Youth Fitness Specialist Certification!

"The wise are mightier than the strong, and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger." - Proverbs 24:5

In March, I completed my exam to earn my Level 1 Youth Fitness Specialist certification through the International Youth Conditioning Association (IYCA).

I was notified less than two weeks later that I passed the exam and earned my Youth Fitness Specialist certification. This is the first step in my goal of being certified and opening my own fitness-based business in the near future.

I began with a Youth Fitness Specialist because I have a desire to work with children and teenagers ages 6-18 to help them improve their self-esteem while also improving their health and fitness.

It's a sad fact that more than 30 percent of today's youth are now considered obese. With the lack of physical education programs in many schools and the increase in a sedentary lifestyle due to video games, computers and internet usage, our youth need a way to have fun while also improving their health and fitness.

I plan on completing my Level 2 Certification in the near future while working toward my business goals.

I may also pursue another fitness certification through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) or the American Council on Exercise (ACE) in order to have the basic certification to train all adults and children.

Back on Track!

"Before long, the jailer put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in that prison. The chief jailer had no more worries after that, because Joseph took care of everything. The Lord was with him, making everything run smoothly and successfully."- Genesis 39:22-23

I apologize that I haven't posted a blog since the beginning of November. I was extremely busy during the entire fall and throughout the holidays. I was also sick four different times between the beginning of November through the first week of January.

Luckily, I'm finally healthy and am working toward making regular blog posts once again. During the last few months, I've been busy with my own training but also with thoughts on what I want to accomplish in the next few years. I am currently working toward a personal training certification through the International Youth Conditioning Association (IYCA), as I have an interest in working with today's youth to help them improve their self-confidence while living a healthy lifestyle and avoiding illnesses like diabetes and obesity.

I will also work toward another general personal training certification with the American Council on Exercise (ACE) later this year or early next year to give me the basic information I need to work with various populations. Both of these certifications will help me in my quest to own my own fitness-based business and be able to train others.

I have also spent the last few months reading a variety of nutrition, fitness and business-related books that will help me when I make the jump toward opening my own business. And, of course, I've been praying about it (but not as much as I should!).

I still have various ideas of what I want to do, but I will need to make sure that it's something God truly wants me to do. With more prayer and bible study, I should be able to get the answers I need in order to find a way I can minster to others through my passion for health and fitness.

In the meantime, I'll continue to post useful information on my blog several times each week to help you with your health and fitness goals.

God bless!

Weight Issues Can Affect Performance in Children!

"Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it." - Proverbs 22:6

A study published in the July issue of the journal Obesity found that overweight kids are at-risk for a host of health complications, including elevated cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure. They may also perform poorly in school.

When grade-point averages were compared among 566 middle school students in a Philadelphia suburb, overweight sutdents came in at about half a grade point lower than normal-weight kids.

The study also found that overweight students had lower reading comprehensive scores on a nationally standardized test, ranking in the 66th percentile while normal-weight kids ranked in the 75th percentile.

Heavier kids were also five times more likely to have six or more detentions than their normal-weight peers, had more school absences and lower physical fitness test scores and were less inclined to participate on athletic teams - 37 percent compared to 75 percent of normal-weight students.

This is one of many studies that show how obesity is affecting today's youth. Something needs to be done about this - and soon. I hope to help make a difference once I earn my youth fitness specialist certification through the International Youth Conditioning Association (IYCA).

I will use the information I've learned with the IYCA to help reverse the effects of obesity and other weight-related diseases with our youth while having fun!

Pitching Speed Gets 9-Year-Old Banned!

"Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him."

- Psalm 127:3

In yesterday's news, it was reported that 9-year-old Jericho Scott has been banned from pitching because the right-hander has a fastball that tops out at about 40mph - too fast, according to officials with the Youth Baseball League of New Haven, Connecticut. The league told Jericho's coach that the boy could not pitch any more.

The Youth Baseball League of New Haven has been around for three years and has eight teams with about 100 players. Officials for the league said they would disband Jericho's team and redistribute its players among other squads and even offered to refund $50 sign-up fees to anyone who asks for it.

