didn't. Also will she even be able to fit into the machines? Honestly you might want to look at something more like some fitball work, core strength stuff, yoga, etc. Push-ups, isometrics, plyometrics, etc. You may be able to have one of the fitness class teachers put together a routine that is outside the classes for now. This is all stuff she can do at home w/ videos. I'm not saying get her the tapes & leave her to it by herself, but do it with her. I'm not so sure those machines are what she needs at that age.

 

[SoreArms]

what do you mean by "zero impact"?

Is it Ok for the weight to be in the 12-15 rep range?

 

[jenscats5]

Do they actually let 12 yrs olds into the weights area? As I recall my old Y didn't. Also will she even be able to fit into the machines? Honestly you might want to look at something more like some fitball work, core strength stuff, yoga, etc. Push-ups, isometrics, plyometrics, etc. You may be able to have one of the fitness class teachers put together a routine that is outside the classes for now. This is all stuff she can do at home w/ videos. I'm not saying get her the tapes & leave her to it by herself, but do it with her. I'm not so sure those machines are what she needs at that age.

I wondered this myself...... but I was assuming he checked into that already.... there I go assuming again!

 

[SoreArms]

Do they actually let 12 yrs olds into the weights area? As I recall my old Y didn't. Also will she even be able to fit into the machines? Honestly you might want to look at something more like some fitball work, core strength stuff, yoga, etc. Push-ups, isometrics, plyometrics, etc. You may be able to have one of the fitness class teachers put together a routine that is outside the classes for now. This is all stuff she can do at home w/ videos. I'm not saying get her the tapes & leave her to it by herself, but do it with her. I'm not so sure those machines are what she needs at that age.

every one 16 and under needs to take a teen fitness class that teaches them about the weight room, etiquette some exercises, etc..., it's moslty machine stuff though ,I don't think they do anything with free weights. She already took that class so she can go into any of the other training rooms.

I'm also not looking to turn her into a BB chick or anything like that (that would be her choice later in life I guess) for now I just want to teach a thing or two about fitness and hopefully help her get fit.

 

[mrplunkey]

what do you mean by "zero impact"?

Is it Ok for the weight to be in the 12-15 rep range?

Sure -- 12-15 reps is fantastic.

As far as zero impact, things that involve repetitive jumping, or catching (i.e. medicine ball tosses) or even things like push-ups where your hands break contact with the ground. I know this sounds silly, but I even like bikes and elliptical machines over treadmills and stair machines for the same reason.

There are people who will tell you that it's ok for 12 year olds to load and unload their joints quickly and they may be right. For me personally, and when my 13 year old son enters the training facility I work at (it's a post-retirement job) the concensus is that pre-highschool kids shouldn't 1) "Go heavy" or 2) Experience regular joint impacts.

 

[Smurfy]

Is she interested in this as well? I mean, does she enjoy her time at the Y so far?

 

[Devastation]

i still say deadlift

 

[madbomber31]

dude, you have to be kidding me...

why dont you let her have FUN instead of making her work out??? play basketball with her, race her in the pool, play four square... dont make the 12 year old work out.. that is going to cause self esteem issues (if it hasnt already). teach her good choices and bad ones (sports good- TOO MUCH TV bad... McDonalds BAD- Veggies GOOD)..

sign her up for some other after school activities.. .like your local boys & girls Clubs, soccer, basketball, volleyball... SOMETHING... but not working out.

 

[SoreArms]

dude, you have to be kidding me...

why dont you let her have FUN instead of making her work out??? play basketball with her, race her in the pool, play four square... dont make the 12 year old work out.. that is going to cause self esteem issues (if it hasnt already). teach her good choices and bad ones (sports good- TOO MUCH TV bad... McDonalds BAD- Veggies GOOD)..

sign her up for some other after school activities.. .like your local boys & girls Clubs, soccer, basketball, volleyball... SOMETHING... but not working out.

during these hours, most of the"fun stuff" at the Y is reserved for classes (basketball, swimming, etc.....), she didn't sign up for anything during the week so I would rather have her do something constructive than jsut put her on a tradmill ro elliptical or have hr stay at home. She has swimming and rock wall climbing on Satursdays which is her "fun stuff" for now. This is her second time in the rock wall climbing calss, the last time around she never made all the way to the top on the beginners wall so she knows that this time aside for more confidence she would also benifit from a) being lighter and b) being stronger.

Oh yeah, I also try to teach her about nutrition. She took class at the Y about nutrition and they had them log their meals. I have her continue the log and go over it on a weekly basis. I talk to her every day I pick her up and try to ask her questions to see how she feels about what we're doing. I also have concerns that she's either not enjoying it or that it's going to cause a complex, so far she seems into it (atleast from what she tells me). I try not to be forcefull about it.

 

[madbomber31]

thats good... but maybe a non family member would have a better in... it's odd but i swear i get along better and know some kids better than their own parents do...

www.bgca.org and find a local club... 30 bucks a year... yep, thats it...

 

[Pamela]

Light weights or no weights at that age.
Her body is still changing and growing.
She needs to find something that she enjoys,
so she will stick to it.

 

[SoreArms]

Light weights or no weights at that age.
Her body is still changing and growing.
She needs to find something that she enjoys,
so she will stick to it.

hot momma

 

[calveless wonder]

basing this on my experience and what i learned from ISSA...

It is safe for children to exercise provided they do NOT USE HEAVY WEIGHTS of any kind. Also, make sure she warms up with some cardio beforehand. Children are alot more suspectible to injury....They have very little muscle mass in comparison to their body.
Have her focus more on learning basis exercises and just keep her active in general. Always keep the rep range in between 10 and 15 as well

Personally, i'd limit the weights and focus more on nutrition.....

let her do something she enjoys for cardio.

 

[mrplunkey]

BTW Sorearms -- good luck with it. You are giving your sister a gift that could reap rewards for the rest of her life. I still find it odd today that kids play sports like soccer, football and baseball -- how are these "life activities"? Once you get married, 2-3 kids, hit 40, have a high-pressure job and have to travel, how are you going to do these kinds of activities year-round on a regular basis? Weights and/or cardio are both good for you, highly flexible with your time, and are something you can gracefully age into.

Good job Sore!

 

[jackangel]

she needs to be doing reverse hypers and pull throughs EOD

 

[SoreArms]

I was plaaning on having her do (and me too) 35 mins cardio at the end, should she do that first? Warm up with 10-15 mins cardio and 35 mins at the end?

 

[Mr-M6]

I need some help too

 

[Fitness-gemini]

I'd definately go with full-body workouts at a moderate to low intensity. Also, have her use her own bodyweight whenever possible (i.e one legged squats with her other foot eleveated behind her on a box so she's feeling only her own bodyweight) and keep reps high.

Finally, and this is must my personal opinion here... ZERO impact. It may be an outdated, debunked myth, but anything that might mess with a kids growth plates scares the hell out of me.

I have an 11 year old daughter that feels she has a weight problem, and i have been trying to think of a safe way to help her this post makes me feel the most comfortable! They are still so young!

 

[Cruzin]

Sore arms she can do the exact same workout as you, but lighter weights and low reps low sets

 

[FitnessSeattle]

It's all about setting a good example with diet, their metabolism is high already.

And, at this age, they need to develop balance and coordination, as well as a positive emotional associations to exercise, in other words it must be FUN not work.

low/no impact proprioceptive challenges are best

 

[RonaldoAllen]

For perfect body shape and fitness walk is best exercise. it is simple but most effective for weight lose. For perfect body shape it is also important to join a boot camp for Personal training service.