Tough Little Champions

Through a local partnership with One-2-One Cambodia, CamKids funds the children’s aerobics fitness program, TLC (Tough Little Champions).  TLC gathers children from five different orphanages across Phnom Penh and brings them together for bi-weekly sessions of high energy and fun aerobics classes.  The aerobics classes are run by internationally experienced Cambodian instructors, with the aim of improving the children’s physical fitness along with an increased understanding of health and wellbeing. 

One-2-One’s Motion Tuk-Tuks collect the children from their orphanages and deliver them to the Motion Academy of Sport.  Motion is a fully equipped aerobics facility with padded floors, ropes, hoops and wall mirrors for the children to grin into as they twist and bend and jump around. Classes are run by Srorn and Sarith, two very experienced One-2-One aerobics instructors. 

Classes begin with a stretching routine, which is quite difficult and requires the help of the instructors, so that each child is correctly warmed up before training and this helps the children to increase their overall flexibility. 

Then the fun begins with high energy music and the shout of: “Five, Six, Seven, Eight!” and the room comes alive with the children bounding into the air, kicks left and right, out and up.  The routine continues with star jumps and pushups and more challenging stretches.  The older, more experienced students demonstrate the moves for the younger, less experienced children.   Flexibility and strength conditioning are emphasized with the instructors giving individual attention and instruction, ensuring a balance of safety and fun. 

Hot and sweaty, the children’s class comes to an end.  Everyone gathers on the balcony to catch a slight evening breeze, to laugh, joke and drink cups of cold water.  The children are slow to leave, obviously enjoying the interaction and the chance to burn off some energy, but eventually hop into the Tuk-Tuks home knowing they’ll be back in a few days’ time.