However, Jericho's coach refuses to disband the team and parents and players held a protest on the field last Saturday urging the league to let Jericho pitch. Although there is speculation as to why Jericho is being unfairly targeted (he turned down an invitation to join the defending league champion, which is sponsored by an employer of one of the league's administrators), the fact remains that he is being punished for being too good!

According to Jericho's coach, he's never hurt anyone and he's on target with his pitches all the time. But some parents have expressed concern. An opposing team forfeited a game last week when Jericho took the mound.

"I think it's discouraging when you're telling a 9-year-old you're too good at something," said his mother, Nicole Scott. "The whole objective in life is to find something you're good at and stick with it."

The league's attorney, Peter Noble, says the only factor in banning Jericho from the mound is his pitches are just too fast.

"He is a very skilled player, a very hard thrower," Noble said. "There are a lot of beginners. This is not a high-powered league. This is a developmental league whose main purpose is to promote the sport."

Of course, Jericho is upset and wants to play baseball, as any child of his age may enjoy doing.

"I feel sad," Jericho said. "I feel like it's all my fault nobody could play."

A simple solution to this issue, in my opinion, is to allow Jericho to continue playing but encourage him to play a variety of positions on the team (not just pitcher) and ask him to pitch a little slower. However, I have a few opinions about this and I want to address a couple of them.

I agree that Jericho should be allowed to play. It's unfair to say that he is "too good" to play. He shouldn't be banned from pitching because his fastball is faster than most. Why would we want to tell our children that they are too good at something and hinder them from doing what they enjoy and are good at? This sends a negative message to children who want to play, have fun and enjoy participating in recreational athletics (These are good things! Fit, healthy children that enjoy playing games and sports is good for our youth and our society).

As long as they are not hurting anyone (including themselves), and as long as they are not being coerced or forced to perform at a level that is not at their developmental age (something that is happening a lot these days resulting in injuries never seen before - see this blog story), I see nothing wrong with them playing a sport at which they may be better at than other kids. It's a fact of life that some children develop and excel faster than others in some instances, and as long as it's not harmful to the developmental stage of the child, then it's perfectly okay.

However, I also completely agree with attorney Peter Noble that the league is a developmental league whose main purpose is to promote the sport and build fundamentals. But banning Jericho because he pitches faster than others shouldn't be a problem if he is on target and not hitting anyone. It may make it harder for other kids to bat against him, and if that is the issue, then just ask him to slow down his pitches or have him play another position!

Although I agree that Jericho should be allowed to pitch, I have a few concerns, and some of these may contradict what I just wrote above.

If Jericho is being encouraged to play little league baseball at a high level by his parents or coaches, or if he is beginning to specialize in baseball and not continue to play other sports or play as a child of his age should be doing, then I would be hesitant to allow him to keep pitching.

Because I don't know his background and what else he is doing or what his parents and coaches are training or encouraging him to do, it's hard to know if this is what is happening. However, those are valid concerns for a child of his age. At 9 years old, Jericho is still in the developmental stages of his physical development. Having him specialize in a particular sport or work on biomotor qualities (speed, strength, etc.) would be detrimental to him during this stage of his development.

He should be playing games (and running, jumping, crawling, etc.) with other children in his age range while playing a variety of sports throughout the year. These things will help him develop properly and prevent injuries or long-term issues. I would recommend that he play multiple sports throughout the year and also multiple positions on the baseball team, not just as pitcher.

I wanted to address this because I'm currently studying for my Level 1 Certification with the International Youth Conditioning Association (IYCA). Once I pass my exam, I will be on my way to becoming a Youth Fitness Specialist.

I've already learned how children develop at different stages in life (6-9; 10-13; 14-18) and how the type of training and activities they participate in is very important in order to avoid injury, stay fit, be healthy, and most of all...have FUN!

Youth sports and fitness is something that needs to be addressed. Unfortunately, there are too many coaches (and parents) that are injuring today's youth and treating them as mini-adults because they don't understand the developmental process or how to teach children effectively. I'm looking forward to being a positive influence for today's youth and helping them develop properly while making youth fitness fun!

Dear Parents: Your Child is Fat!

