6 Pack Abs exercises for a 7 year old???

[pumpit]

Apparently there is some 5 pack abs app for the IPhone that my ex uses. He has our seven year old son doing the exercises every morning and evening. My son is hypermobile and has a series of pilates type exercises we need to do with his daily, but my ex is adding this 6 pack workout to the routine as he does them himself. My son is a little skinny thing. Is it ok for him to be doing the same workout as a grownup? He's at his dad's half the week, so he's doing it twice a day veery day he's there, so about 7 5 pack workout sessions a week! He doesn't need a six pack; he's only seven. Is it ok for him to be doing this?

6 pack, not 5 pack! I mis typed the first line of the post :-)

According to my physio and my MW nobody should be doing those 6 packs exercises especially not a child. I would definitely say it is not OK.

No, it is most definately NOT ok for a 7 year old to be doing the same ab exercises as his dad.

I am a qualified fitness instructor but only qualified to teach adults....childrens fitness is a totally different kettle of fish!

Oh gawd I thought not. How to explain it to his dad though who is vilently opposed to ANYTHING I ever say. Is there some medical website or advcie I can quote to convince him?

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either tell him to google it or get him to get advice from the doctor

I've googled it and not found any advice on whether it's ok for kids. I just phoned my son's physiotherapist and she said she'd download the app and take a look at it, but she didn't think it was a problem? Unless my ex is getting ds to keep up with his pace as he does the exercises. I am puzzled but I'll wait to hear what the physio says once she's actually looked at the App and welcome more responses from folks on here,

Perhaps you could emphasise your DS's hypermobility as a reason for him not to do this stuff, maybe say that the physio or whoever designed his pilates exercises doesn't want him doing anything else.

oops, X post - if the physio's actually OK with it then maybe it is all right? does DS like doing the exercises/does he know he should stop straight away if it hurts?

Surely it depends a bit on what the exercise is? My oldest 2 both had 6 packs at 7 - just from swimming, running about and a bit of gymnastics (not much only an hour a week). They played on monkey bars a lot and pulled themselves up.

At 9 when they both started sport with more serious 'conditioning' (rugby & swimming) they would look about bemused as other kids groaned while they had to slowly lower straight legs while lying on their backs.

I guess it must depend on the body type - I have always been stunned to see boys of 8 ish with sqidgey stomaches as mine have never had them. Maybe other people think I made mine 100s of sit ups. I'm the sqidgey tummy one in our family!

if the physio ok's it then it will be ok but just make sure she does before he carries on. i should imagine things like that are ok in a controlled environment where the coaches know what they are doing (my ds used to do sit ups and press ups at kung fu) but i don't think it's a great idea when people without a clue start doing it. does your ex know the correct technique...the safety points and teaching points? If he does then all well and good but if he doesn't then he may do your ds more harm than good.

I'll wait to hear back form the physio tomorrow (she's downloading the app and looking at it) before I wade in and criticise, but No my ex doesn't know the correct technique, safety points and teaching points. He's far from a responsible adult.