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MRR:
I agree. Growing up in today’s world is much different than it was for you and me. The internet, video games and cell phones have turned our youth into a generation entranced by technology.

For many kids playing outside is no longer appealing. Why should it be when their bedrooms are better equipped than the local arcade? To make matters worse most schools have been forced to take away recess to devote more time to improving academics.

Under these circumstances the average 11 year old is lucky if he/she gets 10 minutes of exercise a day. It’s no wonder that the child obesity rate has doubled in recent years. In fact I strongly believe that lack of exercise and poor nutrition is causing a lot of physical problems for today’s youth that we never had to worry about when we were kids.

I also believe hiring a personal trainer is a good idea. Keeping your grandson active and strong could help improve his posture and reduce his back pain. There are many trainers that specifically focus on youth fitness. These trainers know how to structure kid friendly workouts that generally include stretching, calethetics, agility drills, and light weight lifting. The idea is to create a workout that will give you’re grandson a chance to strengthen his muscles and have a little fun in the process.

In my opinion you’re grandson can do some weight lifting as long as it is limited to very light weights and low volume. He should be supervised by a professional at all times in order to avoid injury. Remember the focus should be teaching proper form and technique not on the amount of weight lifted.

Last but not least get permission from your doctor before allowing you’re grandson to start any workout program.  

Let’s face it. The days of those back breaking chores are parents used to assign us are over. Most families don’t even cut their own grass anymore. Therefore I believe we have to create ways to keep our kids active and healthy. To me the gym is the logical place to start.