I have been considering the theory of gateway drugs lately. You know the one I mean, the hypothesis that the use of less "serious" drugs like tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana can often lead to the use of "hard-core" drugs and to full-on addiction. What I have been considering is whether or not this theory can apply to other things, like exercise. Do we have a gateway exercise that determines whether or not we will continue into a lifetime of fitness? The more I've thought about it, the more I think the answer is yes. But, I say yes with certain criteria and amendments attached.
My thought is that there is a sport or exercise that a child participates in at some point in childhood that has all the right conditions happening at the right time, and therefore it becomes the gateway exercise to a life of fitness and health. For instance, the child has just watched the Olympics and really enjoyed the beach volleyball team winning the Gold medal. It just so happens that someone has started a beach volleyball league for children in the area. It turns out that 3 of the child's closest friends are also interested in playing on the beach volleyball team. The league is affordable, meets at convenient times, and is run by a former beach volleyball pro. All the conditions have been met, the potential for success in the program is certain, and so, this may be that child's gateway exercise for a life of fitness. Now, I am not saying that every criteria has to be perfectly met in order for this to be a successful gateway exercise, but the more criteria that are satisfied, the better the chance of leading into full-on adult exercise passion.
Now, that being said, there is the amendment. The most important amendment is, "is it fun?" You almost never hear an adult discussing the athletics they did in childhood being boring or stupid and that's what kept them involved. No one ever claims they kept exercising into adulthood because they thought the sports they did were monotonous or awful. You might hear someone say, "it wasn't my favorite sport, but I did have a fun time learning it." Fun is the factor that can tip the scales. In the beach volleyball example, if all the conditions were met, but the child wasn't having fun, would this be the gateway exercise? Probably not. But, if most of the criteria were met, and the fun factor was high, then guess what? Gateway exercise found. Lifetime of fitness, check.
So, I suppose what I am saying is this: Let's work hard to find each child's gateway exercise. Let's keep in fun. Let's try all types of sports, even stuff not on a parent's regular radar, because you never know when the right conditions will present themselves, when the fun factor will be high enough, and what combination of the two will create the perfect moment for a child that will influence the course of their health and fitness for a lifetime.
In Good Health,
Jenn
My thought is that there is a sport or exercise that a child participates in at some point in childhood that has all the right conditions happening at the right time, and therefore it becomes the gateway exercise to a life of fitness and health. For instance, the child has just watched the Olympics and really enjoyed the beach volleyball team winning the Gold medal. It just so happens that someone has started a beach volleyball league for children in the area. It turns out that 3 of the child's closest friends are also interested in playing on the beach volleyball team. The league is affordable, meets at convenient times, and is run by a former beach volleyball pro. All the conditions have been met, the potential for success in the program is certain, and so, this may be that child's gateway exercise for a life of fitness. Now, I am not saying that every criteria has to be perfectly met in order for this to be a successful gateway exercise, but the more criteria that are satisfied, the better the chance of leading into full-on adult exercise passion.
Now, that being said, there is the amendment. The most important amendment is, "is it fun?" You almost never hear an adult discussing the athletics they did in childhood being boring or stupid and that's what kept them involved. No one ever claims they kept exercising into adulthood because they thought the sports they did were monotonous or awful. You might hear someone say, "it wasn't my favorite sport, but I did have a fun time learning it." Fun is the factor that can tip the scales. In the beach volleyball example, if all the conditions were met, but the child wasn't having fun, would this be the gateway exercise? Probably not. But, if most of the criteria were met, and the fun factor was high, then guess what? Gateway exercise found. Lifetime of fitness, check.
So, I suppose what I am saying is this: Let's work hard to find each child's gateway exercise. Let's keep in fun. Let's try all types of sports, even stuff not on a parent's regular radar, because you never know when the right conditions will present themselves, when the fun factor will be high enough, and what combination of the two will create the perfect moment for a child that will influence the course of their health and fitness for a lifetime.
In Good Health,
Jenn
