Exercise…An Opportunity for Quality Time

A while back I made the commitment to get into good physical shape. I also wanted my 15 year old son to get involved in a serious schedule, but I knew beginning my weight training regimen would be rough on me so the first couple weeks I started by myself to get through the soreness period. I also wanted to begin with him while establishing a good example of hard training and felt I needed some conditioning before I could do that with a teenager.

My son soon began saying he wanted to start working out and I told him that I had serious goals and was planning on being very dedicated, that as my partner I wanted him to be committed and help with the motivation. He worked out a couple time with me and then started making excuses; frustrated with his attitude and realizing he seemed to have plenty of time on his hands to play on the computer or do PS3 I told him that he had made a commitment and that he was not sticking to it, so that from now on he must put weight training over the games. The new rule was that he could have 2 hours of games for every hour of working out, that’s it! (Two birds with one stone, I might add.) At first he was very upset about this rule but he has made a real turn around after noticing the progress he is making. He looks forward to the challenges and time together; he is very exited about me stepping up the workouts, his developing shape, and all the things he is learning. (Oh, the testosterone high of a teenager!)

The schedule: Mon, Wed, Fri - 1 ½ hours to 2 hours, Tues, Thu, - 45 minutes to 1 ¼ hours.

My 17 year old daughter starting noticing what was going on and she too wanted to shape up, yes, even her busy schedule would allow her to also make the commitment. She started with us for a while but since then has joined up with a friend who comes over after school. I check on them, make sure they are using proper techniques and suggest exercises; they do a lot of giggling and I leave them to it.

While working out, or coaching, we talk about school, ambitions, friends, church, God, and have some laughs. All the while they’re seeing a side of Dad’s drive which asserts, “You can do it - if you’re willing to work for it.” They seem to be looking at me like, “WOW! You really do know how to do this stuff. And as old as you are can actually do it, amazing!”

This is as much good quality time as I have spent with my children in quite a while. As for my wife, she has seen me train people and get serious in the past, but it’s been a while and even she is coming up and standing in the door to see what going on.