The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that adolescents and teenagers get at least 60 minutes of physical exercise daily. This includes a variety of different types of exercise, including aerobic activity, muscle strengthening, bone strengthening and flexibility. The healthy habits and choices teens make will likely follow them as they enter a more independent stage of their lives. Incorporating exercise into their daily lifestyle can keep them healthy and active in the future.
Aerobic Activity
The CDC says most of the exercise teenagers get in a day should be moderate-intensity to vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise. Moderate-intensity exercise includes brisk walking, bicycling at a pace slower than 10 mph, ballroom dancing and gardening. Vigorous-intensity activities include jogging, running, swimming laps, bicycling at a rate of 10 mph or faster, playing tennis, trampoline jumping and hiking uphill.
Muscle Strengthening
The CDC recommends that teenagers participate in muscle-strengthening activities at least three days a week as part of their 60 minutes of exercise. There are a variety of exercises that can be performed at home or outside, including sit-ups, push-ups, tricep dips, lunges and calf raises. A variety of activities that are muscle strengthening by nature include gymnastics, pilates and yoga.
Bone Strengthening
According to a study by the Musculoskeletal Research Laboratory, increasing peak bone mass and maintaining it is significantly affected by high-impact exercise. It is important for teens to get some form of high-impact exercise at least three times per week. There are a variety of high-impact exercises, such as running, jumping rope and jumping jacks. Some of the sports that are considered high-impact include gymnastics, soccer and tennis.
Flexibility
Flexibility is an important aspect of daily exercise that often is overlooked. Proper flexibility can prevent injuries and help improve overall fitness. It is important when stretching to consider all the major muscle groups, including hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, abdominal muscles, back muscles, triceps, shoulders and hips. There are also different activities that include flexibility training like yoga and a variety of dance classes.
Exercise Log
Increasing physical activity can be challenging for busy teens who already have full schedules. One way to keep track of exercise and stay motivated is to create an exercise log. Record all physical activity you do each day, including aerobic, muscle strength, bone strength and stretching. Write down the amount of time spent doing each exercise or how many reps you performed and if there was any additional weight used. Include a note to yourself on how you felt, or add a motivational remark to read before your next exercise session.
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