Regional Fitness Leaders On Board With Youth Fitness Training

PEARL HARBOR, HI -- Fitness leaders from Commander, Navy Region Hawaii (CNRH), Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) and Naval Station Pearl Harbor (NAVSTA PH) participated in a two-day Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) Youth Fitness Training seminar on March 27 and 28.


“A lot of people who work in our fitness center have no problem training adults but don’t have a large background training younger children,” says Marc Meeker, CNIC program manager for Navy fitness.

Fifteen members of the region, including staff from Bloch Arena Fitness Center (Pearl Harbor, HI), NAVSTA PH Child Development Center and CNRH MWR youth sports department, received the specialized training to safely and properly train children.

“With the growing health care costs, it’s not just the sailor we’re worried about. Spouses and children are included in health care costs, too,” Meeker says.

Special warm-up and exercise routines based around games like Follow the Leader and Simon Says are incorporated to make it more interesting and fun for children.

“You have to do more interval-based training with youth rather than just get on a piece of equipment for 20 minutes like an adult would,” Meeker says.

The youth-tailored training offered at the seminar covered a broad spectrum of topics, including exercises, strength training, program design, nutrition and response to cardiovascular activity.