Today I want to discuss how to help your kids bring intensity to their workouts. Older
children ages 16 and up can use the Karvonen system to determine their target heart rate
during physical activity. (check my previous blog for THR)
But for younger children it is easier to determine if they are exercising hard enough to
make a difference in their bodies by the Sweaty Head Rule.
Talk to your kids about sweat:
Explain to your children that sweat is good, (if your child sweats excessively, please
discuss this with your pediatrician). Our bodies try to maintain a body temperature of
around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. When you add a physical activity for example running,
this motion causes your internal organs and muscles to work harder. Remember our
bodies sweat all the time, even when we sleep but we don’t notice it until we sweat
harder. The hard work of running produces heat. Our bodies adjust to this heat by
releasing this moisture through millions of pores throughout our bodies, its our bodies
way of cooling us down. For each pearl size bead of sweat our bodies produce it can cool
nearly one litre of blood by 1 degree Fahrenheit.
Have fun with sweat:
Ask your child where they think they have more sweat glands, under their arms, feet,
head…
Have your child taste their sweat, (I know your are saying eeeuuuwwwww) but trust me
kids think its funny. Ask them what it tastes like.
Go for a walk and have them tell you when they first start to feel sweaty.
See who can get sweatier, you or them.
Carry a tissue with you and when they work up a sweat see if they can make an entire
face print of sweat on the tissue, (I know what you are saying, but I have done this in the
schools and kids think its funny.
Keep in mind, through sweat, urination and breath work our bodies are depleting the
water within our bodies, so keep hydrated by drinking 6 ounces of water for every 15
minutes of exercise.
To your good health,
Kim Wechsler
