As gym owners and coaches, we are often asked by parents and legal guardians, “Is CrossFit right for my youth if they do not participate in any other sports?”
It’s a great question. Even more so nowadays because of busy schedules, tons of different youth activities, and the rising cost of everything.
Let’s examine some definitions:
General Physical Preparedness: General conditioning to improve strength, coordination, speed, endurance, flexibility, structure and skill.
In CrossFit, we refer to General Physical Preparedness as GPP. Our members use GPP everyday: lifting grocery bags, climbing stairs, cutting the grass, playing with their children, etc. Basically, as humans, we need to physically prepare ourselves for general life.
Sport: An activity of physical exertion and skill in which an individual (or team) competes against another (or others).
Organized sports are great for kids – they instill discipline, keep the kids active, and promote skill and social growth. And team sports teach our kids to function as a unit – they implant a “whole is greater than the sum of its parts” mindset.
But we all know that kid who can’t find an organized sport they enjoy or connect with. Maybe “that kid” was even you when you were an adolescent. And for most youths, enjoyment has to be a part of any activity to get any true, worthwhile, participation. Enjoyment is paramount.
We regularly advertise that CrossFit will improve skill and coordination in your youth’s sport of choice (soccer, basketball, volleyball, etc.). But the program is so much more than that.
At its base level, CrossFit is an assured and battle tested pathway to achieving General Physical Preparedness (GPP).
Exercising doesn’t always need to be a means to an end – for purposes of applying to another activity. Very simply, but also most importantly, CrossFit and GPP are tools to achieve an overall state of excellent physical health.
In short… sport playing and non-sport playing youths alike are WELCOMED and ENCOURAGED to benefit from our CrossFit Vertex Youths and Teens Program. Together we can ensure they feel energized and confident in everyday tasks.
If you’re interested in learning more, check out our CrossFit Youths and Teens Program. A core mission of CrossFit Vertex is to promote the health and wellness of all members of the Northeastern PA community.
