Let us answer your questions.
About GetSweaty
What can I expect from each Daily Sweat?
How can I get my friends and family involved with Get Sweaty?
About Your Body
Is there a difference between boys’ and girls’ muscles?
When do my muscles start to grow?
About Exercise
Should I exercise everyday?
Do I need to lift weights to build my muscles?
How much weight should I use?
Why do I need to warm up and cool down before I Get Sweaty?
Why do I need to drink water when I GetSweaty?
What can I expect from each Daily Sweat?
Your Daily Sweat will be a 12-15 minute fun routine that is carefully
planned just for kids your age. You will find workouts that incorporate
all the aspects of physical fitness so that you stay fit and feel great.
How can I get my friends and family involved with Get Sweaty?
Start by asking them to GetSweaty with you!
Use the Challenge feature and invite a friend or sibling
to a “Sweat Off.” You’ll both earn extra points and get
fit at the same time.
Have your teacher start a classroom challenge.
Talk to your parents about your desire to get fit and
ask them to exercise with you or encourage you to
keep on track.
Muscles are a really important part of your body. Without muscles,
you wouldn’t be able to walk, open your school books or even speak.
Your blood would stop flowing without muscles!
Your brain controls every muscle movement. The stronger your muscles,
the easier it is to do every day tasks and the better you become at
your favorite sports and hobbies.
The good news about muscles is they get stronger with exercise.
If your heart is stronger, it pumps blood more efficiently. If your
“quads” (upper leg muscles) are stronger, you can jump higher. Work
your “abs” which are the muscles around your mid-section, and you’ll
be able to carry that heavy backpack without a problem.
The point is, the stronger your muscles, the better your body works.
Just about everything you do benefits your muscles. Every time you
bend down to pick something up, when you dance around the room, play
sports or just walk, you’re using your muscles.
Well-toned muscles keep the body lean and since muscles burn more
calories than fat, a fit body burns food more efficiently, too.
Is there a difference between boys’ and girls’ muscles?
Boys and girls are born with an identical set of 639 muscles. Because
boys are generally bigger than girls and have higher levels of the hormone
testosterone which makes muscles grow, their muscles can get bigger.
When do my muscles start to grow?
Your muscles start to develop around puberty. This happens sooner in
boys than girls. Typically, a boy’s chests get bigger and shoulders get
broader thanks to testosterone. The strength and growth of your
muscles is result of genetics, physical exercise and nutrition. With
physical activity, muscles can continue to grow all your life.
Should I exercise everyday?
To maintain a high level of physical fitness, it’s best to engage is some
type of physical activity everyday. Most expert trainers recommend you
vary your workouts in order to give muscles a chance to rest. So, if you
work out your legs today, work on your arms tomorrow or do some aerobic
exercise and give your leg muscles a chance to recover. When you workout,
muscles produce certain acids that cause fatigue. Sleep and rest clear away
these acids, repair and replace cells, and recharges your brain. So change your
workout routines for the best results and to keep from getting bored. Your
Daily Sweat automatically gives you a different type of workout each day.
Do I need to lift weights to build my muscles?
There are a number of ways to build muscle. Strength training with weights
is one of them. Another type of exercise, called resistance training, can also
build muscles. This is when you use the weight of you own body. Sit ups, pushups
and air squats are great examples of resistance activities. Walking and running
build your leg and calf muscles.
Overall good fitness is not just about building muscle. A fit body needs
cardiovascular exercise (aerobic exercise like running and walking) and training
that promotes balance, flexibility, agility, endurance and coordination.
How much weight should I use?
Kids and young teens should use very light weights. Working out with weights
that are heavier than appropriate for your body size and age could cause injury
and won’t help you get fitter faster.
Many of the GetSweaty workouts require no weights at all. If you choose to
use weights, ask your parents, doctor or PE teacher to help you select the
right size weight for you.
Why do I need to warm up and cool down before I Get Sweaty?
You warm up to prepare your body for exercising. Warming up makes the
muscles more so flexible so you can work out more efficiently and with less
chance of injury. A cool down literally, helps your body cool after a strenuous
workout and again, helps prevent injury.
Why do I need to drink water when I GetSweaty?
Did you know when you exercise for an hour, your body can lose up to a quart
of water by sweating? Wow. Water is the body’s cooling agent. If you get
dehydrated, your body can get fatigued and overheat. Be sure to drink
plenty of water before, during and after your Daily Sweat.