to think 'gladiators' can help with the inactivity crisis?

[greenacrylicpaint]

watching it tonight.

it makes me want to go out and gef fit.
it looks like so much fun!

aibu to think that it's great to see people moving and having fun doing it.

I still do handstands and monkey bars in playgrounds. I'm 50 soon.
We could do with more teen / adult play equipment.

It inspired me to get on my peleton for the first time in too long. I won't be able to walk tomorrow but I feel great!

definitely

near me is a playground with a 'tough mudder' type of set up which is great for up to 12 years or so. the monkey bars are too low for me my dc loved it.

I started strength training last year and have been delighted with the impact on me. I'm in awe of the gladiators and contestants

yes, the contestants are awesome!

this time round it seems more fun and more friendly/respectful than last time round.

The original gladiators meant I started several sports as a child (including gymnastics). I've been slacking a bit after recovering from an injury lately and it's inspired me to start up again. It's also good for the kids. They voluntarily went outside to play gladiator's in the garden earlier rather than follow me around whining about how mean I am not letting them spend all day on their tablets/watching TV. Although I may have to put a stop to hang tough on the monkey bars!

I noticed that the gladiators are very supportive of the contenders especially when they have a setback.

I think the reason a lot of children and teens get out of sport/activity is that our current PE curriculum is utter shit and doesn't offer them any choice over activities, and tends to massively alienate the kids who aren't "sporty" (at our local high school that would be any kid who isn't good at football and/or athletics as that's what they push). It then takes years to undo that learned dislike of sport, if it ever gets done at all.

green they are so sweet to each other aren't they.

I think it’s got loads of great messages for kids about keeping fit, being strong, and being respectful and friendly despite being in competition with someone.

I love it!

I think it’s great for kids to be watching something that promotes being fit!

Haven't got round to seeing it this time around. But you'd hope so. We should all look at ways to make sport and exercise more inclusive

Not sure whether it's going to help with the inactivity crisis, but it's certainly very popular in our house and a great thing for the whole family to get excited for each week.

DD (9) is desperate for there to be a "gladiators junior" so she can take part.

I live in forrin and here pe is a priority.

my dc in secondary have 2 periods a week. one is structured, i.e. they do a sport for a months and then the next. they get graded. second pe period is 'fun' stuff like tree climbing, 'capture the flag', cross country running...

I don't know about in/activity but we love Gladiators in our house!

I have a small boy (7) who is in perpetual motion anyway but it's definitely had him and DH (who is built like a gladiator!) rawling about and playing.

It's also been brilliant as DS has never actually had to wait for a TV programme! Especially not a whole week! It was a completely foreign concept that the next episode wasn't immediately available.

I don't remember the Gladiators having anger issues last time round.

It feels very nostalgic, we'd watch it all together on a Saturday night when I was a teenager.

not anger as such, but more posturing.

It's hard to find family viewing that my two like, but we're really enjoying it.
They're fit after years of parkrun (junior & 5k) plus a few other sports, but it's a fun and apirational way to see people using fitness. Plus one of the Gladiators is local which is even more motivating.

Now we're getting to the teen years it's really hard to find things for them to do that aren't serious, commited sport, or things like £10+ per person at places like trampoline parks or ninja warrior. They outgrew the local playgrounds years ago, (and frankly after 2020/21 now hate going to parks because that's all they could do for about a year) aren't tall enough to use adult outdoor fitness rigs (designed for 6ft men) and too young to join the local council gym. There is a massive gap in cheap/ free, casual activity for 10-16 year olds, and if you lose them then, it's hard to get that habit back.

I know Scouts who can't get round the assualt course and who heave themselves up off the floor like 60 year olds because their strength is so poor. It's a very concerning state of health, and safe, interesting, accessible places to play and hang out is a good way to stop kids deteriorating to a state of health more commonly found in middle age.

If Gladiators motivates more physical play, that's fantastic.

There is a massive gap in cheap/ free, casual activity for 10-16 year olds, and if you lose them then, it's hard to get that habit back.

absolutely. there is definitely a need for that.

skate parks fill some of that gap, but mainly for boys. there is even less for girls.

No.

If only that were true.

Off the top of my head what is needed is:
Better nutrition for everyone - it’s harder to exercise on a bad diet
Lifting people out of poverty sooner so they can go to gyms, have time to exercise, feel motivated to exercise and not just feel depressed AF. Poverty is linked closely to inactivity because frankly when you can’t afford to eat you’re not thinking about doing jumping jacks
Better facilities that everyone from children to the elderly can use at affordable prices
Stop building cardboard houses over lovely green space that people would formerly walk in.

But I have to say OP Gladiators had the opposite effect on me - watching it makes me tired 😂

I’m in my 40s and still do handstands and cartwheels. 😂

When it was the winter lockdown and too muddy to play on grass (I mean slithering, lose your shoe mud, I'm not bothered about a bit of dirt), it was a nightmare trying to find places for a 8 & 10 yo to play outdoors and burn energy. The local toddler play area hadn't cut it for years. Anything else had to be driven to.

All weather rubbery surfaces with space and markings like a school playground would be great for things like dancing, gymnastic moves, chasing and rolling around. It doesn't necessarily have to be elaborate. There must be scope for parkour inspired spaces that are cheap and flexible in use. Things to scramble and jump around.

The games seem to have got a LOT easier though. The 7 sec headstart on a small climbing wall is ridiculous. The contestants are always going to win that. Same with Run The Gauntlett. The Gladiators can't hold the contestants so again they will always get through. Maybe the competitors aren't as hardcore as they used to be!

I agree with this.

You get some running races with obstacle or mud courses. Some spiritual ‘ conscious’ dance groups, and parkour lessons. This is nearest I have found to playing as an adult.

I haven't seen this Gladiators, last saw it when my kids were little, but I hope it does inspire.
The frustration I have is adults sports classes start generally far too early. My regular sport is 6-8, earliest I can get there is 7, so I'm always late and get penalised on team selection, Yet the local gym is empty at 6, full 7-8..go figure, if we want adults exercising, classes and clubs need to be at adults times.