Best Reason to Exercise for Teens and Tweens

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While we can all agree that exercise for teens and tweens is important, exercise and physical activity seem to be decreasing more and more.

From getting lost in front of video games to cutting recess from the school day, exercise for teens just isn't happening enough.

We've been focusing a lot around here on attitudes and self-care.  Both for kids and moms.

A key component in taking care of yourself and boosting your mood is exercise.  Or at least physical activity of some kind.

Exercise and physical activity are decreasing more and more among tweens and teens.

From getting lost in front of video games to cutting recess from the school day kids just aren't playing outside enough.

Families are spending more time in front of screens and not enough time being active.

Being overweight and developing conditions like heart disease and diabetes are just some of the problems kids are having.

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Aside from the obvious physical benefits of exercise for teens and tweens like...

• improves heart and lung health
• boosts your child’s immune system
• develops strong muscles, bones, and good posture
• helps your child stick to a healthy weight and avoid being overweight
• reduces the risk of high blood pressure and type-2 diabetes

The mental benefits of exercise are crucial...

Physical activity releases chemicals in the brain called endorphins.

Endorphins reduce stress and boost the immune system.

Stress-related issues like depression and anxiety in tweens and teens are on the rise.

Now even more since this post was written nearly 3 years ago.

Exercise for teens and tweens:

• improves focus concentration, and memory
• increases self-confidence
• leads to better sleep
• establishing and maintaining friendships

So what are the best exercises for mental health?

• Running / Walking
• Boxing
• Pilates
• Yoga
• Spin Class
• Resistance Training

How can I get my teenager to exercise?

If exercise for teens is something you're worried isn't happening enough in your house, it starts with the right conversations.

Tweens and teens don't always want to do things we want them to do and they don't always see the value we see in things.

To make those conversations happen...try this post.

Once you've moved past that obstacle, it's important to pick the right exercise for teens.

Maybe it's a solo activity like yoga or group activity, team sports perhaps.

You will both have ideas of what that may be. Be open to their ideas. Try a brainstorming session.

It may also involve trial and error before they end up finding a good fit.

The type of activity kids get involved in can make all the difference in how it affects their mood.

Team sports and individual sports can be night and day.

There's a lot of focus on team sports in our country.  Football, baseball and so many more give kids the opportunity to work together and of course, have fun.

However, those aren't the only ways to keep active and have fun.

I know I hated team sports. 

I wasn't good at them and it made it very intimidating for me.

But when I found tennis, I was instantly in love.  No one depended on me.

I was more in control.  And I was good at it, well eventually, LOL.

For someone who was a skinny little kid who was horrible at sports having a sport to excel at was a huge boost to my self-esteem.

I began at 10 and played all through high school.

Also, consider those underweight kids and the amount or type of activities they're doing.

Losing weight can happen too easily and quickly for someone who is already small.

Swimming, golf, running, dance, gymnastics, cheerleading, or martial arts are some other good choices.

It doesn't even have to be competitive.

It could be just for exercise, though I do think competitive sports are good for kids.

Maybe they're still part of a team like track or golf and the points from each individual add to the team totals, but the kid can focus on their developing their own skills a bit differently.

What to do when kids want to quit sports?

This might take some investigating.

They may not want to answer or be able to tell you why.

Sometimes it takes time to figure out.

Could they be continuing so they don't disappoint you or their coach?

Maybe they think it's too slow, like baseball?

Or too much structure, practices, or traveling.

But I know that we've had each one of our kids experience this for different reasons.

Sometimes we knew why and some we still don't.

We just had them finish their commitment since it didn't seem to be anything unsafe.

We just moved on and tried something else.

Though I will have to say, we did pull my daughter out of one activity without finding out why because it was so upsetting for her to go.

She insisted she just didn't like it anymore, but would cry if we tried to encourage her to continue.

It took her two years after quitting and contact with the person long over to find out that she was being bullied. 

It just popped up in a random conversation two years later.

If that's a possibility, you want to read this book for girls and this one if you have boys.

What if they don't want to join anything?  

For kids who don't like sports, any activity that gets them moving will benefit them.

A walk with a family member, a dog, or a friend is better than nothing.

And often better than anything else since it can offer a way to have 1-on-1 time and talk or just be.

Don't forget bike riding, kayaking, and hiking.

How about hula hoop contests? Check out this weighted one.

Even yard work counts too!

Make it a family affair.

In our house, we still play Wii Sports and Just Dance when the weather doesn't cooperate.

How much exercise for teens is the right amount?

At least one hour of moderate to vigorous exercise every day is ideal.

See what the medical experts say about exercise for teens.

Making it part of your daily routine helps.

Using a wearable fitness tracker is a fun way to get motivated and compete with yourself to improve every day.

Track physical fitness activities and more with our new FREE printable  Bullet Journal Worksheets

What exercises should a teenager do?

Ultimately, anything that gets them moving.

Try one from this list of 50+ exercise for teens ideas today.

1. Badminton
2. Pickleball
3. Ballet
4. Baseball
5. Bicycling
6. Boxing
7. Capture the Flag
8. Cross Country Skiing
9. Dancing
10. Dodgeball
11. Downhill Skiing
12. Field Hockey
13. Golf
14. Gymnastics
15. Handball
16. Hiking
17. Horseback Riding
18. Hula Hoop
19. Ice Hockey
20. Ice Skating
21. Individual Sports
22. Jumping Jacks
23. Jumping Rope
24. Kayaking
25. Kick the Can
26. Kickball
27. Kickboxing
28. King of the Hill
29. Lacrosse
30. Martial Arts
31. MMA
32. Paddleboard
33. Pilates
34. Raking leaves
35. Raquetball
36. Resistance Training
37. Rock climbing
38. Roller Skating
39. Rowing
40. Running
41. Shoveling
42. Snowboarding
43. Snowshoeing
44. Soccer
45. Softball
46. Street Hockey
47. Surfing
48. Swimming
49. Tag
50. Tennis
51. Volleyball
52. Wrestling
53. Yoga
54. Cheerleading
55. Jumping on the trampoline

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Did I miss something?  What exercise for teens works in your house?  Comment below!

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