Stop Guessing: Simple Ways to Gauge Your Child’s Fitness

Hey everyone! As parents, we all want our kids to be healthy and happy. Sometimes we wonder if they're getting enough exercise. It can feel tricky to know where to start.
This is your friendly guide to checking your child's fitness at home. We'll use simple activities that feel more like fun than tests. No need for fancy gear!

 

 

Why a Quick Fitness Check?

It helps us see:

• How healthy they are: Exercise is good for hearts, muscles, and even moods.
• What they're good at: Maybe they're a fast runner but need stronger arms.
• If they're getting stronger: Doing these sometimes shows how they're improving.
• If something might need a doctor's opinion: If something seems hard or painful, it's worth checking.
• Have fun together! It's a great way to spend time as a family.
  

 

 

Keep it Easy and Happy!

Don't make it a big deal. Tell them it's like playing games. Cheer them on for trying, not just for being perfect. Join in with them!

 

 

Simple Fitness Checks to Try

Here are some easy things you can do. Make sure they warm up by moving around a little first. If anything hurts, stop!

 

Test Name	What it Checks	How To Do It	Why We Do It
Push-Ups	Arm and Chest Strength	Start like you're going to crawl, then straighten your legs out. Lower your chest to the floor and push back up. Count how many you can do. Doing them on knees is okay too!	Shows how strong their upper body is.
Sit-Ups	Abdominal (belly) and leg muscle strength	Lie on their back with knees bent. Sit all the way up and try to touch their toes. Count how many in one minute.	Shows how strong their tummy muscles are.
3-Cone Run	How fast they can change direction	Put three things in an L shape. Have them run around them as fast as they can in a special way. Time them!	Tests how quickly they can switch directions while running, good for many games.
Shuttle Run	How fast they can run sideways	Mark three lines. Have them run side to side, touching the lines as fast as they can. Time them!	Tests how well they move from side to side, like in basketball or tennis.
Short Sprint	How fast they can run a short distance	Mark a short line. Have them run as fast as they can to the other side. Time them!	Shows how quickly they can get started running.

 

More About Each One: 

1. Push-Ups: Look for a straight body. If it's hard, knees on the ground are fine. See who can do the most with good form!
2. Sit-Ups: They should try to use their tummy muscles to sit up. If it's too hard, they don't have to go all the way up. Time them for one minute and count.
3. 3-Cone Run: Space the "cones" (anything will work!) a few steps apart. They run to the middle, back, then to the side, back to the middle, and then run past the start. Time them twice and take the faster time.
4. Shuttle Run: The lines should be a few big steps apart. They run to one side, touch, run to the other, touch, and run back to the start. Time them twice and take the faster time.
5. Short Sprint: At least 10 meters (approximately 30ft), but definitely no more than 40m (130ft). Just a quick run as fast as they can. Time them a few times with a little rest in between.
   

 

 

What Do the Numbers Mean? (Don't worry too much!)

Don't stress about scores. The main thing is to see if they get better over time. Every kid is different. Just see if they are improving.

 

 

Turn Checks into Fun!

After trying these, talk to your kids. What did they like? What was hard? Then:

• Do activities they enjoy: If they love swimming, go swimming!
• Be active as a family: Go for walks, play in the yard together.
• Set small goals: Maybe try to do one more push-up each week.
• Say "good job!" Even for trying hard.
• Don't sit too much: Help them find a balance with screen time.
• Keep it fun! Make it parents vs children (they love that by the way!). The winner gets to pick dinner, or the movie for the weekend, a favorite treat or eat out at a restaurant or even that the parents get to do a chore instead. If you are going for all the marbles, all of the above.
  

 

 

When to Ask a Doctor

If you're worried about anything, or if your child feels pain when moving, talk to their doctor.

 

 

You're Doing Great!

Checking your child's fitness can be simple and fun. It's about helping them build healthy habits and enjoying being active together. So go ahead, give these a try, and have some fun with your kids!
What are your current challenges regarding this blog? Let us know in the comments so that we can all learn and grow together. I hope you have enjoyed another blog and remember, more is not always better, better is always better. 

 

For more tips, check out the ACTOS website and our Coach Like a PRO e-book series. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and tell us what you think and what you need or would like to hear more about. Until next time!

 

Gaspar

ACTOS Performance Innovation

 

*Dr. Gaspar A. Rosario is a seasoned healthcare expert with a Doctorate in Health Sciences and over a decade of clinical experience. His certifications in Weight Management, Performance Enhancement, and Exercise Therapy from the ISSA, coupled with his diverse medical background, position him as a trusted authority in the field.