"Discipline your children while there is hope. Otherwise you will ruin their lives." - Proverbs 19:18

According to an article posted in Time, School children across England will soon have their Body Mass Index (BMI) tested as part of a new effort to tackle the growing problem of childhood obesity.

Parents will be sent a letter telling them whether their child is underweight, a healthy weight, overweight or very overweight. The letter will also include leaflets giving advice on eating healthily, physical activities their child might do and the risks of being overweight.

So, are parents really failing to notice their little angels piling on the pounds? Yes, says the U.K.'s Department of Health.

"Today, when more children are overweight compared with previous generations, it can be harder for parents to objectively identify if their child is overweight," says a spokeswoman from the Department of Health. "Research shows that most parents of overweight or obese children think that their child is a healthy weight. Some research showed that only 10 percent of parents with overweight or obese children described their child as overweight."

Still, it pays to break the news of a child's problem gently. Following the advice of numerous obesity experts, the Department of Health has decided that the name of the final, portliest category — very overweight — was a more sensible choice than obese.

"Preliminary findings of the survey suggest that many people who would be defined clinically as obese find the use of the term obese highly offensive and would stop listening to further advice."

The softly-softly approach doesn't please everyone. "To shrink from using the word obesity is really ducking an issue," insists Dr Colin Waine, Chairman of the National Obesity Forum. "It does not have to be used in a judgmental or insulting way: if a child is obese, then the parents should know that they are obese. We must make parents know that the lifestyle of the family needs to be modified."

Statistics on childhood obesity in Britain make grim reading. Figures from 2006, the most recent numbers, show that nearly a third of all children aged between two and 15 are overweight or obese, an overall increase of 11 percent from 1995.

The U.K. childhood obesity rate is comparable to that in the U.S., where obesity in children aged between six and 11 has tripled over the past three decades, which may be why a few U.S. states already send reports on heavy kids home to parents. The College of Natural Resources at the University of California, Berkeley, published a paper in November 2006 describing the "risks and benefits of BMI reporting in the school setting," and in May 2007, Wyoming started a program in which students' report cards came complete with their BMI.

Some worry that such information should be given more discreetly: "Our feeling is that the information should be given to parents if there is a serious health concern much like any other health concern a child might have," said Meghan Cavanaugh, a spokeswoman at the Childhood Weight Control Program, the University of Buffalo. "This information should not be included on a report card or such. Medical information should be kept separate."

Based on current growth rates, obesity is predicted to cost the wider community of the U.K. around $100 billion a year by 2050, according to the Department of Health. "The Government must lead on action across society to tackle obesity. Engaging parents in this issue is essential to achieving success in instigating behavioral change."

"This is a really serious problem," says Dr Waine. "We're in danger of producing a generation of children with a shorter life expectancy. We can't just say that's acceptable."

Articles like this are one reason why I'm getting a certification from the International Youth Conditioning Association (IYCA). Our children deserve better. Although I believe that parents should be the ones correcting bad nutritional habits and encouraging their children to get regular exercise, the reality is that many parents are neglecting their own health and don't know how to help their children or serve as good role models.

There are no short-term fixes for childhood obesity. A long-term approach is key to correcting obesity and other issues that children face these days (diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, etc.). With a certification from the IYCA, I will have the tools I need to help make a difference.

Story originally reported in Time.

Kids Urged to Bike and Walk to School!

"People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will slip and fall." - Proverbs 10:9

Across the country, schools are encouraging families to forgo their cars to promote healthy habits, relieve traffic congestion around school buildings, help the environment and save money on gas.

Many schools reward kids who ditch mom or dad's car in favor of biking or walking. Prizes for walking or biking to school range from bottles of water to digital cameras, bike bells to bicycles. Many schools and community groups are funding the programs with grants from the national Safe Routes to School program, administered by the Federal Highway Administration. The FHA has funded programs in 40 states.

The FHA has worked with public schools and YMCA's to develop walk-to-school programs that appeal to parents and children. They have also helped to establish safe walking or biking routes and the funding of sidewalks.

