Crossfit is a movement of international domination! It seems that there are boxes in the back-of-beyond, with avid followers wearing branded T-Shirts and trying to get that gold star PR alongside the undignified grunting and yelling that accomplishes this goal.
The adult phenomena for CrossFit is well documented, however the kids CrossFit classes are the ones to watch out for. These classes have grown exponentially in the last 12 months, with kids aged five to seventeen taking part.
All primary aged kids are put in one group, with a maximum of 15 kids in a class at a time. The first movement taught is the squat.
‘The cues given are very different to those provided to adults, as kids think in a different manner and have very poor body awareness.’
Ask them to put their hands on their hips and they will look at you as if you have two heads! Everything in this class has to be broken down into simple steps.
CROSSFIT KIDS: LEARNING TO SQUAT
To get them in the basic squat stance I would tell them to jump up and down, then shout freeze, and their feet tend to be under their hips to start them off. Instead of asking them to ‘squat below parallel’ the cue would be ‘try and get you pockets lower than you knees’.
THE ANGRY GORILLA (OR, THE DEADLIFT)!
One of my favourite movements to teach this age group is the Angry Gorilla, known more commonly as the deadlift. All kids have seen a gorilla in the Zoo or on TV. Ask them to look like an angry gorilla and boom, they are in the perfect deadlift position without even thinking about it, straight back and chest upright. Of course it’s also super fun being an angry gorilla!
THE IMPORTANCE OF FUN
Fun is the key word and focus in a kid’s class. They come bounding through the door overflowing with energy so the warm up more often than not involves:
- lunges
- bear crawls
- spiderman walks
- running backwards
- and a bit of sprinting to burn off just a little of that excess enthusiasm.
Water breaks are also really important to allow the kids to hydrate, and to teach them that soft drinks are not needed, water is actually nice! After each segment the kids are asked to get some water and meet back at the whiteboard and they are taught their skill for the day.
SKILL SECTION
The skill section can be as comprehensive as any adult class, ranging from pull-up progressions, box jumps, squats, presses, deadlifts, to handstand walks and muscle-ups, but it is kept short as kids attention spans isn’t their strongest asset.
The kids don’t learn how to press or power clean, they learn how to ‘hold up the sky’ and to ‘Dip, Shrug, Drop, Stand’.
Each week the skill will be broken down into something as simple as making sure that they are pushing through their heels in a squat, by using a bumper plate and getting them to put their heels on its edge as they squat.
THE WOD
Our WOD, yes we do use some CrossFit terms, the Work Out of the Day. This tends to be an amramp of around 6-7 mins – concentrating on 3 to 4 movements. Just like an adult class WODs are scaled appropriately for ability, but in contrast scaling more often takes the form of rep, as opposed to weight, adjustments, and varying rep schemes such as 21-15-9 can be too complicated for the younger members.
Rounding off the session on a high we finish with a game, which is the highlight of the class and it always has a CrossFit twist. At Christmas we had a snowball fight with medicine balls. With two teams each team had to get rid of their medicine balls over the line separating them. When time was called the coach counted the ‘snowballs’ on each side and the teams had to do the corresponding reps of squats.
However out of all my kids classes the all-time favourites are ‘Tarzan and Jane’ or ‘Wrecking ball’. These involve swinging on a rope to rescue Jane (a giant fluffy bear) or knock over a tower of medicine balls!
TYPICAL KIDS CLASS (60 mins)
Warm up: Mixed Tabata: Kids chose the movements.
Skill: Ring rows, dips and supported straight arm holds
WOD: With a partner, work for 30 sec at each of the following stations Complete 3 Rounds, rest for 1 minute between rounds:
- Sit up to Med Ball chest pass
- Lateral hops over kettlebell
- Handstand kick-ups
Game: Human Bowling
The kids that take part in these classes are such a mixed bunch, from sporty to awkward and uncoordinated kids. However, unanimously, they all come to CrossFit Kids because it’s fun. One of my kids sent me a card at the end of the year and he had written ‘thanks for making fitness fun’. This is my goal as a coach, to instil a love of fitness at a young age so that it’s not seen as chore. If you love something you put your heart and soul into it and with that comes passion and improvement.
TEENAGE CLASSES
Teenagers are different in every manner. A teens class would more closely resemble an adult class, the biggest difference being that recommended weights are never highlighted on the board. The teens all have an individual notebook, to record their strength and WOD progress, which is left in the box. Teenage boys are fiercely competitive and if one is does a back squat at 50kg then they all want to do it, and when the inevitable happens and not everyone performs equally its a sure fire way to have a pile of demotivated, moody teens. Therefore everyone is told individually before the WOD what weight they should be doing a given movement at.
TYPICAL TEEN CLASS (60mins)
Warm up: 2x Through at a Warm Up Pace of: 7 Burpees, 14 Lunge Steps, 21 Tuck Jumps.
Front rack mobility and hamstring, shoulder stretch
Skill: Power Clean
WOD: AMRAMP in 7 Mins of:
- 5 Hang Cleans
- 5 Pull Ups
- 40 singles
COUNTERING SEDENTARY LIFESTYLES
As a coach of both these age groups I have been really surprised at how locked up our kids are from living predominantly sedentary lifestyles.
‘The teens group especially suffer from hips and hamstrings so tight that their squats are only a dip!’
The play and movement that comes naturally in childhood, rolling down a hill, climbing and swinging on trees has often diminished so much by the time they come to a CrossFit class that, in essence, you are starting from scratch, teaching them basic play skills and movements again.
SO WHAT DO THE KIDS GET OUT OF IT?
Over the course of 12 months I have seen kids improve in:
- Confidence
- Behaviour
- Ability to listen
- Flexibility
Shy kids are now able to happily stand up in front of a class and demo a movement and take the rest of the class through it. The transferrable life skills are invaluable.
Teenagers are getting fitter, stronger and more mobile, which enhances their chosen sport skill set and work ethic. The teens realise that you have to work hard to improve, that progress doesn’t happen overnight, they will have good days and bad days, but they never give up.
All age groups are taught to support each other, encourage others to get through a WOD when they are struggling and applaud everyone at the end.
‘We do not have a top ‘A-team’ for them to compete to be a part off – our team is our class, everyone, all inclusive.’
The joy for Crossfit Kids coaches everywhere is to help set up our children to be truly inspirational, grounded, healthy adults.
Check out you local classes here.
Featured image © dpr.org
Videos and other images © Kat Cassidy
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