What is stamina?
“Stamina is the ability to sustain prolonged physical or mental effort”.
As we all get older we have a high risk of losing our stamina if we do not keep up our own regular exercise activities. It gives not only adults, but children the physical and mental strength to do something that might be difficult or take a long time.
Sadly, today’s children spend a lot more time in a sedentary position for long periods of time at school, including the commute to and from school, with little to no movement other than walking between classes or at lunchtime, therefore they begin to lose their stamina at a rapid rate and as they head into adulthood.
Children still love to run around and be on the move, along with the freedom that play provides, so let’s keep it that way.
By boosting their stamina levels, this will also help them concentrate better in class, make a decision quickly if they need too, and of course it helps with their overall mental health too.
Some P.E teachers or sports coaches in the past or present have used stamina training as a form of punishment for being late, ignoring a particular instruction, or misbehaving, no wonder many children as well as adults do not have a positive attitude towards this type of training but it is an important part of their everyday growth and development.
Stamina training should still be fun, it should consist of fun games and general activities that encourage these youngsters, adults, as well as athletes to push themselves to their next level of fitness. Many healthy kids have a natural supply of energy that provides them with significant endurance to apply to any athletic event or sport they wish, and should not be overlooked.
Running is obviously the most common form of stamina training but it’s not all they can do, there are plenty of other activities and games that will boost any ones stamina, these include;
• An obstacle course
• Tails
• Tag
• Slalom
• Digging
• Climbing
• Ultimate Frisbee
• Trampolining
These are just a few different ideas to help you think slightly outside of the box when you want to improve your own or anyone else’s stamina, all of the above are enjoyable and children just love them.
Keep it fun and a game and you can’t go wrong!
