Children and teenagers often lose muscle by being sedentary when participating in low-energy activities such as playing video games or watching television. Along with daily aerobic exercise, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest teenagers participate in a strength-training routine three days a week. While fitness facilities offer a wide variety of strength-training machines and equipment, numerous strength-training exercises may be performed in your home. Strive to perform a full-body workout three times a week, performing three sets of eight to 12 repetitions of two or three exercises for each major muscle group.
Free Weights
Dumbbells and barbells are strength-training tools that make a variety of muscle-strengthening exercises possible. With dumbbells, perform biceps curls, hammer curls, triceps kickbacks and extensions to strengthen your arms. Dumbbell bench presses and inclined and declined chest presses work your chest. Try shoulder presses, lateral raises, front raises and shrugs to strengthen your shoulders with dumbbells.
A barbell is a useful tool for performing weighted squats and lunges. Place the bar on your lower shoulders as you implement these exercises. Bench presses, inclined and declined chest presses, shoulder presses and deadlifts are also possible with a barbell.
Resistance Bands
Resistance bands offer strength training through several exercises as well. Resistance bands may be wrapped around a stable, stationary object or many exercises allow you to step on the center of the band or hold one end of the band to create resistance. Step on the center of the band to perform bent-over rows, squats, lunges and biceps curls. Hold one end of the resistance band to perform triceps extensions.
Body-Weight Resistance Exercises
Resistance strength training is also possible with no equipment at all. Using your own body as resistance to strengthen muscle, try pushups, squats and lunges. A pullup bar will help you perform pullups and chinups, or use the top of a door for pullups. Modify pushups and squats as you physically progress with one-arm pushups and one-legged squats. Or try to complete several sets of pushups while performing a handstand.
Strength-Training Machines
Strength-training machines are ideal for the bodybuilding beginner. Machines help stabilize secondary muscles to help you concentrate on strengthening the target muscle group. Several different types of strength-training machines exist to help you develop muscle in your upper and lower body. Visit a local fitness facility to try strength-training machines and utilize a variety of other strength-training equipment.
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