The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends at least 60 minutes of sport and exercise a day for children and young people, and the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) even recommends at least 90 minutes.
(ir) In Germany, only about 20 percent of children and young people reach this recommendation. Their physical activity has fallen sharply, particularly as a result of the corona pandemic and the lockdown phases. “This is where our new video series ‘Henrietta: Fit for Sport’, which is just starting on YouTube, comes in,” says Miriam Hofbeck, health expert at the AOK in Ingolstadt.
The YouTube series for children between the ages of 6 and 12 aims to promote health by making exercise more fun. There are reports on various sports and hands-on videos. The videos are an extension of the Henrietta series “Bewegte Schule”, which has offered schoolchildren the opportunity to exercise since the pandemic – when schools and sports clubs were closed. “Now we are again increasingly relying on a combination of school and sports club, because physical education alone is not enough for sufficient daily exercise,” says Rainer Stegmayr.
“Henrietta: Fit für den Sport” shows a new type of sport and suitable warm-up exercises on a weekly basis. The series introduces basketball, ice hockey, track and field, swimming and judo. “With the help of the offer, the children can ideally find their new favorite sport and contact the appropriate sports club in their area for trial training,” explains Rainer Stegmayr. The program was created with the scientific support of Prof. Dr. Urs Granacher from the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg. It is important to him to slowly introduce the children to more exercise again. The videos show special warm-up units and exercises from the respective sport.
For example, the episode about basketball shows how a youth team trains and what is important in the team sport of basketball, so that team spirit and the talents of the individual players (to form an overall package) unite and everyone has fun. There are also videos with warm-up exercises. “During the warm-up, the muscles are supplied with blood, the joints are lubricated, the ligaments and tendons are pre-stretched and the whole body is optimally prepared for the upcoming sporting activity,” says Rainer Stegmayr. The children can imitate these exercises at home at any time and repeat them as often as they like. According to Prof. Granacher, they are designed in such a way that they really get the body going and at the same time convey and promote the joy of movement.
More information and all videos to participate can be found on the YouTube channel Henrietta & Co. – YouTube.
Source: AOK health information
.png "Alex Katz in New York: Surfaces become bodies")