ATG Family Class
NOTE
My kids are 2 and 3 years old. They’ve been dragging Alissa and me to the park 1–2 times a day!
The outdoors, playgrounds, etc., are the only “gym” kids need.
BUT…
Youth fitness has been declining for over 60 years!
So I believe we also need a SCALABLE family exercise system in which parents can lead the way with the kids naturally following. That way, by the time they’re teenagers, the kids KNOW how to take care of their fitness for the rest of their lives and their own future kids’ lives.
So I’m diving in…
I ran a class recently at ATG HQ for families of ATG staff and coaches.
Not a “kids class” — nor a class for adults where the kids just putz around the gym…
I ran a class where each station was set up for both a parent AND a kid.
I got 5 rolling whiteboards and stationed them clockwise around the gym so the flow was easy for all participants to follow.
STATION 1: SLED 25–50 YARDS
I used our ATG sled with low bars for the kids.
To my amazement, kids ages 5 to 10 didn’t just “try” it…
THEY WOULDN’T STOP WORKING HARD.
In fact, after going through 3 rounds of all 5 steps, the problem on our hands was HOW HARD THESE KIDS WANTED TO WORK.
This completely shattered any preconceived ideas I had about kids being lazy.
I’m still stunned.
So on one side, kids had the ATG sled with low bars, and on the other side, parents learned our classic forward and backward sled.
Now let’s imagine 1,000 pounds on the sled, with a kid pushing it…
It simply wouldn’t budge!
But it wouldn’t be dangerous!
This concept is a massive breakthrough for fitness.
Another key point about the sled…
LOOK AT THE FEET!
These kids are getting stronger feet, lower legs, and knees!
So can kids lift heavy?
Well, mine will grow up learning sled as the human foundation of “heavy lifting” since the load isn’t bearing down on you.
For the past 5 years, I’ve thought of sled as the foundation for longevity for these same reasons!
So once again I’m seeing a parallel between youth and longevity in the ATG system.
STATION 2: PULL UP PROGRESSION TO EXHAUSTION
Kids naturally want to hang.
Once that’s easy, you can work on holding the top.
Then lowering down.
My 2- and 3-year-old are working on the hang.
But we had 5- to 10-year-old visitors doing chin ups with ease!
The “Family Standard” was on display with ATG’s chief administrative officer, Ferdinand.
Ferdinand, his wife AND their 2 kids were ALL able to do chin ups!
According to stats I can find online, this puts Ferdinand’s family in the upper 1% of society in terms of family fitness.
My parents, 67 and 70, are working to regain the ability. Alissa can already do chin ups, so our family goal is for 3 generations to all be able to do chin ups at the same time!
STATION 3: 20 TOE TOUCHES
My kids didn’t get the form right on this one, but at age 2 and 3 I wasn’t even expecting them to try it.
It’s a simple exercise: 20 toe touches, with legs straight, standing in reverse on the slantboard in order to stretch against the lack of calf flexibility created by modern footwear (higher heels than needed) and surfaces (hardwood and concrete don’t allow your heel to sink as it naturally would in grass/sand/mud).
The 5- to 10-year-old visitors and all the parents did great on this one!
STATION 4: 10 OVERHEAD PRESSES
My theory is to use MEDICINE BALLS as the form of “loading” for as long as possible.
I lined up medicine balls weighing 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16 and 20 pounds and challenged the kids to press them overhead.
This strengthens all sorts of leg, back and shoulder muscles.
Meanwhile, parents did ATG-style dumbbell presses overhead.
STATION 5: 20 SQUATS
I’m a huge fan of slantboards for youth exercise because the slant significantly increases difficulty without load.
If it’s easy, hold a medicine ball!
Even I got a challenge by holding the heaviest medicine ball behind my back.
And behind the slants, we had our ATG mobility boxes set up for ATG Split Squat progression, which allows gradual progress toward pain-free squats.
CONCLUSION
I haven’t given up on the next generation.
If you join me in this mission, please keep me posted on any of your findings with this data.
Yours in Solutions,
Ben
