Gym Equipment for Kids

ANCHOR LEAD IN:
IT'S WINTERTIME, AND WITH THE SHORTER DAYS AND SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, IT'S HARDER THAN EVER TO KEEP KIDS ACTIVE. THAT'S A BIGGER CONCERN THAN EVER WITH CHILDHOOD OBESITY ON THE RISE. BUT - IN TODAY'S HEADS UP - HOW PARING DOWN GYM EQUIPMENT HELPS MAKE KID WORK OUTS SAFE - AND FUN!

TRACK ONE Length: : 03
JUST HOW APPEALING DO YOU THINK THIS STUFF LOOKS TO A KID?

SOT:
Key @ : :04 Niko Walsh, 5th Grader
"If you look at an adult machine that's grey or white you seem to pass it by."

TRACK TWO Length: :04
NOW - IMAGINE ROUNDING UP THE OOMPAH LOOMPAHS AS YOUR DESIGN TEAM...AND PRESTO....

SOT:
No Key @ -- QUICK! Niko Walsh, 5th Grader
"When you look at them you say 'wow'."

TRACK THREE Length: :10
NOTE TO CLIENTS: For more information on children and health club membership, see Source List below.
NIKO WALSH'S GYM MAKES A BIG EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE KIDS TO GET FIT. IT MAKES SENSE. IN THE PAST DECADE, HEALTH CLUB MEMBERSHIPS FOR KIDS UNDER 18 HAVE SKYROCKETED. AND THAT'S GOOD FOR EVERYONE...

SOT
Key @ : :28 (mostly covered - very quick!)
Christine Hazelton, Gym Owner
"Children are just far too sedentary, they are unfortunately gaining more weight and in turn what that means is an unhealthy society in the future."

TRACK FOUR Length: : 09
Source: U-S Consumer Product Safety commission Document #5028
STILL, ABOUT 25-THOUSAND KIDS ARE INJURED ON GYM EQUIPMENT EACH YEAR. IN PART, THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT DESIGNED FOR LITTLE BODIES. JUST ASK NIKO...

SOT
Key @ : :42
Niko Walsh, 5th Grader
"The minimum for each weight would be 45 and it would just kill me."

TRACK FIVE Length: :04
SO GYM EQUIPMENT MAKERS HAVE GOTTEN THE MESSAGE AND ARE PARING DOWN THEIR PRODUCTS.

SOT
Key @ : :51 Linda Walsh, Niko's Mom
"It specifically fits each individual's body shape, size, and which allows the child then to get the proper performance, endurance workout."

TRACK SIX Length: :12
THESE MACHINES ARE SMALLER, THE WEIGHTS ARE LIGHTER AND THE TECHNOLOGY PROMPTS KIDS TO MOVE SLOWLY AND TO MAINTAIN THE CORRECT POSITION. BUT JUST BECAUSE YOU BUILD IT, THEY WON'T NECESSARILY COME. EVEN KIDS NEED TO BE MOTIVATED...

SOT:
Key @ : 1:14 Christine Hazelton, Gym Owner
"The ears light up, and so there's a lot of stimulation, it has a little bit of the video aspect."

TRACK SEVEN Length: :04
BUT WHEN IT WORKS - IT'S GREAT! JUST ASK THIS HAPPY BASEBALL PLAYER...

SOT
Key @ :1:22 Niko Walsh, 5th Grader
"My arm, throwing arm cause I'm a catcher, has gotten ten times stronger and I can make the throw now perfectly."

ANCHOR TAG:
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations:
http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;107/6/1470
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR CHILD IS READY TO START A STRENGTHENING PROGRAM? THE NATIONAL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING ASSOCIATION SAYS IF YOUR CHILD PARTICIPATES IN ORGANIZED SPORTS OR ACTIVITIES SUCH AS BASEBALL, SOCCER, OR GYMNASTICS, THEY'RE USUALLY OLD ENOUGH. BUT REMEMBER - LOW WEIGHTS ON TWO TO THREE NONCONSECUTIVE TRAINING DAYS IS PLENTY. THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS SAYS STRENGTH TRAINING IS FINE FOR CHILDREN - AS LONG AS THEY ARE PROPERLY TRAINED ON THE EQUIPMENT AND START SLOW. AND, THE GROUP EMPHASIZES THAT AEROBIC EXERCISE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN ANY HEALTHY EXERCISE PROGRAM.

SOURCE MATERIALS:

Contacts:
Christine Hazelton
KOR Health And Fitness
815 N. La Brea Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90038
323.933.3744
Christine Hazelton is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), and is a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), as well as the IDEA Health and Fitness Association. She has also taken numerous courses in nutrition including the UCLA extension program, as well as many seminars and classes in biomechanics, post-rehabilitation, sport specific, pre/postnatal exercise, balance training and many more. She has also completed the Jonny G. spinning certification and is the creator of the very popular Sync-Cycle(c).

Kids Gym Equipment:
Kid In Shape
3278 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 103
Los Angeles, CA
Patrick C. Barbara
888-543-4967
http://www.kidinshape.com/

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND AND SOURCE MATERIALS:

TRACK THREE:
From 1998 to 2003, the number of health club members under 18 in the United States rose by 25 percent.
Source: International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association.