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Anyone work out with their kid at the gym?

mudgirl

mudgirl

Molester of monkeys
Jun 8, 2007
540
6
Tied up in the basement
I have been trying to find something active that my son and I can do together for several years without much luck. We used to xc ski a bit together during the winter, but I think I was only able to get him out once last year. They've started a new unit in PE class this quarter working out in the fitness room, with exercise machines and weights, and surprisingly, he really seems to dig it! So I'm thinking about buying a gym membership for the two of us. He'll be 12 next week, which seems a bit young for the gym, but I dunno. I just want to do SOMETHING physical with him that he enjoys and isn't a huge whinefest for us!!
 
Iridemtb

Iridemtb

Turbo Monkey
Feb 2, 2007
1,497
-1
dezhamer16 said:
lifting weights is a horrible idea for a 12 year old.
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Not necessarily true. Keep him from wanting to get big, that's all. You can't have him push heavy weight until he is older and his growth plates are nearly closed, it will screw him up big time.

Have him focus on body weight work if possible. But he's a kid, play paintball with him, you would be the coolest mom ever if he isn't the type to get embarrassed, maybe the kid is into more intellectual ideas like my uncle was always. Find something in the way of that maybe?
 
kazlx

kazlx

Patches O'Houlihan
Aug 7, 2006
6,985
1,957
Tustin, CA
Biking seems to come to mind for some odd reason. On a serious note, there's nothing wrong with working out at 12 if he seems to enjoy it. Easier to get in the habit now than at 30. Like already mentioned though, I would focus on cardio and bodyweight exercises with a goal more towards general fitness than lifting weighs to get bigger.

I know at some gyms they have racquetball courts. It's easy to play, relatively cheap to get started and great fitness.
 
TreeSaw

TreeSaw

Mama Monkey
Oct 30, 2003
17,670
1,855
Dancin' over rocks n' roots!
The local Y has a bunch of machines dedicated to people under 5'4" (mostly kids, but some adults use them too) right along side the regular machines and I see lots of kids in there working out. Before forking out the cash for a full membership, you might want to get a 30 day trial and see how much the two of you use it and enjoy it.

For another outside option, do you have snowshoes or access to rentals? Sydney loved going with us last winter and it's a GREAT workout!
 
ICEBALL585

ICEBALL585

Bacontard
Sep 8, 2009
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He's 12... he should be running around at night terrorizing the neighborhood and causing trouble. That kept me fairly active when I was young. :D
 
mudgirl

mudgirl

Molester of monkeys
Jun 8, 2007
540
6
Tied up in the basement
Thanks for all the replies. The rock climbing is a really good suggestion! That would be fun. He really like the cardio machines, and this is what I'm really thrilled about. He is a very intellectual kid and spends a lot of time reading vs. being outside and active, and hates anything team-oriented. He's definitely a nerdy kid (which is fine, b/c I'm hoping he'll be the next Steve Jobs or Bill Gates). :) Oh, and we do bike in the summer.

I can't snowshoe due to some nerve damage issues in my foot, and snowshoes really aggravate it, but we have tried that in that past, too. He seems to have an extreme dislike for the cold and snow, which is why I can't get him out on skis much anymore, either. So, hmmm... maybe we'll do a visit to some of the local gyms and see what they offer. Thanks!
 
kidwithbike

kidwithbike

Monkey
Apr 16, 2007
466
0
Hoboken, NJ
get him into LARPing. its great for cardio and toning up, ask JonKranked or IH8rice. make sure he drinks plenty of fluids like Mt. Dew Game Fuel to stay hydrated wearing all that fake armor.
 
kidwithbike

kidwithbike

Monkey
Apr 16, 2007
466
0
Hoboken, NJ
but seriously, its heartening to see that you are concerned and involved. The only thing my mom did to keep me active was making me carry lots of heavy antique furniture for her business. But then again when I was 12 I was a little wild, shooting BBguns, riding bikes, chopping trails with a machette and lighting fires. Needless to say, I have not matured at all.

