What is Connection Kids

Connection Kids & Connection Teens is training specifically designed for kids (7 to 10 years), and teenagers (11-16 years). The program aims to provide fitness training at age appropriate levels, and focuses on making fitness fun. The skills and lessons your children learn in the classes will carry over into their everyday lives and provide strong building blocks as they grow into young adults.

Developing strength and athletic ability requires that our kids push, pull, run, throw, climb, lift, and jump, effectively and safely regardless of whether or not they play sport. Our kids and teens program efficiently combines the most effective training methods of calisthenics, weightlifting, gymnastics and high intensity cardio. 

Participation  will develop children in 10 general physical skills that incorporate every aspect of athletic activity.  These are Cardio Vascular and Respiratory Endurance, Stamina, Strength, Power, Speed, Flexibility, Agility, Accuracy, Balance and Coordination.
OW ARE THE CLASSES STRUCTURED
are CrossFit Auckland Kids & Teens classes structured?

CrossFit Connection coaches make exercise fun and help children and teens move better, safely and more effectively to prepare them for the rest of their lives. Our certified and skilled coaches supervise and lead the classes. Classes are set up to include a warmup, skill training, workout, stretch.

Exercises and drills are often set up like a game or fun challenge which keeps the kids having a great time while exercising and learning. CrossFit Connection regards its junior members as a team, and creates an environment where young people develop beneficial physical and emotional attributes. They learn to chip away at goal oriented tasks and discover that they can accomplish things that may at first appear difficult or challenging. We foster a positive attitude toward physical work as well as celebrate and enjoy accomplishment.
HOW WILL THE PROGRAM BENEFIT MY CHILD?
The program focuses on a child’s motor and cognitive skills by teaching proper movement in an interactive and fun group setting through challenging the children to think about their movement, count their repetitions, remember the sequences, and work towards goals. It supplements a child or teen’s involvement in sports by incorporating strength training and conditioning to make them better athletes at any sport or play. In addition to increasing a child’s fitness and athleticism, Connection Kids & Teens:
•instills a lifelong definition of health and positive body image (what they can DO vs. how they LOOK)
•improves cognitive function
•reverses prevalent health issues such as obesity
•protects against injury
•creates a community of like-minded individuals for support and self-confidence
•hones life skills such as focus, perseverance, dedication, motivation, and goal-setting

Our goal is to provide the knowledge, ability, and skills which will allow our youth to grow and mature instilled with the virtues of an active and healthy lifestyle.
WHAT CAN I DO AS A PARENT?
We encourage parents to support their children maintain consistency in attendance, and provide healthy meals at home and for school. Healthy meals consist of protein, carbohydrate, and fat at every meal. The guidelines we follow are: lots of lean meat, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, some fruit, little starch, no sugar, and no grains. These foods are the optimal fuel for our bodies. We emphasize the importance of unprocessed, natural foods in balanced proportions.

For more information on the nutritional guidelines we follow, ask us about Paleo and Zone nutrition. Scientific studies and personal trial and error among ourselves and our athletes have found that these dietary choices make us feel good, and enhance our physical and mental performance and health.

Please pack a towel and water bottle for your child to bring to training. We recommend an extra snack for in-between finishing school and coming to CrossFit Connection. This boosts energy and concentration levels and should be a healthy option like nuts or fruit rather than highly processed and sugary snacks. We also insist that parents of our young athletes inform us of health and medical conditions as well as injuries or limitations that may impact a child’s health, performance or capability.

Children may arrive 5-10 minutes prior to class to change and be ready for class. Please collect them from the club to ensure they arrive safely home; ideally children should eat within 30 minutes of exercising to promote fast recovery and refuelling.