How to get my kid to run

GBOGH_5

Most of the kids I know LOVE to sign up for 5Ks. The thought of getting out there and running in a big group with a timer and all is encouraging. Even more interest if it is a mud run or color run or something similar. I know that around my area there is a 5K or fun run of some kind almost every weekend.

HealthyBodySickMind

I always ran when my mother grabbed the wooden spoon. I am now 28 and I will not allow those in my house.

bcattoes

How much is he eating that he is playing all these sports and still overweight. Have you had him checked by a doctor? If there is no medical problem, you might want to consider diet changes rather than trying to force him to run.

But, you could also just tell him you are not going to continue to pay for sports unless he is willing to practice them, since practice would include running.

iulia_maddie

1.When you go running, take some of his favorite dessert with you.
2.Tell him that if he catches you he can have it.
3.Watch him run.

josavage

My son hates to run and was always slow at running the bases. We signed him up for speed and agility classes and he loved them. He's faster and stronger. Check out the places in your area that have hitting and pitching lessons. They are the ones that usually have the speed and agility classes and they aren't too expensive because it's group training, not one on one. He may find that more enjoyable than just going out to run.

mikkimomof3

Why do you want him to run if he doesn't like it and he's already doing sports? If he's overweight, ask him how he wants to address the problem. He's already exercising. Maybe it's his diet.

This would be my response too...he is already exercising, which is great, but no amount of it will make up for a poor diet. How are his eating habits?

Lessismore98

Can you get him to talk about why he hates to run so much? It seems very odd that he loves sports but is willing to sacrifice success in sports that he "loves" just to avoid the running that is an inevitable part of almost every sport. Did someone make fun of him for sweating, and he associates running with getting sweaty or something? If he's actually consistently overweight and not just gaining weight before a growth spurt, maybe running chafes somewhere (like his privates) that he is too embarrassed to talk about? Did someone tell him that he is "too slow" and he thinks that avoiding running will prevent that criticism? There is an obvious fault in his logic somewhere, if you can get him to talk about what he likes about the sports he likes and then ease around to the subject of why he doesn't like running even as a part of the sports he likes maybe you can find out more.

Also, if he plays sports all the time but is still overweight, then you probably need to overhaul his diet. A child who is healthy (no thyroid problems or bloating medications) and active has to be putting in a lot of excess calories to be overweight, and a child can't overhaul his diet by himself. Don't nag, but make sure the whole family is eating lighter, make sure he is drinking mostly just water instead of drinking lots of calories, pack healthy sandwiches so you aren't eating fast food while running to all those practices, etc. You sound like you are really involved with your kids and are making a lot of good choices in keeping them active, which is great! Making sure that he knows that the fuel he puts in is a key to his success in sports may help him too.

jazzguy4him

He's a guy. Guys love challenges and goals. Get him an iPod touch and download Nike +. Or... if he's already got a smartphone download Nike + on it.

Challenge him to run his fastest mile, his longest run, etc, etc. It will motivate him.

Don't give up.

kagenw

Instead of trying to force him to do what you like, encourage him to do activities that he likes. Some people just do not like to run, if you keep on him you will push him further away from fitness all together. Best of luck to you.

^ This. In all reality, it probably doesn't matter in the long run whether he runs or plays basketball or baseball. The important thing is that he gets and stays active.

michellelemorgan

The beatings will continue until morale improves......

First off address the overweight problem - that's due to diet not lack of running ability.
Then let the kid do the sports he wants to do and enjoys.

I agree with this. Straighten out his diet and then exercise.

AlongCame_Molly

Instead of trying to force him to do what you like, encourage him to do activities that he likes. Some people just do not like to run, if you keep on him you will push him further away from fitness all together. Best of luck to you.

This.


Plus, ppl should only run for exercise if it's fun to them, as it is one of the least effective ways of losing weight. If he is overweight, get him some weights and show him how to lift.

Also, what are his eating habits like? If he's eating like crap it won't ever matter how much sports he plays. You can't out-train a bad diet.

Fr3shStrt

How much is he eating that he is playing all these sports and still overweight.

I played a ton of sports as a kid. In high school I did soccer, swim team, and track and I was still fat. 2 hours a day in a pool and I was fat. It is all about diet.

allshebe

I've never much liked running, myself. I need to have a place/destination to be going to for it to "make sense" to me. As others have said, work on what and how much he eats (help him learn to make better choices and don't make him clean his plate) and encourage him to find activities he likes(don't have to be formal sports). Can you put up a basketball hoop for him at home or is there a schoolyard or park court close enough to get into pickup games? Does he have a bicycle - that was my "thing" as a kid - my sister and I roamed a couple of counties on bikes (although many years ago when it was maybe "safer").

ninerbuff

My oldest son hates to run for exercise and is overweight - but loves sports and plays every sport yet continues to be overweight.

Recently he quit soccer since he had to chose only 2 sports a season (all this running around to 8 practices a week was making me crazy).

Now that I am going to the gym 5+x a week and have for 15 months - how can I get him to start running so that he can succeed? It is so bad that every time he gets up to bat he gets out unless he is walked...

He asked to use the treadmill and I taught him how but the interest faded quickly - apparently it was only cool when he wasn't old enough to use it...

He plays basketball and is much faster on the basketball court - but there is something about baseball that makes him run soo slow...and he gets so sad when he gets out...

It's not the running that's the problem.......................it's the consumption.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

DrMAvDPhD

Basketball and what other sport? Because soccer is a lot of running and maybe that is the sport you should've encouraged him to keep. I think the best way to get him to exercise will be to figure out a way to link running/general cardio to improved sport performance. Maybe introduce intervals to mimic the stop/go aspect of basketball?

KristyTonn

I'm leaning toward the quality and size of what he's eating....but if he was willing to try the treadmill, maybe watching a tv show while running?

cmcollins001

Take it from me, you can't make him run, and if you try, he will resent it and you.

My dad, while both actively in the Marines and shortly after he was out, forced me to go running with him. 28 years later, I'm just now where I'm thinking about running for myself...but I still think that running sucks.

My son was chubby and over weight most of his child hood, then he signed up for football in high school...and shot up several inches and grew into his weight.



Give your son time.

miriamwithcats

I always hated running. I loved to hike, bicycle, swim, ice skate for hours and hours, but would not run for half a block. Turns out I have exercise induced asthma that was never diagnosed. I don't wheeze, like most people expect, but my bronchioles go in to spasm and I start to cough. For me, running is the only thing that triggers it (besides getting a cold) so I had always avoided running. It wasn't until my kids, now in their 20-30s were diagnosed that I realized what was my problem. So make sure his health checks out. Including having him run and then get someone to listen to his lungs! Maybe he has knee pain he won't talk about. Could be other things too. Kids often don't realize that it shouldn't hurt to do something.

allshebe

One more thought - why does he play baseball if he's so bad at it? Is he playing because HE wants to or because YOU want him to?

lithezebra

I was forced to run track as a child. It gave me bunions and set me up for a life of foot problems, and, to top it off, I didn't enjoy it.