S
sister
I have a 5yo boy in a 'boys beginner' class at our local gym. They are learning extremely basic MAG skills. He is the smallest in his class, but has good focus and gives it a great effort. He wants to "get stronger and more stretchy."
Forgive my vocabulary, I come from ballet and cheerleading.
We have been taking 20-30 minutes after school each day to do light stretches (straddle, pike, standing hamstring stretch, shoulder/arm stretches) and to practice some strength things he does in class (pushups, table tops, bridge, "spider/bear walking", and handstands against the wall.) I have him hold the stretches and the strength positions for slow ten counts and then carefully lower down (no "collapsing," which he thinks is hilarious but looks dangerous to me).
Should I add/omit anything? I realize this seems like quite a 'regimen' to some, but he loves 'practicing' and it gives him self confidence when he manages to keep up with the bigger boys. This is fun for him, and he manages to focus and work on gymnastics like he won't with anything else.
A bonus question: his push-up form (and those of many in his class, actually) is ATROCIOUS. It's like he doesn't even understand the exercise. Anyone work with kids/have to teach a really dense person what a push-up was before? On second thought, maybe he's just not strong enough to do a full push-up? With some coaxing and help with his body positioning I have him hold a mid push-up position (up on toes, straight body, arms bent) for a slow ten count like the other positions. But as soon as we try to move it, it's butt and knees everywhere!
I appreciate any help/advice you can offer.
Forgive my vocabulary, I come from ballet and cheerleading.
We have been taking 20-30 minutes after school each day to do light stretches (straddle, pike, standing hamstring stretch, shoulder/arm stretches) and to practice some strength things he does in class (pushups, table tops, bridge, "spider/bear walking", and handstands against the wall.) I have him hold the stretches and the strength positions for slow ten counts and then carefully lower down (no "collapsing," which he thinks is hilarious but looks dangerous to me).
Should I add/omit anything? I realize this seems like quite a 'regimen' to some, but he loves 'practicing' and it gives him self confidence when he manages to keep up with the bigger boys. This is fun for him, and he manages to focus and work on gymnastics like he won't with anything else.
A bonus question: his push-up form (and those of many in his class, actually) is ATROCIOUS. It's like he doesn't even understand the exercise. Anyone work with kids/have to teach a really dense person what a push-up was before? On second thought, maybe he's just not strong enough to do a full push-up? With some coaxing and help with his body positioning I have him hold a mid push-up position (up on toes, straight body, arms bent) for a slow ten count like the other positions. But as soon as we try to move it, it's butt and knees everywhere!
I appreciate any help/advice you can offer.