Exercise at Home
11:26 AM
Getting exercise doesn't have to be difficult and a great exercise program can easily be developed at home. The President's Council on Exercise states that a basic exercise program should begin with a warm up, end with a cool down and include four components including cardio respiratory endurance, muscular strength training, muscular endurance training and flexibility. Any teenager can easily develop an at home program by warming up, putting together exercises from the four basic components, and cooling down. Before starting any exercise program, make sure to consult your doctor.
Cardio Respiratory Endurance
After a warm up of approximately five to 10 minutes, the cardio respiratory component should occupy at least 20 minutes for three times per week. The full 20 minutes should be continuous aerobic exercise which will build cardiac and respiratory endurance, and increase the heart rate to a target heart rate. Exercises should be something the teenager will have fun with according to KidsHealth, and can include aerobic exercises, such as bicycling, walking, running, swimming, tennis, jump-roping, in-line skating, or even the now popular kick boxing. Anything that gets the heart rate up to the teenager's target heart rate and sustains it for at least 20 minutes will work.
Muscular Strength and Endurance Training Exercises
Strength training uses resistance to build muscle strength. This should be done at least three times per week for 30 minutes each time. There are many ways to build muscles through strength training. Buying a set of free weights and working different muscle groups each session is a great way to gradually build muscle strength; however, using the resistance of one's own body by doing sit-ups, push-ups, squats, chin-ups, pull-ups and leg lifts will do the trick without the expense of free weights or a machine.
Flexibility Exercises
According to The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, flexibility exercises should be incorporated into every exercise endeavor. There is a component of stretching and flexibility in a warm up and cool down; however, 10 to 15 minutes at every exercise session should be spent doing more in depth static stretches for flexibility. These exercises can include lower back stretches, hamstring and calf stretches, butterfly stretches for the hips and groin, along with stretches for upper arms, triceps and shoulders.
Warm Up, Cool Down
Every great workout starts with five to 10 minutes of a warm up consisting of walking, cycling or any light aerobic activity that will begin to get the heart rate up, and ends with a cool down that returns the heart rate back to normal. The warm up will also encompass some simple stretches that should be done standing up to maintain an increasing heart rate. After the work out, the cool down should not be skipped. The cool down is similar to the warm up in that any light aerobic activity that begins to decrease the heart rate slowly is done, along with simple stretching. The stretching is usually done on the floor as the heart rate is coming down to a resting rate.
Article: “Good At Home Exercise” by Kristi Croddy with Livestrong. Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/337874-good-at-home-exercise-programs-for-teens/#ixzz1nzLAWm8P
Best Teen Diets recommends healthy well balanced eating that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat and fat-free dairy. We offer nutrition information for teens, parents and educators that emphasizes the importance of healthy eating for teens.
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