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AIBU?

TO ASK ON EXERCISE A friend of mine, said they thought it was ok for a child of six

49 replies

GabbyLoggon · 19/06/2011 20:16

to do 5 or 6 miles on a bike without a stop for recovery. Is the exercise debte that simple?

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ChocolateTeacup · 19/06/2011 20:22

Depends on the child my DS2 would manage my DS1 would not

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Othersideofthechannel · 19/06/2011 20:22

Well DD can only do about half a mile without a rest but she has little legs so her bike wheels are smaller so it is harder work than it would be for a tall 6 yr old. Also it's really windy where we live.

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tyler80 · 19/06/2011 20:26

I think it's OK for a child of six to bike 6 miles without a recovery stop. Equally I expect some six year olds wouldn't manage it and that's ok too. Really depends on the child (and the terrain), but if they can manage it it's not going to be damaging for them

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mercibucket · 19/06/2011 20:28

I'd have thought a fit child could manage that. if it's all uphill that's a bit mean though!

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GabbyLoggon · 19/06/2011 20:32

they live in scotland. I am not able to say how frequently the child is encouraged to do it . I would have a child thoroughly checked medically before that sort of vigorous exercise was encouraged human bodies are not perfect do have flaws. I thought the age was a little young.

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TheStallionOfSensibleness · 19/06/2011 20:32

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fluffles · 19/06/2011 20:34

a six year old will soon make it clear if they're uncomfortable with it and just refuse to pedal any further.
a six year old who is cycling happily is unlikely to do themselves damage... and the distance does not mean it is 'vigorous'.. vigorous is to do with effort and heart rate, not distance, it could be a quite leisurely six miles.

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Tortoise · 19/06/2011 20:38

My 4 dc did 8 miles today. Youngest is 6. We stopped to walk up one hill that wad huge but other than that there were no problems. They are used to doing a mile to school, not used to long. Didn't plan to go so far.

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4madboys · 19/06/2011 20:39

well my ds3 rode 7 miles on a little 12inch bike the week he learned to ride without stablisers, he was just four years old and he was fine! kids will let you know if they are tired etc.

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cubscout · 19/06/2011 20:39

I think most 6 year olds could manage 5 or 6 miles if it was done at a reasonable pace. My ds is not a 'natural' cyclist but could manage 8 or 9 miles on a flattish cycle track at 6 (with a couple of little rest stops).

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GabbyLoggon · 19/06/2011 20:45

yes, thanks foir your posts. I suppose the pace is crucial I dont especially support 6 year olds going for the burn..

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youarekidding · 19/06/2011 20:48

My DS now 6yo did (and still does) from about 4 yo. Firstly with a tailgator so could stop pedalling for a bit and now I have to keep up with him.

Also from about 3yo he would walk for 3/4 miles in the woods then play in the park.

Yesterday he swan 500m without stopping for a break - again I had trouble keeping up.

I think I should be medically checked not him.

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mrsseed · 19/06/2011 21:18

My husband was stoped by a nosey policewoman and told off for making her run at age 3. He had to tell her to 'p155' off so he could catch DD1. What. She didn't know was she watches him race and badgered him to go with him. He has over the last couple of years taught her about warm up, pacing and keeping hydrated, so she doesn't hurt herself She now at age 5 enters her own races and wins.
Its all about what they can do and what they want to do and as with any age group, fitness and love of particular sports is personal

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BoysAreLikeDogs · 19/06/2011 22:30

p155

??

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iEmbarassedMyself · 19/06/2011 22:36

Someone who thinks they're not allowed to swear/and or attempting 'l33t speak', Dogs :o
It definitely depends on the child and their fitness/energy levels, I'd expect mine to manage it at 6 - however from your wording 'encouraged to do it', are they encouraged to exercise or is it a fun day out with the bikes?

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skybluepearl · 19/06/2011 22:43

I'd be more worried if a child couldn't do such a short distance. Maybe 60 mins to do 5 miles at a nice steady easy pace.

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GabbyLoggon · 20/06/2011 10:18

dO SOME PARENTS TEND TO LIVE THEIR LIVES THROUGH THEIR CHILDREN?

wOULD YOU HAVE LIKED TO HAVE BEEN THE ARTISTIC POETIC SON OF iAN bOTHAM, OR gEOFF BOYCOTT? CONCENTRATE ON THE QUESTION AND NOT THE LETTERING

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GabbyLoggon · 20/06/2011 10:20

Lets give it a good go. Big question in olympic fanatics year. calm down

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BuckBuckMcFate · 20/06/2011 10:21

Gabby, I often don't understand what you're saying but you do make me larf

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GabbyLoggon · 20/06/2011 11:10

Your lack of grammar fumes me 10 years compulsory education and you cant read

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GabbyLoggon · 20/06/2011 11:10

lets have som pushy sporty parents. cough for gabby

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BuckBuckMcFate · 20/06/2011 11:14

your lack of punctuation also makes me feel the fume

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azazello · 20/06/2011 11:15

I don't know if my DCs would be able to do it, but what on earth is wrong with encouraging a quiet poetic child to find an exercise that it enjoys and gets outside in some fresh air. Its not as if the child is being entered into junior triathlons and the parents are standing there with a stop watch (or is it?)

I don't care whether or not my children are sporty and hated sport at school but they will still get to try different sports including cycling until they find something they like that they can keep on with for life - just for their general health and fitness. I can't see any way in which that would be bad.

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miniwedge · 20/06/2011 11:21

DD could do that easily, dsd couldn't. But, dd has always loved her sports as have I so she doesn't see that as a huge distance (which it isn't, an hours bike ride tops).
DSD's mum though is pretty sedentary, has never taken dsd swimming let alone for a bike ride so dsd is healthy and slim but has no stamina, she struggles on a ride to the shops and back which is only 1.5 miles in total.

I think it's an interesting question, mainly because I think our perceptions of what is a lot of exercise/strenuous exercise are completely skewed as a nation.

I remember a poster on here saying she couldn't understand why she was a couple of stone overweight as she cycled 6KM a week.... that's a teeny amount of exercise. If we then project that misconception onto our children then yes, 6miles seems like a lot. It really really isn't a lot for an ablebodied child/adult.

I cycle to and from work daily, it's about 12-13 miles a day but that's only an hours exercise a day. We seem as a nation to have lost the will to be active in my opinion.

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Morloth · 20/06/2011 11:21

DS1 (7) rode his bike on a run with me last weekend. 14 kilometres (about 8 1/2 miles?).

Only break we had was at the playground which was halfway, where he spent time climbing and running, so not resting.

We were very hungry when done but he wasn't out of breathe or exhausted, I was going to go by myself and he wanted to come, obviously wouldn't be able to keep up on foot.

He still had plenty of energy for another run around the park where we met up with DH and DS2.