Exercise for teenagers can be as simple as participating in sports and family activities or as complicated as a regular workout routine.
Encouraging Exercise for Teenagers
It is worthy to note that a habit of exercise will be much easier to develop as a young child rather than as a teenager. Children who learn to enjoy sports (even if they're not competitive) are much more likely to enjoy sports throughout their teen and adult years. However, the teenage years might be a great time to start a regular fitness regimen or to engage in exercises like weightlifting or aerobics. The key to any fitness regimen is to make sure that it is fun and enjoyable.
Exercises Teens Enjoy
The trick with exercises for teenagers is to keep exercise fun. While a treadmill is great, teens that are willing to work out consistently on a treadmill day in and day out are rare. Instead, try some ideas that will keep kids coming back.
Team Sports
Team sports are great motivators for keeping teens in shape and fit. What teen doesn't like to do things with friends? However, and perhaps even more importantly, working out with teammates is motivating. It not only helps you be consistent, but it helps you push yourself to your absolute best--making the workout effective and efficient. On top of all of those benefits, sports teams allow teens the opportunity to work with coaches who have specialized skills. In other words, whether the team wins or loses, playing a team sport is a winning situation for any teen.
Dance
If you ask any dancer, he/she will tell you that dancing is hard work. You build muscle and stamina while you work on your moves. However, the big plus for teens is that dancing is just plain fun. Whether you're ballroom dancing or learning to Salsa, dancing is a great way to "sneak" in exercise.
Swimming
Swimming is another one of those activities that seems like it would be mild, but it actually can yield an intense workout. Furthermore, teens can enjoy a variety of sports while swimming such as:
- Volleyball
- Inner tube water polo
- Basketball
- Racing
Yoga
Yoga is great for building core muscles and reducing stress. If you find that your teen has a particularly hectic schedule, family yoga might be just what's in order. Yoga can be beneficial in other sports too because it helps improve balance and concentration!
Wii Fit
Using Wii fit has several advantages, including tracking your progress daily. Teens can get a surprisingly good work out from snowboarding, boxing and skiing. Wii also keeps track of your score so you can compete against other members of the family. While Wii time shouldn't replace time outdoors, Wii Fit is a great substitute on a rainy day.
Is There Exercise that Can Harm Your Teen?
There are no specific exercises that can harm your teen. Running, walking or being active is not going to harm developing muscles -- in fact it's great for them! However, there are ways that teens can injure themselves. In fact, the most common way to become injured is by wearing improper footwear. Making sure your teen has the right footwear while participating in any type of exercise is crucial for avoiding injury. Of course, you'll want to make sure that you own any other safety gear like helmets or padding as is appropriate.
Exercise Resources for Teenagers
If you are looking for resources about exercise regiments, consider visiting the following sites:
Encouraging exercise in your teen can help them take a positive healthy step into adulthood. Getting teens interested in exercise isn't difficult, you just have to be creative and make it fun!
