MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII -- Several parents sat near the bleachers inside the Semper Fit Center as their children participated in several speed, quickness, and agility exercises as part of HITT for Kids, a nine day clinic that focuses on teaching children the basics of speed and agility training in conjunction with youth sports.
The first class was held Dec. 9 and was divided into two-hour sessions. The first for children ages 5 through 9, and the second for ages 10 through 18.
At the start of the class, participants received instructions on proper stretching procedures by Jason Cutitta, a personal trainer at Semper Fit.
According to Jason, the class was made to build an athletic foundation for kids who will play or are playing youth sports.
Cutitta also explained the importance of warming up and staying active.
Following the stretches, participants did a series of warm-up exercises such as sprinting, crab walks, bear crawls, and toe-touches.
Beckie Page, assistant manager, Semper Fit Center, and Cutitta then took the children through a series of agility exercises.
When asked how he liked his instructors, Derrick Brown, 5, said, “They help make me stronger and faster. I like them a lot because they make fun games for us to play and we can try to beat each other.”
Like Brown, several other participants said there favorite part about the clinic was the competition.
“I like racing other people and trying to beat the other team,” said Faith Rodriguez, 5. “The class makes me strong and it’s fun when we get to jump around (star jumps) because I feel like a kangaroo.”
The class ended with a relay race where the seven participants were divided into two teams. The race resembled “shuttle runs” where they would have to run to one line, pick up a ball, and bring it back to the starting point. The children repeated this until everyone was done and sitting down.
Cutitta and Page were there to assist and motivate the teams as they repeated the drill.
When asked her favorite part about the program, Page said, “I love watching the improvements they make from their first day to the end of the clinic. This course started with actual service members and we really wanted to test the water with children. As the course progresses you see such a big change in their agility and quickness. It’s awesome to see.”
The clinic is held every Tuesday and Thursday until Dec. 20. For more details on how to register your child for this class, call Semper Fit Center at 254-7597.