Go throw a frisbee with the little guy. maybe some disc golf, and if he gets good technique and more physical maybe some ultimate. that ****s fun.
 
skibunny24

skibunny24

Enthusiastic Receiver of Reputation
Jun 16, 2010
3,281
585
Renton, WA
"Keep the main thing the main thing" And for you that is spending active time with your son! If he likes cardio machines, see if the gym allows kids that young, some have an age limit of 14. Rock climbing is great because it can be an individual thing, but also great for relationship building. Once you're on the rope, you are willing to trust your belayer with your life! Bouldering is something he can do alone too... and it can lead to buildering, which promotes young hellion behavior in the best ways. Some of my greatest memories in downtown Seattle are buildering through alleyways with friends... It's great that you can bike in the summer, and see if you can get him to try out the DH skiing, once he tries it he'll never turn back!

Oh! I love taking my son hiking too. He;s a LOT younger though. (5) My dream is to hike the PCT with him the summer after he graduates high school.
 
kidwithbike

kidwithbike

Monkey
Apr 16, 2007
466
0
Hoboken, NJ
yes i have Mt. Dew in my camelbak all ready for the ride... I have some new twenty sided dice valve caps to install on my bicycle and i polished my chainmail. ready to rip.
 
Iridemtb

Iridemtb

Turbo Monkey
Feb 2, 2007
1,497
-1
Ohh I agree by the statement above, or look at the school wrestling team if he doesn't like team sports. That sport really made me a tougher kid growing up.
 
Westy

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,483
20,284
Sleazattle
ICEBALL585 said:
He's 12... he should be running around at night terrorizing the neighborhood and causing trouble. That kept me fairly active when I was young. :D
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I tear up a little when I see myself in a gym, I have to downright surpress the crying when I see a kid in the gym. Short of the idea of the climbing gym kids, belong outside doing random pointless fun stuff, not in inside doing programmed pointless un-fun stuff.
 
mudgirl

mudgirl

Molester of monkeys
Jun 8, 2007
540
6
Tied up in the basement
Listen, I die a little inside myself every time I think of going to the gym. The point is that the boy doesn't enjoy being outside during the winter in the cold and snow, so I'm trying to find something to do together that he DOES enjoy. Working out on the cardio machines during his PE class is the first thing he's expressed any enthusiasm about in a while. So, yeah, I really WISH he would do the outdoor stuff, but he won't. Yeah, I know as a parent I should *make* him do it, but the issue with that is that we both know how to push each others' buttons in a huge way, so if I try to force him to go xc skiing with me or whatnot (not that we even have enough snow to xc ski around here yet, wtf???), it ends up being a miserable experience for both of us. No amount of m&m's or cookies changes that.
 
Leppah

Leppah

Turbo Monkey
Mar 12, 2008
2,294
3
Utar
My step-son didn't like team sports. He's a bit of a social loafer.

We put him in jiujitsu for a while. He loved it. His performance was completely dependent on him and he couldn't rely on anybody in particular to get him through to the next level other than himself. He went a lot and started to work out at the gym where the classes were. Then he got on the wrestling team in Jr. High and High School. It made him tougher for sure. Jiujitsu also taught him alot about respect, and he got to meet a lot of people that were interested in the same thing he was (he's very introvert). He doesn't do either of those activities now (he's 16), but he knows how important it is to be fit. He's pretty consistent with working out now.
 
ICEBALL585

ICEBALL585

Bacontard
Sep 8, 2009
6,805
2,045
.:585:.
mudgirl said:
Listen, I die a little inside myself every time I think of going to the gym. The point is that the boy doesn't enjoy being outside during the winter in the cold and snow, so I'm trying to find something to do together that he DOES enjoy. Working out on the cardio machines during his PE class is the first thing he's expressed any enthusiasm about in a while. So, yeah, I really WISH he would do the outdoor stuff, but he won't. Yeah, I know as a parent I should *make* him do it, but the issue with that is that we both know how to push each others' buttons in a huge way, so if I try to force him to go xc skiing with me or whatnot (not that we even have enough snow to xc ski around here yet, wtf???), it ends up being a miserable experience for both of us. No amount of m&m's or cookies changes that.
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I'd say if he actually enjoys that type of stuff then go for it. You could always get him in some sort of spin class at the gym which would get him on a "cardio machine" and then he might show more interest in biking during the warmer weather.
 
Leppah

Leppah

Turbo Monkey
Mar 12, 2008
2,294
3
Utar
Jiujitsu classes are pretty good fun for everybody and they're a really good workout. You learn all kinds of really cool techniques that don't take a ton of strength. You also meet really cool people and you learn respect and discipline. It's a really good thing.
 
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