Need to Know About the Exercise Equipment for Children

The focus on children's fitness equipment has intensified since 1990 as study after study have warned parents about the dangers of childhood obesity. The U.S.Department of Education reports that several state education agencies have begun sending home fitness report cards. Obesity contributes to physical health problems including heart disease, kidney problems and joint pain. Obesity in children may lead to the early onset of Type 2 diabetes. Children's exercise equipment provides a measure of solution for worried parents and concerned physicians, but it's important that the exercise equipment focuses on the needs of children.

Some parents go further by buying "children's" fitness equipment. This equipment looks just like the treadmills, elliptical machines and recumbent bikes that mom and dad can use at the gym, but are sized for children and cheerfully colored.

Usually, when we heard fitness equipment, we always associate with adults and never thought about the benefits for children. But with the current day and age where almost everything is based on convenience, more and more children are playing computer games and TV shows combined. This has caused a worldwide health problem increases as the number of overweight children.

Fortunately, you can prevent obesity and the best way to fight is the exercise. Kids need to be active and have all the physical activities they can get. Kids fitness equipment is designed specifically for children, to use that are more secure. They provide more balance to your body in rapid growth and offer motivational features easy to use to move more enjoyable. Today there are more fitness equipment for kids to choose from, including treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes, stepper, rowing machines and much more.

Most exercise equipment designed specifically for children is self-powered, but these repetitive motion cardio machines are fun for kids for such a short time that they are not worth the overall cost. Adult exercise equipment shrunk to child size does not make it a child's exercise device. Children's muscle development is different from adult muscle development; children are still developing bones and growing. These concerns are not addressed by standard cardiovascular equipment and parents should be aware that the basic functions that this equipment offers is all surface and may not provide the long-term reduction of risk factors they are seeking.

Physical education instructors, parents and teachers need to ask themselves if the children's exercise equipment is fun. Children enjoy doing fun things. They will run all day on a playground if they are out with their friends. They will play in the swimming pool for hours because it's fun. They will ride their bikes and hike in the woods, if it's fun. Kids will dance aerobically on a dance pad in the living room, if it's fun. While repetitive motion exercises may not be fun, getting kids to exercise means finding what they enjoy and letting them have fun.

by Matt Scooner