Walking provides an opportunity to exercise and socialize before school, and it can have long-term impact on health. Students who exercise regularly are less likely to become obese or diabetic. And exercise in the morning can improve readiness to learn.

Students who live too far to walk or bike are asked to form car pools, use public transportation or walk part of the way. Many of the programs at various schools are "kid-generated." They are the ones asking their parents to leave early and walk or bike with them to school.

I think this is a great way to help our children (and their parents) to get more exercise each day while also helping to save money on gas and reduce auto emissions.

However, I find it difficult to understand why programs like this need to exist. When I was a child, I walked to school with friends every day. I also played school-yard games before classes began and again during PE, recess and after school. I stayed active throughout the day.

This shows how much things have changed in the last 20 or so years. More and more children are driven to school by their parents instead of walking or biking. We already know that kids today watch too much TV or spend too much time playing video games or surfing the internet. Parents should encourage their children to walk or bike to school to get more exercise (and parents should step up as role models and walk or bike with their kids).

With many public schools having to cut recess and PE classes from the daily curriculum, it's important that kids get more chances to exercise. Parents, teachers, coaches and other adults need to set an example for our children by getting more involved and becoming more active as role models.

Luckily, one organization is trying to make a change - the International Youth Conditioning Association (IYCA). I will be getting one of my training certifications with the IYCA so I can effectively and properly teach children how to become more active and make exercise fun again - the way it should be!

Torn ACLs, Other Big Injuries Hit Little Athletes!

"Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it." - Proverbs 22:6

In a story reported by the Associated Press yesterday and again today, an alarming new trend is being seen by doctors around the country: Injuries once seen mostly in adult athletes are becoming distressingly common in youth athletes - not just in high school, but in Little League and Pee Wee Football.

These aren't simple injuries. In the past decade, "Tommy John" surgeries to repair elbows blown out playing baseball - an operation named for a Hall of Famer - have almost tripled among adolescents.

Worse, some injuries don't have good treatments for young patients. The surgery that fixed the torn ACL in Tiger Woods' knee, for instance, can thwart the growth of a young child's leg.

An orthopedic surgeon at Children's Hospital Boston is about to begin a government-funded study to figure out the best treatment for children who tear their anterior cruciate ligament while growth plates around the knee are still active. However, long-term consequences for little joints is unknown.

Why the sudden influx? Orthopedic surgeons say that today's youth sports are more intense, with players often picking just one sport to specialize as young as 8.

I have a different theory. I believe it's due to a lack of physical education classes in public schools and proper physical conditioning. In the past 10-15 years, many schools have cut physical education classes from the curriculum. Children no longer play (run, jump, climb, skip, wrestle or participate in playground games and sports) on a daily basis. Not just at school, but also after school.

This also includes physical labor. How many children perform physical chores like they used to 50 or more years ago? These days, it's very rare to see a child have to do anything more physical than setting the dinner table or picking up their clothes off their bedroom floor. In the past, many children were expected to help out on the farm by feeding the animals, carrying buckets of water, bailing hay or even raking the yard, mowing the lawn, pulling weeds, chopping wood, etc.

Another reason is due to the advancement of computer and video games like Nintendo, PlayStation, etc. More children are playing video games on the computer or TV rather than going outside and playing.

Without proper physical activities at a young age, children will not develop the necessary skills and abilities to play organized sports. Muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones need to be used on a daily basis and stressed with a variety of resistance in order to build strength, muscle, flexibility, speed, power, balance and coordination.

Simple things like jumping, climbing, playing hopscotch, running and other similar movements all help children strengthen their bodies and avoid injury.

Our society needs to place more emphasis on physical activity with our children. If school budgets won't allow physical education classes, then the parents should be encouraging their children to get out and play rather than watching TV or playing video games. In fact, more parents should be outside with their children playing games and encouraging physical activity.

More physical activity will help lower the incidence of adult injuries in children that have been taking place more and more. Also, adolescents shouldn't specialize or focus on one sport until much later (junior or senior year of high school).

Parents, encourage your children to participate in a variety of sports throughout the year. It will help lower the chance of injury and burnout.

For more information about youth training, be sure to visit the International Youth Conditioning Association (IYCA).