How to get your young teenager fit, healthy and happy with exercise

At Son of Man we love to promote exercise for teenagers! One easy way to kick your son’s teenage years off to a great start is to promote regular exercise. But what exercises are good for a young teen thats still developing? We answer that here…

Young teens should exercise by undertaking low-intensity cardiovascular exercise, strength training, team sports and general play! The more active teenagers are, the more physical and mental benefits they get.

Exercise for teenagers

In today’s world, it can be difficult to encourage your young teenage son to get up and start exercising. With video games, smartphones and social media beckoning, it might seem like the last thing they want to do is go outside and break a sweat. But as a responsible parent, it is crucial to promote a healthy lifestyle and encourage your son to exercise. In this blog post, we will discuss various types of exercises that teenagers should do for fitness, health and happiness.

Is 13 too young to work out?

In short: no. There are many benefits to working out as a young teenager that will be discussed below. Think of how human children are meant to behave, and how they behave in modern hunter societies. They are not meant to spend their time on comfy chairs in front of screens or communicate through messaging apps. Their natural habitat is outside, playing with their friends, building relationships and learning the art of being human. So don’t fret. The more they play, the better. Though at 13 they can have physical aspirations that don’t yet match their development.

To that end, 13-year-olds should be aware of some common mistakes that can lead to injury or exhaustion. Moderation is key: teens’ bodies are still developing, so they need to keep workouts at a manageable intensity level when possible. They must listen carefully to how they feel- if fatigue or soreness set in then it may be time for a break before continuing later on. Ensure to them that with some extra recovery, they will come back stronger. Overall, when working out (at any age!) proper technique must always take precedence If executed incorrectly the results could not only be ineffective but dangerous as well. By avoiding these pitfalls and staying mindful of what their body needs during Physical activity sessions, young people will achieve maximum benefits with minimum risk.

What are the benefits of exercise for a teenager?

Exercise has numerous benefits for teenagers that go beyond physical health. It can help with mental clarity, attention, mood, and self-esteem. Given the current state of affairs, many teens may be experiencing high levels of stress or depression, and regular exercise is an excellent way to combat these issues.

Regular exercise can help improve your son’s overall mood and self-esteem. Exercise releases endorphins, which are natural hormones that boost the feeling of happiness. Additionally, it helps to reduce stress and anxiety levels. Regular physical activity also helps to build confidence by teaching teens that they can push their boundaries and accomplish difficult tasks. This confidence can be transferred to other areas of life, such as academic performance and interpersonal relationships(1).

Additionally, exercise can also improve sleep quality, which can have a positive effect on both physical and mental health. By incorporating exercise into their daily routine, teenagers can create healthy habits that will benefit them well into adulthood.

How much exercise should a young teen do?

As a parent, it might feel overwhelming to think about the prescribed exercise requirements for your teen. You may worry that it is unrealistic for him to complete which could dishearten him. Fear not: hunter-gatherer lifestyles likely involved far more physical activity than what’s recommended in modern times!

The American Heart Association suggests that teens get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activities daily(2) but consider how much time is spent sitting in chairs compared with what human children should really be doing- playing! Now more than ever there’s a need for teenagers to get up and active to mitigate the dangers of so much inactivity.

Exercise doesn’t have to be something that takes up hours of your teenagers’ day- it can easily fit into their daily routine. Going for a walk each morning, playing outdoors during breaks, and participating in sports are just some fun ways they can stay active! At the end of the day though, simply encouraging them to move often is key. We don’t need 60-minute sessions seven days per week when smaller doses throughout the week will do wonders. Don’t forget good old-fashioned basic movement as part of any healthy routine!

For a complete post on this, click here to read this Son of Man article!

What types of exercise for teenagers?

Cardiovascular Exercise

Cardiovascular exercise is any activity that gets your heart rate up and helps to strengthen the heart muscle. Good examples for young teenagers are steady-state running, biking, swimming and active sports. Steady-state is a good option for 13-year-olds as it reduces the chances of overtraining and provides a good base level of fitness.

Cardiovascular exercise is an important part of any healthy routine for people of all ages and genders, but especially for 13 year olds. Cardio can improve heart health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases (3).

There are several benefits to engaging in regular cardio exercise, including improved physical fitness and strength, better posture, increased energy levels and improved bone health (4).

Regular cardiovascular exercise can also help teens to maintain a healthy weight(5), which is important for long-term health and has been shown to reduce the risk of obesity and chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes (6). Finally, cardio can help to improve mood and self-esteem which are essential for success in school and relationship-building with their peers.

Strength Training

Strength training, also known as resistance training, is an excellent way to build muscle and increase bone density. This type of exercise can be done with free weights, resistance bands, or bodyweight exercises like press-ups, pull-ups and squats. Many parents worry about strength training more than any other type of exercise. This is because of the association with injury and certain myths regarding development (height etc).

I’m sure we’ve all heard the myth about weight training stunting growth. Learn the facts here!

It’s tempting for all of us, but especially teenagers to want to go big and try and emulate peers and sporting heroes. Pulling too much weight from the ground or loading too much onto their shoulders though is a sure-fire route to injury.

