Climber woman

Climbing and Fear

June 21, 2021Team QuantumEducation, FitnessLeave a comment

Climbing is no different from any other activity to the extent that fear can be a considerable barrier or if appropriately used, a significant ledge upon which we can launch our favourite outdoor activity.

Fear can play a significant part in our everyday lives. Fear on the job, spouse or parent, or even driving can hold us back and prevent us from achieving our goals. Likewise, the fear of climbing and everything it brings with it can hold us back.

Just as preparation and training of your body are essential to be a safe and successful climber, so too must you prepare your mind. Strength and balance are good and helpful, but even more important is an accurate understanding of the challenges and dangers. Only then will you be able to deal with them. Like life itself, if we know and understand our fears, we can overcome them and go on to greater heights and challenges.

How do you deal with the fear? While the sport does involve equipment and support from fellow climbers, it still is just one person at a time in contact with the rock. And unless you can deal with and understand that, you are setting yourself up for great disappointment.

Understand that you must get into your subconscious fears that lie deep within us all with rock climbing. If you do that and work through the inner issues in your mind, you’re set to enjoy this wonderful, inspiring sport.

Business experts have shown that fear of failure can be a great motivator to achieve heights that many never imagined possible. Whether in rock climbing or business or relationships, understanding your fears can push you to greater and greater heights.

Now, go climb that rock!

Yoga for Kids

What Everyone Ought to Know About Yoga for Kids

April 16, 2021Team QuantumFitnessLeave a comment

Yoga can be done by anyone, young, old, even kids. With a little help, even toddlers can do it. Even though it is a simple introduction to yoga and done with a little bit of game playing, it doesn’t mean that kids cannot get the benefit out of this particular sport.

The benefits are:

  • To be healthier and help obesity in children. By taking yoga classes, kids are triggered to move. Nowadays, because of computer games, kids move less than they ought to.
  • To control their stress. Yes, children can get stressed out, too. Being overscheduled, tough competition in school, peer pressure, all cause your kids’ strain. Yoga can help them get relaxed. Their ability to control their breathing can be applied to deal with problems they face in real life.
  • Better concentration. Controlling breathing is a way to learn how to focus. And yoga can be an excellent way in learning that. Some studies have shown that kids who practice yoga, especially those with special needs, such as those with ADHD, can concentrate for longer periods.

Besides those benefits, yoga also can be a way for them to express themselves and develop their self-esteem. To those with special needs, it can be a way to learn how to socialize. The method is flexible. Yoga for kids mostly is modified with game-playing, singing, storytelling, drawing, simple breath meditations and rest. Poses are balanced between quiet and active ones. Children follow the teacher’s instructions by learning the names of different body parts, their locations and function. That way, their yoga improves very quickly. Yoga for kids should be enjoyable. Try to put your kids in a yoga class and see how they can grow stronger physically, mentally, and emotionally. And they can have lots of fun. Ask them to stop, they would refuse.

Safe Play on Playgrounds

Play it Safe on Playgrounds this Summer: Safety Tips to Teach Your Kids

March 30, 2021Team QuantumPlaygroundsLeave a comment

Each year, more than 200,000 kids visit hospital emergency rooms for playground-related injuries. Learn what to look for in playground design and equipment and how to teach your kids about playing safely.

Inspect Playground Design and Equipment

  1. Select age-appropriate play equipment. Because sizes and proportions differ, playground equipment should be suited to your child’s age, whether they’re toddlers or school age. Designating separate areas keeps everyone safer. Use playground equipment that is good for your child’s age and that your child can reach and climb on their own. Preschool-age children and school-age children need different types of playground equipment.
  2. Look for absorbent surfaces. Absorbent surfaces reduce injuries from falls. You want soft materials that will cushion an impact. Some of the best options are loosely packed wood chips, mulch, pea gravel, and sand or synthetics like rubber mats.
  3. Ensure the equipment is well maintained. All equipment should be anchored into the ground firmly, and nuts and bolts should be tight and covered. Beware of rusted metals, splintering wood or any jagged edges or open hooks that could catch on clothing.
  4. Calculate safe spacing. Allowing for plenty of clearance will reduce accidents. See that swings are at least 2 feet apart and 6 feet away from any wall or fence. All platforms should be less than 12 feet high.
  5. Take special care with moving equipment. Equipment with moving parts, like seesaws and carousels, belong in separate areas of the playground. Be vigilant around pinch points where a child’s fingers can catch.
  6. Don’t wear scarves, clothing with drawstrings or other cords, helmets. These items of clothing can cause choking if they get wrapped around a child’s neck.
  7. Check the playground for any loose parts of playground equipment, strong handrails and barriers, broken pieces of glass, or other sharp objects before letting your child play.
  8. Report safety concerns to the appropriate authority. Familiarize yourself with whoever handles the playground’s upkeep, whether it’s a local government, school or private organization. If you see a hazard, warn others to keep away and report the issue immediately.

Teach Your Kids How to Play Safely

  1. Actively supervise your child by staying close enough, enabling you to take action if needed.
  2. Require kids to use the equipment as intended. Even well-designed equipment needs some cooperation from the user. Show kids how to stay inside the guardrails, use the slide feet first, and sit facing each other on seesaws. Many devices are built for one kid at a time, so keep it that way.
  3. Point out safety features. Help kids understand the importance of guardrails and protective barriers on elevated platforms and ramps. Discuss how the hood on a slide reminds you to sit down and plastic slides stay cooler than the metal versions.
  4. Encourage caution when climbing. Falling causes almost 70% of playground injuries, so climbing merits special attention. Practice falling so your kids learn to land on both feet with their knees bent. Using both hands and keeping far behind the person in front of you are also important measures.
  5. Rule out roughhousing. Use your playground outings to show the benefits of taking turns and sharing. Discourage shoving, pushing or fighting.
  6. Enforce safe distances. Praise your kids for being observant of their surroundings and standing back from any equipment when it’s in use. Make it a habit to check that there are no other kids at the bottom of the slide before descending. Pick a path that creates a wide berth between you and the swing set.

Keeping your kids safe on the playground will let them enjoy the fresh air and fun with less risk of injury. Playing alongside your kids is a great way to check out their play areas, provide adequate supervision, and share the good times.