Did you know that only 26% of high school students spend an hour of physical activities each day?
If you’re worried about your teenager not getting enough exercise, a teen fitness program is the best choice. It’s especially when they start showing signs of unhealthy behavior. But without prior experience, you won’t know what to prioritize.
Don’t panic yet.
With this guide, you’ll learn the things to look out for in an exercise program for teens. That way, your teenager will get a holistic approach to their fitness program. Read on and find out more:
1. Cardio
This is one of the most important exercises to look out for in a fitness program. To ensure your teenager’s health, the program must have 10 to 15 minutes of cardio exercises. Take note, teens must get at least 60 minutes of cardio per day.
This seems like a lot, but the good news is that an average teenager will do some good heart workout without them realizing it. Simple activities like walking, running, and dancing is cardio exercises. Also, they need not do cardio for 60 minutes straight, meaning they can break it up as the day progresses.
Their fitness program’s cardio exercises only attempt to cover any possible deficits they might have in this department. It’s especially when they aren’t as physically active. That way, you can prevent your teenager from becoming one of the many obese children and adolescents in the United States.
2. Strength Training
Your teen need not pump iron daily. That’s why their fitness program should only include these types of exercises three times each week on average. This ensures that strength training remains a healthy component of their fitness plan.
Like cardio exercises, strength training aids in healthy weight management. Typical exercises include body-weight exercises like squats and crunches and lifting some light weights. Regardless, the right fitness program must include at least eight reps per exercise.
The best ones out there must have conditioning drills and activities too. If your teen starts with their exercises, it’s better to learn how to stretch before and after exercises.
3. Flexibility and Bone Strengthening
Flexibility training is another important component of an ideal fitness program. It’s because it helps them retain a wider range of motion. They must couple it with activities that aim to increase bone strength, such as jumping ropes.
You must include these activities because it’s vital to your teen’s overall health. If possible, look for fitness programs that offer yoga classes. That way, their fitness plan remains well-rounded and beneficial to their physical health.
4. Motivation and Safety
The best fitness programs out there will put more emphasis on fun and health. This encourages your teen to start exercising more since their motivation isn’t to lose weight. After all, they might feel self-conscious about it, and making it the primary cause of their exercises could make them feel embarrassed.
Your fitness program must also have the right safety gear to reduce the risk of injuries. After all, injuries can set back your teenager. This will put them back to square one until they heal enough to become active once more.
How to Convince Your Teen to Exercise More
Now you know the right things to look out for in teen exercise programs. But this will be useless if you can’t convince them to start exercising more. Here are some tips that can make them start working out at least:
1. Educate Them About the Value of Physical Activities
This might sound excessive, but the truth is that a lot of teenagers are unaware of the benefits of physical activities. Their motivations are often social benefits, that’s why they’re unlikely to worry about heart illnesses and obesity. If you do this, ensure that it’s just an occasional comment since it does a better job of reinforcing them positively.
That way, you’ll send a clear message that their physical activities aren’t purely for fun. You can tell them about the immediate benefits of having a healthy fitness lifestyle. This includes increased energy, better sleep, and lower mental stress.
2. Cheer Them on Whenever You Can
Teenagers are at the point in their lives where they feel embarrassed when they’re in public with their parents. That doesn’t mean they’ll object when you support them in various ways. So, whenever they start doing physical activities, encourage them.
The key here is to be genuine about your encouragement. If you sound too enthusiastic, your teen might feel like you’re insincere. Finding the right balance will make them feel confident enough to work toward teen fitness.
3. Be a Good Model
This is one of the best ways to convince your teen to become physically active. They’re unlikely to listen when you aren’t doing exercises too. Always remember that modeling can either be direct or indirect.
If you want to become a direct model to your teen, share your physical activities with them. Otherwise, show them an environment where exercising and sports are a part of your way of life. Your behavior toward physical fitness will determine how active they become.
4. Give More Opportunities for Physical Activities
You need not be drastic about these opportunities since the sudden change will rattle your teens. Start by planning family outings that involve more physical activities, like camping and hiking. If you can swim, a trip to the beach or the local pool can make them spend more energy while having fun.
The simplest way is to encourage them to take the stairs instead of the elevator when you’re at the mall.
Start a Teen Fitness Program Today!
These are some of the things you must look for in a teen fitness program. Use these to ensure that your teen remains physically healthy as they grow into adults.
Do you want your family to become healthier? If so, consider becoming a member of The Wave and start your journey to fitness.
