5 Tips for Working Out With Your Teens
Exercise is vitally important for teens. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that children over six and teens exercise for at least an hour a day for five or six days out of the week. That’s a lot of activity to fit in when teens are busy with school, homework, social events, and hobbies involving screens.
One of the best ways to motivate teens to workout is to model good fitness habits yourself. Part of that can include working out with your teen and helping them find exercises that they really enjoy.
1) Make Time for Your Own Workouts
Modeling healthy exercise behavior and incorporating fitness into family routines is a great way to help your teen develop lifelong exercise habits. Remember, you are a role model for your teen. If you’re telling them to exercise but you never make time for fitness, that’s not a good example. But if they see you “practice what you preach,” they’ll be more likely to join you for a workout or listen when you talk about the importance of fitness.
2) Talk Positively About Fitness
Your teens will be more motivated to exercise if you use positive language around exercise. If you’re working out either at home or at a gym, talk about how good you feel after a workout. Focus on the benefits of exercise in keeping you mentally and physically healthy rather than only focusing on weight loss or muscle gains, which might be intimidating depending on your teen’s personality and body type.
3) Make It Fun and Social
Lots of teens play sports at school. If your teen already plays a sport or wants to start playing one, that can be a great way for them to enjoy exercise and spend time with friends. For teens who don’t play sports, you can still make exercise fun and social. You can invite teens to exercise with you, encourage them to make plans to exercise with friends, or purchase a teen gym membership for them. You might also talk with them about how to incorporate exercise into their other interests, like going hiking if they enjoy the outdoors or walking dogs if they like working with animals.
4) Encourage Goal Setting
Setting goals is a good way to keep motivated for working out, both for you and your teen. Model the practice of setting SMART goals: goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Goals need to be specific and measurable, so you know when you’ve reached them. They need to be achievable, so hitting them encourages you to keep setting new goals. They also need to be relevant and have a time frame, so you’re more motivated to keep working on them. Help your kids set goals that make sense for them.
5) Set Up Personal or Group Training
It’s never too early to start your child working on a personal training program. This is especially true if your kid is athletic and wants to push themselves. Get in touch with us today to set up a free consultation, assessment, and functional movement screening (FMS). Our certified personal trainers have 15+ years of experience in the industry, including experience training for sport-specific development. Click here to contact us and learn more.