Today's children are growing up differently. Few of them play outdoors, climb trees and run around, and it's taking its toll on millions of children worldwide, who grow up in front of TV sets and computer screens.

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"Some children are literally taking life lying down on the floor, not necessarily because they're tired, but because they simply don't have the muscular strength to sit up and concentrate," writes Brenda Entwistle in the Summer 2005 edition of Discovery Magazine.

Regular physical exercise can help to improve your kids' physical strength by increasing their muscle mass. Stronger muscles will lower their risk of injury to the muscles and joints, and increase their basal metabolism.

This, in turn, will lower your children's risk of overweight. Bigger, healthier muscles need more energy to maintain their basic chemical functions, even while a child is resting.

And as your kids' muscles grow stronger, they will be able to exercise for longer periods at a time.

Building stronger muscles
Muscle strength can be specifically targeted through supervised strength-training (resistance) exercises. But care should be taken to ensure that these exercises are safe and age-appropriate.

Exercises for kids shouldn't involve heavy weight lifting – as is the case with adult bodybuilding. The focus should rather be on lighter weights and controlled movements. A child can build muscle strength by using free weights, weight machines, resistance bands or his or her own body weight.

This type of training should only be limited to older children. If your child is ready to participate in organised sports activities, like rugby or soccer, he or she is also ready to do a bit of strength training.

Targeting the back and abs
A strong focus should also be on the proper development of the back and abdominal muscles. This will lower the child's risk of back injuries or back problems later in life.

Exercises that will improve muscle strength in these areas include modified sit-ups (where the child's knees are bent and his feet are on the ground), modified pull-ups (where the arms are flexed, while the child hangs from a horizontal bar), and modified push-ups (where the child is positioned on his knees while he extends his arms at the elbow).

Fun exercises for younger kids
Fun activities, such as climbing a tree, playing around on a jungle gym, or doing wall or rock climbing, are good ways in which younger children can use their own weight to increase their muscle strength.

Just always make sure that the activities are safe and that a parent or caregiver is supervising. And make sure it's lots of fun!

Reference: Mayo Clinic Staff. Strength training: OK for kids when done correctly. www.mayoclinic.com. 2006.

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