Exercise is an important part of staying healthy, and it can be a great bonding experience when done with your teenager. But sometimes it can be hard to get teenagers motivated to get off the couch and into the gym or onto the trail. Exercising with your teen can be good for both their mental and physical health! In the 2021 youth survey in Cortland County, teens who reported enjoying spending time with their mom were less likely to report 3 out of the 4 depressive symptoms.1 Also, teens who felt close to their parents were less likely to binge drink over the past 30 days.1 Exercising with your teen can be beneficial in more ways than one! Here are some ideas for how to make exercise fun and enjoyable—for both you and your teen!
Find Something You Both Enjoy
The key to successful exercising with your teenager is finding something that you both enjoy doing. This could be anything from swimming or playing basketball at the local park to going on a hike or taking a yoga class at your local gym. Taking turns choosing activities can help ensure that everyone has a good time. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, you could try something completely new together, like rock climbing! The Cortland YWCA is a great place to start; they have tons of great exercise classes that you can your teen can enroll in!
Make It Social
Exercising doesn’t have to be a solo activity—it can also be social. Invite friends over for a game night and play an active game like Just Dance, Twister, or dodgeball. Or organize weekly family runs in which everyone takes turns leading so that each person gets to pick their favorite route. If you want to get out of the house but don’t want to venture too far away, look for group classes nearby like kickboxing, Zumba, or even hip-hop dance lessons.
Set Goals Together
Setting goals together will help keep everyone on track and motivated throughout the process of exercising together. Goals could include trying a certain number of classes in one month, running a 5K race together by summertime, or completing an obstacle course challenge like Tough Mudder as a family! Visit Running In The USA to see a list of racing occurring near and around Cortland County! Having something tangible to work towards will help motivate all participants—younger kids may need more help meeting their goals than teens do but having something concrete in place will help keep everyone accountable for their physical activity levels.
Exercising with your teenager can be an incredibly rewarding experience if done thoughtfully and intentionally. Finding activities that both of you enjoy doing together and making it social by inviting friends over are two great ways to make exercise fun for everyone involved. Finally, setting goals together will help keep everyone on track throughout the process—and give you something tangible to work towards as a family! So get moving and have fun bonding with your teenager!
References
- Cortland Area Communities That Care (CACTC). Results and Analysis: The 2021 Cortland County Youth Survey. https://www.cortlandareactc.org/publications. May 17, 2022.