There are many benefits to strength training that your teen can’t enjoy by injuring himself. These benefits include:

Strength
brain development
longevity
body composition
mood
confidence

For more on strength training and how it can boost your teenager’s life: click here!

Mobility Exercises

Mobility is the ability of a joint to move actively through a range of motion(7). This type of exercise helps to improve posture, reduce risk of injury and enhance physical performance. Mobility training can include simple dynamic bodyweight movements(8) as well as activities like yoga or pilates classes (9). With the amount of sitting down, slouching and looking down at our phones that we do, mobility exercises are something we should all do! But for teenagers that spend an unnatural amount of time at school sitting and looking at PowerPoints they should be incorporated daily. Mobility exercises help young people develop better body awareness, alignment and coordination (10). This helps them perform movements safely, efficiently and with greater power.

After a day of being slumped in a chair and not playing outside anywhere near as much as they should, teenagers should take time to decompress their spine by dead-hanging, externally rotate their shoulders and sit in a deep squat to open their hips.

Read here to learn the power of dangling!

Team Sports

Team sports provide a fun and engaging way for 13-year-olds to get the exercise they need. Encourage your son to participate in team sports such as rugby, basketball, or football. These and others are a great way for teenagers to stay active, build teamwork skills and have fun. Research shows that participation in team sports can:

boost physical fitness
improve mental health
build leadership qualities
help with weight management (11).

Physical Fitness

Team sports help teens develop their physical strength and endurance. Controlling the ball and running up and down the field or court can also improve their balance and agility(12).

Mental Health

Not only do team sports encourage physical fitness, but they also help teens develop a positive mental attitude. The sense of belonging that comes with being part of a team can make teenagers feel secure and supported (13). Working as part of a team to achieve a common goal can build necessary skills to succeed in later life.

Leadership

Being part of a team also teaches teens the importance of working together and learning how to take on leadership roles. This can help them better communicate with others and be confident in their decisions (14).

Weight Management

Participating in team sports also helps teens manage their weight. The physical activity involved can lead to improved metabolism, increased bone density and improved cardiovascular health (15).

Outdoor Activities

When it comes to exercises, the ones that we undertake outdoors are by far superior. As already stated, it’s where we are meant to be! Pushing weights in an air-conditioned gym or jogging on a treadmill next to a cold water dispenser doesn’t compare to being in nature where we have no control over the elements. Scrambling up a muddy hill in the driving rain will build character and perseverance as well as fitness!

Encourage your 13-year-old to participate in outdoor activities such as hiking, and rock climbing. These activities are a great way to get outside, enjoy nature, and burn off some energy. They also provide an opportunity for some quality bonding time between father and son.

For more information on everything that the outdoors has to offer read our “Wild Child” post here!

Summary

For 13-year-olds, exercise is necessary for fitness, health and happiness.
Cardiovascular exercises such as running, biking and swimming can improve heart health and reduce risk of chronic diseases.
Strength training helps to build muscle, increase bone density and improve posture while avoiding injury risks.
Mobility exercises help with body awareness, alignment and coordination and should be incorporated daily.
Team sports can boost physical fitness, mental health, leadership qualities and weight management.
Outdoor activities are superior to indoor exercises due to the elements they involve. They also promote quality bonding time between parent and child.
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Son of Man

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Fathers worry they are not providing their sons with the right guidance to help them succeed and face the challenges of life. They also worry about being ‘out of touch’ with modern gender roles and expectations.

Son of Man is the perfect solution for fathers who want to pass down essential life lessons to their sons, without falling behind on modern roles and expectations. With our easy-to-follow guides and advice, you can feel confident that your son is receiving the fatherly advice he needs to thrive in all areas of his life.

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References

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17509841003794231.
https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-kids
https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/children/13to18yearolds.htm
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389
https://www.health.harvard.edu/diet-and-weight-loss/exercise-and-weight-control
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/preventing-problems/losing-weight-exercise/reduce-risk-type-2-diabetes.
https://pptmaine.com/blog/article/2016/8/15/mobility-vs-stability/
Clark MA, et al. The effects of a dynamic warm-up on agility performance in collegiate athletes. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2010; 24(2): 332-336
Wessel J, et al., A Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of yoga on flexibility and balance. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013; 1-9
Brawley LR, et al., An examination of the acute effects of a dynamic warm-up on power, agility, balance, strength, and speed performance in collegiate athletes. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 2015; 29(2): 528-536
https://www.verywellfamily.com/benefits-of-team-sports-for-kids-2635068
https://www.tutorphilosophy.com/blog/advantages-disadvantages-team-sports
https://www.myactivesg.com/Sports/Sports-Benefits/10-Advantages-of-Joining-a-Sports-Team
Groome, A., & Kaur, S.(2018). REVIEW ON THE IMPORTANCE OF TEAMWORK IN SPORTS: A STUDY. International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), 7(5), 1187-1190.
5. Li, C.(2015). Health Benefits of Team Sports | Livestrong.com. LIVESTRONG.COM