Now that one of my recovery days is on Sundays, it is typically spent by transporting the kids to various team sports. As we worry about childhood obesity or just making sure our children stay healthy, the question should arise whether team sports actually make them fitter.
I was speaking with a gymnastics coach over the weekend and he argued that gymnasts and weightlifting kids get really strong and fit not just for college, but develop lifelong fitness habits. On the other hand, he insisted that most team players really aren’t that fit and certainly do not maintain their sports after high school and college. A lot harder to organize a baseball game over the weekend than lifting weights or doing handstands.
Using CrossFit and Catalyst Work Output calculators, I estimated the total work performed by the average player in my daughter’s soccer match in 1 hour and it was equivalent to a 10-minute high intensity WOD or heavy weightlifting. Maybe, just maybe our school and varsity sports teams should add 5-10 minutes of heavy MetCons and weights to double the effectiveness of the sports for our kids… And give them a taste of what real fitness could be like.
