Fitter Kids Are Smarter
All of us want the best for our kids, which makes parenting hard because our kids are growing up in the most competitive environment we have ever faced. Getting into a top-tier college is so hard that even the rich and famous are lying and cheating to get their kids accepted (see Lori Loughlin). What can we do to give our kids a boost in the classroom while still following our moral principles?
One key to improving grades, maturity, and relationships, is making sure our kids and teens get enough exercise. While most parents realize that getting enough exercise fights obesity, research has proven that vigorous exercise leads to improve brain function as well.
Charles Hillman, a kinesiology professor at Northeastern University, studies the impact of physical fitness on the brain. Hillman has learned that physical activity on its own does not increase brain performance. A slow walk, for example, does not make anyone smarter. But vigorous exercise –- think out of breath, sweating, and moving the whole body -- is DEFINITELY tied to brain health.
Does your kid or teen struggle with long-term memory, goal setting, or controlling their attitudes? If so, this may be because their prefrontal cortex and hippocampus are not fully developed. These two parts of the brain determine our maturity levels. They are also profoundly impacted by our fitness levels.
“Effects are actually found in the brain,” according to Hillman. “We find higher fit kids have differential brain function than lower fit kids.”
You can also consider academic research from other states:
A study in California found that kids who improved in the state’s physical fitness test from 5th- to 7th-grade also saw higher test scores on the state’s standardized test;
A study of more than 10,000 Nebraska students found that aerobically fit students had higher test scores on the state’s standardized math and reading tests;
A study in Illinois of 8- and 9-year-old Illinois kids found that kids in an after-school fitness program got better at paying attention and ignoring distractions. They also grew to young-adult levels in their ability to control their own behavior.
Exposing kids to activities such as swimming, dance, gymnastics, basketball, and soccer is an excellent way to improve our kids’ health and success in the classroom.
CrossFit Fulshear offers a class for youth every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The program is perfect for teens, whether they need to get off the couch or get better in their individual sport.