If you have a child that is constantly on the move and is always seeking physical input, I would like to recommend something to you. You may have heard of this in conjunction with adults and yet never considered it for children. What am I referring to? CrossFit.
I have been involved with CrossFit for a long time now and I recently spoke to one of the coaches at a gym near me. She said that she has a couple of autistic children who are participating in weekly workouts, which made me think about children who are sensory seekers and how this would be beneficial to them. For one thing, it’s just good movement. The workouts require constant motion. However, CrossFit has 3 movements that I think give a lot of proprioceptive and vestibular stimulation where needed.
The first movement is the burpee and that covers the entire body. You start from a standing position and then fall down to the floor in a push up position. From this position, you pull your feet up toward your hands and jump up in an explosive movement to a jumping jack clap.
“CrossFit is great for children who aren’t particularly good at sports, but want to be involved.”
The second one is the box jump. This is simply jumping from the floor onto a box over and over again. The third movement is the slam ball. Young children especially like this. You take a heavy , weighted ball, hold it overhead and then slam it down as hard as you can. There are many other movements in CrossFit that are beneficial to the children, but these are the three moves that I have found to be the most useful to those on the spectrum and those who are sensory seekers.
CrossFit is great for children who aren’t particularly good at sports, but want to be involved. Although it appears to be an individual activity, CrossFit has a very supportive community that will give a sense of belonging to these children who have a difficult time “fitting in.” CrossFit gyms are everywhere and most of them have a CrossFit program for young ones. Stop by for a visit and get to know this supportive community.
- Is Your Child Constantly Moving?Can’t Sit Still?Try CrossFit! - April 28, 2017
- Is Your Child Constantly Moving?Can’t Sit Still?Try CrossFit! - April 28, 2017
- Is Your Child Constantly Moving?Can’t Sit Still?Try CrossFit! - April 28, 2017
