Health at YOUR size

ACSM Summit, Part Deux: Kids

Children In Sports Attire - IsolatedAs I noted in last Thursday’s blog, The American College of Sports Medicine just held their annual Summit in Phoenix, and during the conference the Association let fly with some not-so-nice Tweets. I’ve already covered the trouble with coercive workplace “wellness” initiatives, but that wasn’t the only instance of highly problematic attitudes being spread around.

During a talk on athletic training for kids, this was Tweeted:

look like an athlete 1

look like an athlete 2

look like an athlete 3

Because this Tweet was dated April 1, it occurred to me for a moment that this one might have been an April Fool’s joke, but no. People actually Retweeted it.

*sigh*

I responded with Tweets of my own, pictured above, but had to stop because all I had left was furious, inarticulate stammering.

Anyone who is reading this, for the love of all that is holy do not tell your kids to look like anything but who they are. Lindy West wrote an amazing piece for the Guardian last week that gives much better advice, and to my knowledge, she is not even a personal trainer. Maybe she should be! Check it out: My hot tips for parents with a fat kid: feed them fun, kindness and dignity.

Know what? I’ll go one further: Those tips are pretty damn hot for humanity in general.
kids exercise class

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