If you're a teen, you may not be sure how to exercise to get fit, stay healthy or, lose or gain weight. The good news is, there's a lot of variety to choose from that will work. That being said, it helps to learn about the different ways you can exercise so you can get results, reach your goals, and avoid getting hurt.
The best thing about exercise for teens is that just about anything that gets you moving around will burn calories. You should try to get intense workouts in for about 60 minutes a day at least 3-4 days a week and regular, more moderate activity during the rest of the week.
Cardiovascular exercise should always be included. This includes sports like football, soccer, basketball, baseball or softball, etc. It can even include fast walking, jogging, bike riding, swimming or running after the bus.
Strength training is another necessity to include in your teen workout program. This type of training helps you build strength. It can include structured weight training workouts with exercises like squats, bench press, or crunches using weights, machines, or even your own body weight. You may already weight train if you're in athletics but, if not, you can add this type of activity to your teenage exercise routine to enhance your results.
A big key is just to stay active. Aside from playing a sport or other activities like running or riding your bike, you should also include regular activity into your day. Some examples are active games (like Wii or DDR), taking walks, wrestling with your friends or throwing a ball at the park. This is something you can do every day just to keep moving.
Not all exercise is right for teens. Power lifting is not suggested. This type of training involves explosive lifting for a one rep max. This type of exercise isn't recommended for teens because it's difficult to use good form and can close your growth plates early.
The best thing about exercise for teens is that just about anything that gets you moving around will burn calories. You should try to get intense workouts in for about 60 minutes a day at least 3-4 days a week and regular, more moderate activity during the rest of the week.
Cardiovascular exercise should always be included. This includes sports like football, soccer, basketball, baseball or softball, etc. It can even include fast walking, jogging, bike riding, swimming or running after the bus.
Strength training is another necessity to include in your teen workout program. This type of training helps you build strength. It can include structured weight training workouts with exercises like squats, bench press, or crunches using weights, machines, or even your own body weight. You may already weight train if you're in athletics but, if not, you can add this type of activity to your teenage exercise routine to enhance your results.
A big key is just to stay active. Aside from playing a sport or other activities like running or riding your bike, you should also include regular activity into your day. Some examples are active games (like Wii or DDR), taking walks, wrestling with your friends or throwing a ball at the park. This is something you can do every day just to keep moving.
Not all exercise is right for teens. Power lifting is not suggested. This type of training involves explosive lifting for a one rep max. This type of exercise isn't recommended for teens because it's difficult to use good form and can close your growth plates early.
Too much exercise can be bad for you. Exercising too much can lead to getting hurt, overtraining syndrome, and, for girls, a change in menstrual cycle. It's sometimes hard to know how much is too much, since everyone can tolerate a different amount of exercise. A good way to tell is if you no longer can get motivated to exercise you may be overtraining. Always listen to your body.
Don't be unrealistic with your expectations. While it's okay to have goals to improve your physique, we can only change so fast. If you want to get big, then it takes a lifetime of consistent exercise. If you want to lose weight, then it is possible with proper diet and exercise but usually only at a rate of 1-2 pounds per week.
Joshua "Coach" Kozak has been a fixture in the world of health and fitness for over 10 years. My favorite website for workout for free and the best exercise teenagers online
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