CrossFit is a comprehensive fitness program, and its benefits extend significantly to children and teenagers. As families across the country seek engaging and effective fitness solutions, it is clear CrossFit emerges as an excellent choice. This article explores the advantages of CrossFit for youth, focusing on feedback coaching, functional fitness for everyday life and sports, and optimal facility layout for kids, teenagers, and families.
Positive feedback coaching highlights what an individual is doing well rather than solely pointing out mistakes. While correcting technical errors is crucial to coaching, remember who the audience is … kids! Positive feedback fosters a supportive environment that encourages young athletes to explore their own abilities. Positive reinforcement can include verbal praise, constructive comments, and recognizing improvements, all of which can significantly impact motivation for improvement.
Benefits of Positive Feedback in CrossFit for Kids and Teenagers
#1 – Boosting Confidence
When young athletes receive positive feedback, it reinforces their belief in their own abilities, leading to a sense of pride and accomplishment. Confidence is vital in developing a lifelong love for fitness. Children and teens who feel capable are more likely to participate and push their limits, which is the end goal.
#2 – Enhancing Skill Development
Positive feedback helps athletes understand what they are doing right, which is essential for skill acquisition. Coaches can provide specific, actionable feedback highlighting good form or technique, enabling athletes to replicate successful movements.
#3 – Creating a Positive Environment
A supportive atmosphere may reduce anxiety and fear of failure. When children know they will be acknowledged for their efforts and successes, they are more willing to take on challenges, leading to personal growth and resilience.
#4 – Encouraging Teamwork and Social Skills
Positive feedback builds individual confidence and fosters camaraderie among peers, creating a sense of belonging. Children learn to support and celebrate each other’s successes, enhancing their social skills and emotional intelligence.
#5 – Instilling a Growth Mindset
Focusing on positive feedback encourages a growth mindset, where young athletes understand that abilities can be developed through effort and practice. This mindset helps them view challenges as opportunities to learn rather than threats to their self-esteem, inspiring them to strive for progress.
Implementing Positive Feedback Coaching
#1 – Be Specific
“Good job” is not a valid cue or advice. Offer specific feedback that highlights what the athlete did well. For instance, “Great job maintaining your posture during that deadlift!” This specificity helps an athlete understand exactly what behaviors are being rewarded.
#2 – Balance Feedback
While positive feedback is essential, it’s also important to provide constructive criticism. Ensure any areas for improvement are framed positively. For example, “You did well squatting for speed today. Let’s work on getting a bit lower to maximize your potential.”
#3 – Celebrate Progress
Regularly celebrate small milestones and improvements, no matter how minor. Recognizing progress helps maintain motivation and reinforces the idea that fitness is a journey. This demands the coach to track data and recall previous performances, but it’s worth it.
#4 – Involve Peers
Encourage athletes to give each other positive feedback. This not only builds community but also reinforces their learning. One of the best ways to do this is to have a teenage or a kids class partake in the CrossFit Open or a simple gym challenge such as rowing for meters over the month.
#5 – Model Positivity
Coaches should embody a positive attitude themselves. Their enthusiasm and encouragement can set the tone for the entire session, motivating young athletes to adopt a similar outlook.
Functional Fitness for Everyday Life and Sports
Functional fitness is at the heart of CrossFit, focusing on movements that translate to real-life activities and athletic performance. For kids and teens, this means engaging in exercises that improve their ability to perform everyday tasks and excel in sports. Starting early has multiple benefits:
#1 – Movement Patterns
CrossFit emphasizes natural movement patterns such as squatting, lifting, pushing, and pulling. These movements build strength and coordination, which are essential for sports and everyday tasks.
#2 – Injury Prevention
By teaching proper form and movement mechanics and learning the difference between using muscles versus stressing their joints, young athletes can develop strength and stability that help prevent injuries, whether in sports or daily activities.
#3 – Lifelong Fitness
Instilling functional fitness habits early on encourages children to stay active throughout their lives. They learn that fitness can be fun and applicable in various contexts, from sports to recreational activities.
#4 – Adaptability
Functional fitness prepares kids for diverse physical challenges, fostering resilience and adaptability. This versatility is crucial as they encounter different sports and physical demands.
Optimal Facility Layout for Kids, Teenagers, and Families
Creating an inviting, safe, and functional environment for kids and teens is essential for fostering a positive experience. Factors such as branding, music, age-appropriate classes, family-friendly class times, and specific equipment play a huge role in fostering a successful CrossFit Kids program.
Safety First: Equipment should be age-appropriate and safely spaced. For example, if the workout has cartwheels, ensure the space is open, and anything heavy that cannot be moved is padded, such as rig uprights.
Gym Branding: While having a skull and crossbones on the wall or graffiti might attract some clientele, it will most likely shy away kids and parents. Before starting a kids program, ensure your facility is clean, well-lit, and free of obscene wall decor.
Music: While this topic should be a no-brainer, this can be something of a challenge to manage and control. Adjusting parental control on the gym’s music player for a few hours might be the best way to protect your class. Some might not think this is a big deal until a parent asks why their child knows the lyrics to the current No. 1 song that isn’t played on public radio. The environment is critical to success — treat it that way.
Family-Friendly Class Times: If you have the capacity, incorporating family-style class layouts is a great way to boost attendance and maximize floor space. Consider running two separate classes at the same time. A kids class on one side of the gym and an adult class on the other. Yes, these classes should be separate.
Creative Equipment: Use fun, engaging equipment designed for younger athletes, such as lighter barbells, dumbbells, foam-padded boxes, kid-sized jump ropes, and height-adjustable pull-up bars.
Member Areas: Designate comfortable areas for rest and recovery where participants can hydrate and socialize. This promotes community and allows for informal feedback and encouragement among peers.
Conclusion
CrossFit Kids and Teens programs, rooted in positive feedback coaching and functional fitness, provide young athletes with invaluable tools for lifelong health and wellness. By fostering confidence, skill development, and sometimes teamwork, these programs create a solid foundation for lifelong fitness. An optimal facility layout tailored for kids, teenagers, and families enhances participation. Making fitness a family-friendly experience is vital to the program’s overall success. As young athletes engage in these programs, they improve their physical abilities and develop a love for an active lifestyle that can carry into adulthood.
about the author
Steve Pepin Clegg (CF-L4), one of the youngest coaches to hold this designation, calls CrossFit Cirque in Melbourne, Florida, home. He began his CrossFit journey in 2014 and started coaching in 2015. What began as personal training and small-group sessions in a 12×15 carport evolved into CrossFit Cirque/Cirque Athletics, officially opening its doors in 2019. Alongside his wife, Katie Skiba, Clegg has passionately built this thriving community. In addition to his coaching, he is the proud dog dad of Rosie, a little French bulldog who adds a joyful touch to daily life. In the coming years, keep an eye out for several of his young athletes who are on track to qualify for Quarterfinals, Semifinals, CrossFit-licensed events, and the CrossFit Games!
CrossFit for Kids, Young Teenagers, and Families