Abstract
Through the ages, exercising and body fitness have been promoted as factors necessary for improving body health and health maintenance. Every person that indulges in exercises and maintains proper nutrition can reap the benefits of a healthy body and mind. Regular exercises keeps the body functioning in optimal condition and ready for any contingencies. But the question arises as to when to begin, so that one can reap all the benefits of regular exercising. Although the best answer to this question is “here and now, “that is beginning exercises right away. However, childhood is the considered the best age to begin exercising, resistance building and stretching. For children who start exercising early, there are many long term benefits to exercising that are expressed by the body in later years, beginning right from the adolescent ages. The following paper discusses how exercising benefits children.
Keywords: exercising, metabolism, health
Benefits of Exercises in Children
Introduction
The body is similar to a mound of clay. The more a person spends time to build and carve it, the more benefit they reap in the form of health. Exercising is one of the best ways to build one’s health. Better health leads to better performance in daily life, along with a bright attitude towards life (Grondard, Biondi, Armand, Lécolle, Della Gaspera, Pariset, Li, Gallien, Vidal, Chanoine & Charbonnier, 2005). One great way to reap this reward is to start as early as possible. Childhood is the time when the body is most receptive to nurturing and habit forming activities. It is this time that good habits like exercising should be incorporated as a part of one’s daily routine. Studies show better cognitive skills and higher health standards in children who take part in regular exercising activities even later in life (Wilmore & Knuttgen, 2003). The following paper is a discussion of how regular exercising benefits children.
Discussion
Exercise can be subdivided into certain major categories. These categories are aerobic and anaerobic exercises. Aerobic exercises aim at use of large number of muscle groups forcing the body to use up higher amounts of oxygen than required by the body at rest. This increases muscle growth, flexibility, dexterity and skill of the body (Wilmore & Knuttgen, 2003). Aerobic exercise promotes cardio-vascular development. Anaerobic exercises include exercise routines that focus on particular muscle groups at a time. This type of exercise is best suited for muscle toning, muscle building, body fat reduction, core strengthening, and increasing cardio-vascular health (Wilmore & Knuttgen, 2003). Anaerobic exercises also improve Body balance, muscle coordination and short term muscle strength. Although each of these exercise groups is beneficial for the body, most of the anaerobic exercises are recommended for children who have attained a certain amount of body development especially children who are past puberty and in their teenage (Wilmore & Knuttgen, 2003). Aerobic exercises can be carried out by anyone and is highly recommended for children. Playing in groups, team games, skipping, jogging, stretching, brisk walking etc. are a good way for children to get their share of exercises for their body.
Exercises have many benefits for the people who regularly indulge in exercising activities. The fist and direct benefit of exercising is the regulation of body metabolism (Gleeson, 2007). Children with problems like obesity have a comparatively lower metabolic rate, consuming nutrition at a comparatively lower rate than children with normal to higher metabolisms. Exercising causes the body to burn pent up energy stored in the body in the form of fat. With increased muscular activity nutrition is used in a suitable manner and nutrients get used by the body correctly.
Apart from improved metabolic rates, exercises regulate the flow of fluids in the body. Sweating during exercises eliminates toxins through skin pores and regular muscle contraction improves the lymphatic flow, allowing antibodies and toxins to flow out of remote places in the body to organs like liver and gall bladder which eliminate these toxins from the body (Gleeson, 2007). This directly benefits the body as body fluids get purified and the immune system strengthens. Although there is very little difference in the immune system of children who indulge in exercising in comparison to children who do not, children who exercise more often carry more antibodies than other children. For children, regular exercise means development of a better immunity system, as children are more susceptible to contract infectious diseases than adults (Cohen & Williamson, 1991). Although genetic expression is also a decisive factor in development of diseases in children, but studies show that children who engage in regular exercising activities and lead active lives are less likely to contract infectious diseases through indirect contact (Gleeson, 2007).
Exercising, especially aerobic exercises increase the amount of oxygen intake in the body. The brain consumes the highest amount of oxygen as compared to any other organ in the body. Exercising improves the flow of oxygen to the brain, allowing it to work more efficiently and develop faster. The hippocampus of the brain is the centre of memory and knowledge, and all neural synthesis occurs in this region. Higher amounts of oxygen enhance the activities of the hippocampus making learning capabilities stronger and memory sharper. In fact, studies have shown that regular exercising improves the cognitive skills of children with impaired brain development.
Another benefit of exercising, especially in the case of children is a better functioning Endocrine system (Sparling, Giuffrida, Piomelli, Rosskopf, Dietrich, Giuffrida, Piomelli, Rosskopf & Dietrich, 2003). This system regulates the flow of hormones in the body. Hormones are needed by the body to fulfill certain conditions. Growth, metabolism, emergency reaction and general demeanor is determined by the amount hormones flowing through the body. Exercising and games release feel good hormones like endorphins and serotonin. These hormones are said to be mood setting hormones, improving the emotional state of mind. Endorphins improve body resistance to pain. These hormones are also associated with exhilarating experiences like the runner’s high, although this experience is coupled with the release of opioid peptides, a group of compounds released, again, during intense exercising (Sparling et al., 2003).
Exercising stretches body muscles and helps increase muscle and bone density complimenting growth (Wilmore & Knuttgen, 2003). As discussed previously, exercises release hormones in optimal quantities. Growth hormones released through exercise helps improve appetite and growth in children as their body becomes more perceptive to nutrition.
Conclusion
Studies provide ample of evidence of the benefits of exercising, especially in the case of children and young adults. Exercising can benefit children in many ways. Exercising improve the health standards for children, increasing their metabolic rates and controlling their weight, and improves their motor skills and body balance. Exercising improves cognitive skills in children, enhancing their learning and memorizing powers (Cohen & Williamson, 1991). Exercising ushers muscle and bone development for better growth and improved core functioning. Apart from these individuals who participate in exercising activities regularly from a young age remain healthy for longer periods of time (Gleeson, 2007). The most advantageous factor of exercising for children is that it enhances their growth and helps them to achieve better in other walks of life, improving their ability to handle emotional stresses later on in life and reducing chances of contacting degenerative diseases associated with aging (Cohen & Williamson, 1991). From a psychological point of view, exercising disciplines the mind and the body and helps the brain to regulate vital body functions efficiently, improving health, mood and overall performance. With all these benefits it must be understood that exercising and games are very important for healthy growth of children and should be treated as an equally important part of the curriculum as well as parentage.
References
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