Week 1 - 1 hour of Physical Activity
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition issued by the US Department of Health and Human Services, recommend that children and adolescents ages 6 through 17 years do 60 minutes (1 hour) or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily.
Regular physical activity in children and adolescents promotes health and fitness. Compared to those who are inactive, physically active youth have higher levels of fitness, lower body fat, and stronger bones and muscles.
Physical activity also has brain health benefits for school-aged children, including improved cognition (e.g., academic performance, memory) and reduced symptoms of depression.
Regular physical activity in childhood and adolescence can also be important for promoting lifelong health and well-being and preventing risk factors for various health conditions like heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
Challenge: Keep a diary of your physical activity during the months of January, February and March 2021. Share your creative workouts with Mass Youth Soccer on Social Media by tagging @mayouthsoccer on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Week 2
A great way to get yourself moving is to do aerobic activities such as going for a walk, run, or bike ride. These type of activities will make you breathe fast and get your heart going. This is a great way to stay in shape for the soccer season. Even though the weather is cold, getting outside has great health benefits including improving brain function, concentration and reducing stress. Health-related apps can make physical activity more engaging and fun for your Fitness Friday. Map My Run and Strava are two apps where you can track your runs, post photos and interact with friends.
Challenge: Go on a run or walk twice a week and track your progress using one of the apps above.
Week 3
Just4Kicks, led by Dr Julie Hubbard’s comprehensive exercise database was designed for youth soccer players, in an effort to promote injury prevention and performance enhancement amid the COVID-19 related "stay at home" orders.
View the full library of videos by clicking on the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFYrwdcO2Xy4YZU1D6tTOKw
With much uncertainty surrounding the coming winter months, Just4Kicks has created a user-friendly, virtual bank of exercises that players can implement for the comfort of their own home! These exercises are user-friendly and involve minimal to no fitness equipment, allowing athletes a sense of 'autonomy' and 'competence' when completing their workouts. The database is a collection of 10 YouTube playlists with 300+ exercise videos. Each playlist starts with a "How To" video, describing exactly how to capitalize on each individual playlist.
Please direct any specific exercise technique/prescription questions to contact@just4kicksboston.com.
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10