What fitness freak hasn’t had a dream of one day taking his son with him into the iron jungle, and passing on to him the trade of building gains and strength? Fitness is like a drug, no matter if you’ve been an active individual ever since you could walk, or if you’ve discovered its benefits in your thirties. And naturally, you want your kids to follow in your footsteps and lead a healthy, proactive lifestyle.
But the mere physical benefits are not the only reason to take your son training with you, and if you do it right, you will instil some lifelong values in his heart that will help him become a healthy, strong, successful adult. Here’s what you need to know.
The importance of training
Firstly, in order for your son to want to go training with you, you yourself need to be aware of the numerous health benefits of regular physical exercise in hopes that they will inspire your little Avenger to fall in love with fitness. And fall in love he must.
For better or for worse, kids are highly restless creatures, often changing their minds in the blink of an eye, their gaze set towards a new goal and a challenge they must overcome. This is fine for when they’re still very young, however, at some point they will have to learn the importance of sticking it out, even when the going gets tough.
This leads us to the next important step.
Through thick and thin
His father is the most important figure in a young boy’s life. He needs to be there to nurture, shape, encourage and empower his developing mind in the hopes of one day creating a stable, caring, strong, and compassionate adult. Fitness is one of the best ways to achieve this.
Through adversity, a young mind becomes strong. However, a young mind cannot do it all on his own, he needs his father to show him the way, to encourage him to take the next step even when the odds seem all but favourable. This builds mental strength and perseverance, two traits that will prove to be invaluable in the future.
Create a foundation of strength
Physical strength helps build mental fortitude, and it paves the road to a lifetime of health, vibrancy, and positivity. Within a healthy body resides a healthy mind, and taking your son to the gym with you is one of the best ways to build up this necessary foundation in a healthy way.
Unlike the majority of other sports, from football and basketball to swimming and even martial arts, lifting weights from an early age is not only safe but is also beneficial for developing the muscular and skeletal systems, thus building bone density and strength, and decreasing the chances of injury later in life. Your son has the potential to be as strong as the heroes he adores; you only need to show him the way.
Stay safe, both of you
Your son should be using the same type of safety gear you are, in order to avoid injury and learn the proper training methods. Remember, safety always comes first, even if your son is executing the movements with perfect form, so be sure to gather all of the necessary equipment well before the first training session.
Among other protective gear, you need to make sure he has training gloves, wrist wraps and knee wraps, sturdy bodybuilding shoes for traction and balance, and a weightlifting belt for stability and bracing. While the weights won’t be that heavy at first, you want to make sure your boy can progress from beginner to intermediate safely and efficiently.
A lifelong lesson
Finally, taking your little devil with you to the gym will help instil the right values in his heart and mind, allowing him to grow up to be a healthy, positive, and thriving adult. Fitness can serve as an excellent tool to help you raise your kid right, to teach him to be a good friend, a loving husband, and a devoted father. Fitness can help you teach him to love life, to receive love and to give love selflessly, to channel his lifelong strength into creating good, and doing good unto others.
If you are a fitness freak, don’t miss the opportunity to pass the benefits of training on to your son, as they just might prove to be the thing that steers his entire future towards health and happiness. So grab your gear, get moving, and help your son one day become the man he deserves to be!
