CrossFit Kids is BACK - Get ready for an awesome 6 Weeks!
Why We Love This Program
Everything we do in CrossFit Kids builds their foundation. Their minds are like sponges and when they are pre-teens and teens, these fundamental movements and philosophies won’t be so foreign. It’s amazing to us how many teens come to ChalkDust with such instability in a basic squat.
We have seen tremendous growth from our athletes. Some of which have attended their third CrossFit Kids Series. We have seen athletes conquer fears, master a skills outside of their sports background, improve agility, learn about nutrition and healthy choices, make quick decisions when faced with difficult circumstances, uncover their strengths and weaknesses, build bonds with others and so much more.
We are excited about where this program is going, and thrilled to have such a great class each session. With everything, there is growth and there is change. This program is doing just that. We are growing this program, but also changing it.
Our Vision for Growth.
We want to start introducing these athletes to more. More movements, more equipment, more body awareness and more sportsmanship. You may notice a little change up during the skill/strength and WOD portion of class, by separating age groups. Children grow and learn at different rates. While an 8 year old has no problem being verbally cued to keep their back flat in a Deadlift, a 5 year old needs a little more direction, less weight and more attention. What may come easy to one, does not come easy to another. But this is why we love teaching. Because is that wrong? NO! It’s how we learn as individuals. Outlined below is how we plan to accommodate this upcoming Series.
How to Accommodate both Experience and Inexperience?
We want to keep these classes growing. But with class growth, comes new individuals with less exposure to fundamental information introduced in earlier sessions. So how do we keep each child engaged? Well, first off, you can never over teach a squat, push up or burpee. Each session will repeat these as they are fundamental for not only CrossFit but their extracurricular sports. So, how do we move a whole class past jumping pull ups to kipping for example? Simple. We scale. We scale properly for our adults, why should it be any different with our kids?
Working with each child is very telling. Some have great body awareness due to certain sports backgrounds, some are just starting their sports journey, and some just need practice learning where their hips are and how to use them. No matter where they are, we are equipped to coach them. So if 5 athletes are whipping out 10+ strict pull ups but the rest are struggling with jumping pull ups, how does this work? Most of the time (not always) it is as simple as having age groups separate during the skill portion, as this does not create elitists attitudes or jealousy. But how exactly does that work with one or two coaches and 20 kids? That bring us to change number one.
Change #1
We want you to get involved! If you want to. We have noticed that many parents/grandparents watch from the sidelines. To us this indicates a desire to be involved. And we love that we have so many passionate parents! However, sometimes too many cooks in the kitchen is a recipe for disaster. If can be difficult to hold the attention of a child when it is too tempting to run over to a parent a few feet away. Just like other sports, CrossFit requires focus and personal responsibility. And at this age, when one breaks away from the pack, the rest of the pack tends to follow.
How Do I Get Involved?
This Series we are going to have a parent volunteer sign up. Classes available for parent participation will be on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings. The sign up is limited to one parent per class, but we encourage both Moms & Dads to sign up. This will not only give you the chance to watch the awesome stuff your kids are learning but also see the awesome bonds they are building with their own CrossFit Community. It can also help create fun activities for you to do together at home. Let them teach you how to do a burpee and make a home WOD out of it! We hear all the time while coaching that “My Dad can walk on his hands,” or “My Mom can lift even heavier weights than this!” So bring this full circle and make this a family activity!
Each co-coach will be equipped with how to cue and assist that day's strength/skill and if applicable, the WOD. If this just is not your calling, please do not feel obligated to sign up for a class. This is not required.
Change #2
With this new class dynamic, it means, we are asking that if it is not your day to be the parent volunteer, that you kick back in the lobby and enjoy an hour to yourself. We will have coffee, free WIFI and good conversation while your kids learn, play and let out that pent up energy from the day. We feel that it will allow the class to have less interruptions and have the focus turned back onto themselves and what they are learning in class. Our lobby is directly off of the gym, so in case of an emergency, you are close by.
6 Week Series begins April 12 - May 20
- Wednesdays 4:15 - 5pm (45 min)
- Saturdays 10 - 11am (60 min)
- Total of 12 Classes in Series
- Space is limited
Our program is geared towards not only physical exercise and education, but we specialize in the sportsmanship aspect as well. We feel that a poor attitude and or mistreatment of others is not what makes a great athlete. We put a focus on team building and respect during each class. This should be a place that your child feels safe and excited to be a part of, and we take that role very seriously.
We can’t wait for your kids to join us for this 6 Week Series and either further their love of CrossFit or be introduced to it for the first time! Space is limited for this program so please use the links below to secure your spot.