Can a non athletic child become athletic? (2023)

Can a non athletic kid become athletic?

The good news is that even non-athletic kids can have a blast being physically active. The key is to find out what gets them excited.

Watching your child grow up comes with the joys of seeing their looks and personality develop over time, as well as their skills (or lack thereof). If you are athletically inclined, it's quite possible your child will also be an athlete, too.

Of course they can. Athletic skill comes from anatomy and physiology, training and desire. And there are many sports, each with its own demands. My mother had no interest in athletics at all, but she was tall, slim and energetic.

Studies focused on similarities and differences in athletic performance within families, including between twins, suggest that genetic factors underlie 30 to 80 percent of the differences among individuals in traits related to athletic performance.

Improving speed, strength, power, coordination, balance, lateral movement, agility, and quickness are all part of athletic development. Multiple sports, free play, and generalized sports performance training nurture athletic development. Ages 8 to 12 is the critical time to develop athleticism.

To develop athleticism, proper strength and conditioning is essential. A properly planned and implemented strength and conditioning program is the core of successful movement, whether for athletics, recreation, or physical activity. Each special population has unique program needs.

Athletic ability can be an inherited trait. Both common variants (e.g. mutation in ACTN3) and rare variants (e.g. mutation in EPOR) can influence athletic ability. Many genes often work in combination and other elements (e.g. nutrition or environment) can contribute to athletic ability.

Some studies suggest that our mitochondrial DNA — and therefore our mom — plays a key role in our athletic endurance.

Are athletes born or made?

If you are a person with genes that respond better to training, then you may become “great” without having been born with “athletic genes.” However, this doesn't disprove that athletes are born because it is those genes that you are born with that allow you to make yourself into a great athlete.

While the percentage of children that participated in sports was higher for boys (56.1%) compared with girls (52.0%) and for children aged 12–17 years (55.6%) compared with children aged 6–11 (52.5%), these observed differences were not significant.

It's never too late to start a sport.

In fact, starting a sport later could even be beneficial to kids. For one, the risk of overuse injuries is decreased, thanks to fewer years of doing the same repetitive movements. For two, the risk of burnout is minimized.

Athletes that practice esthetic sports, especially gymnasts, are predisposed to a delay in pubertal development. The growing evidence indicates that energy deficiency, not a systemic training per se, plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of functional hypothalamic hypogonadism in female athletes.

“Common symptoms of ADHD may enhance athletic performance. Some athletes with ADHD naturally excel in baseball and basketball, which involve quick movements and reactive decision-making, due to these athletes' inherent impulsivity.

Generally, most enter their athletic prime somewhere between 20 and 30, before undergoing an "irreversible" decline.

Nevertheless, by adapting the activity to the child's abilities, sport can be started at around 5 or 6 years old. "It is entirely possible to introduce children to sport gently" states Grégory Dupas, osteopath/posturologist.

By ages 10 to 12 years, most children are ready for more complex sports. They have the motor skills and cognitive ability to play sports that require complex motor skills, teamwork, and strategies. Most experts believe that sports at this level should focus on skill development, fun, and participation, not competition.

If you consider the inspirational work of master athletes, though, you realize that it's never too late to become an athlete – and that finding your sport can bring a variety of physical and psychological benefits, including an opportunity for fun!

Should I force my 7 year old to play sports?

“If the child is completely against playing a sport, don't force them. They may not have a good experience. Sports isn't life and death … it's supposed to be fun, educational and a growing experience. The focus can be on being a part of a team and building comradery.”

Almonds, resins, cashews, walnuts, dates, etc. are rich in fatty acids and vitamins which help maintain an energetic and healthy body. The omega-3 fatty acids give energy and help boost stamina. I usually soak the dry fruits in water overnight and give it to my son in the morning.