Fit for Life: Essential Workout Plans for Teenagers

I remember vividly how desperate I was to look good when I was a teenager. In this digital world, social media is filled with glamour and zero-sized figures, making us question ourselves, right? However, being hard on yourself is not a solution. 

I understand you want to have a lean yet perfectly toned-up body, but there is no magic wand to do this for you! A perfect body requires an ideal workout regimen to serve the goal. So, are you ready to embark on your fitness journey?

This is a transitioning phase of your life since you are entering adulthood from childhood. So, the change must be impressive, making you feel physically and mentally stronger. For that purpose, regular physical activity is very crucial. 

Being a fitness trainer, I will say that the transition would not be easy. But I assure you, your hard work will be worth it. So, in this blog, I will tell you a few essential workout plans for teenagers. If you follow my teen workout plan, it will be a game-changer for you!

So, without further ado, let us debunk into the details!

Unique Fitness Needs of Teenagers

First and foremost, understand that teenagers are NOT adults. There is a huge difference between the physiology of teenagers and adults. For that purpose, it is essential to understand the unique fitness needs of teens.

This does not mean that teenagers should not exercise. No, it just means that you have to be very careful while choosing the workouts. There are two situations you need to consider to understand teenage fitness requirements, including;

Pre-Puberty

Before puberty, teens can do weightlifting. However, the focus should be on strengthening muscles and boosting fitness instead of building muscles.

This is because when you are in your teenage years, your body does not produce some hormones necessary for muscle growth. For example, if you are a teenage boy who hasn’t hit puberty yet, your body does not produce testosterone, which is essential for significant muscle growth.

So, if I put it short, having strong and strengthened muscles must be your first goal in your teenager workout plan.

Post-Puberty

After hitting puberty, growing muscles and putting on mass get easier. Your body begins producing vital hormones that help in faster muscle building. So, by lifting weights and carrying out hefty exercises along with the right diet intake, you can achieve your fitness goals.

However, I will suggest you start with muscle strengthening. I have seen many teens in my career who began their fitness journey with heavy weightlifting and exercises without strengthening their muscles first. It is not safe and may lead to chronic muscle injuries. So, do not forget to take safety measures first.

Crunches or Couches: Should Teenagers Work Out?

Know that the answer is always “Crunches.”

Physical activity is important for everyone. Moreover, the teenage years are the perfect time for strengthening your body so that you can build perfectly ripped muscles and a toned-up body once you hit puberty. If you are looking for reasons why you should start working out in your teenage, have a glance at the following pointers:

Make You Stronger

Working out helps in strengthening your muscles and bones, leading to better posture and overall health. Since you are growing, growing stronger with every passing day is imperative, right? So, working out in your teenage years is the best choice to improve your health.

Boost Your Cardiovascular Health

To live a healthier life, improving your cardiovascular health is of utmost importance. With a healthy circulatory system and heart, you can reduce the risk of many ailments that may occur with poor cardiovascular health. As a fitness trainer, I suggest cardio to everyone so they can stay healthy even when they get old.

Help You Maintain a Healthy Weight

Maintaining a healthy weight in your teens is very crucial. According to recent studies, every one in five teens (at age 14) is obese. So, if you decide to start exercising during your teenage, it will not only help you maintain a healthy weight but also keep you from many problems that may occur due to weight gain.

Improve Your Mental Health

Every one in four persons is struggling with mental health problems. In addition, depression, anxiety, and stress are prevalent in teens. Since teens experience many hormonal changes, it may lead to poor mental health. Working out aids in improving mental health by releasing tension and stress. In addition, it will help in boosting self-confidence, making you stronger physically and psychologically.

Regulate Your Sleep Cycle

Working out helps in the regulation of the sleep cycle. Many teenagers go through insomnia at this age. However, teens need to have a good night’s sleep of around 8 to 9 hours to fuel their energy. So, incorporating a workout routine for teens will help you get rid of insomnia, improving your sleep cycle.

Workout Plans for Teenagers to Try at Home

If you are just starting your fitness journey and do it in the comfort of your home, there is nothing to worry about. As a fitness trainer, I can tell you a few exercises to perform at home with effective results. So, let’s take a look at the following teen workout plan to perform at home:

Squats

The squat is the best exercise for strengthening your core, legs, and buttocks. It is important to have a strong core to improve your overall posture. For that purpose, squats will help you serve the goal. To perform squats effectively, the following guidelines will help you:

• Stand straight, keeping your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Bend your knees, pushing your hips out and keeping your chest open.
• Bring your hips back and down just like sitting in the chair position.
• Push onto the floor and stand up in the initial position.

This is one rep! Repeat the procedure and perform at least 15 reps.

Lunges

Lunges are a body resistance exercise that also helps in core strengthening. The amazing factor about lunges is that it accelerates heart rate, strengthening your heart. So, adding it to your teenager workout program will help you achieve stability and balance. The following are the guidelines for performing lunges accurately:

• Stand tall and bring one leg forward.
• Bend both knees by bringing the back knee to the floor and keeping your chest open.
• Stand back on the front leg, getting back in the initial position.

This is one rep! Try performing at least 20 reps, i.e., 10 from each leg.

Pushups

Pushups help strengthen your upper body. This exercise directly impacts the core muscles, shoulders, and arms. In order to perform pushups, the following guidelines will assist you:

• Place your hand onto the ground, keeping them shoulder-width apart.
• Go into the plank position, facing the floor and firmly grounding your feet.
• Keep your core straight by putting pressure on your belly.
• Lower your upper body towards the floor by bending your elbows.
• Push your body back to an upward position by straightening your arms.

This is one rep! Repeat the procedure and try performing at least 10 reps a day.

Dead Bugs

Keeping its funny name aside, Dead Bug is actually an incredible exercise. Performing this exercise helps strengthen your core, stabilise your abdominal muscles, and build your shoulder muscles. So, take a look at the following guidelines for performing this exercise correctly:

• Lie on your back, bending your legs to a 90-degree angle and straightening your arms up.
• Bring one arm over your head and take the opposite foot to the floor.
• Take the other arm up your head and the opposite foot to the floor.
• Make sure your hand and foot touch the ground, keeping your back straight and contracting your abdominal muscles.

Perform this exercise from both sides and try doing at least 20 reps, i.e., 10 from each side.

Hip Bridge

Last but not least, Hip Bridges! This exercise has countless benefits, and it is very easy to perform. It offers numerous health benefits, from improving posture to strengthening glutes to relieving back pain. That is why I suggest it as the best teenager workout program. So, follow the below-mentioned guidelines for performing hip bridges perfectly:

• Lie on your back, bending your knees and keeping your heels closer to your hips.
• Ensure your feet are at shoulder-width distance.
• Hold a ball between your knees, keeping your inner thighs active.
• Push your feet in while contracting your glutes and uplift your hips, making a diagonal line from shoulders to knees.
• Tuck your pelvis a little, keeping it from curving your back.
• Push your hips back to the floor while keeping your abdominal muscles contracted.

This is one rep! Try performing at least 20 reps a day.

Starting Strongly – Teen Gym Workout Plan for Beginners

If you want to start from the gym, well, I admire your enthusiasm! However, I will still suggest you start with muscle strengthening and then move to muscle building. However, the following gym workout plans for teenagers will help you:

Days	Exercises	Sets	Reps or Duration
Monday	Squats, pushups, pullups, and planks	3	8 – 10
Tuesday	Light Cardio or Rest	1	15 – 20 minutes
Wednesday	Dead bugs, weightlifting, and leg raises	3	8 – 10
Thursday	Light Cardio or Rest	1	15 – 20 minutes
Friday	Lunges, hip bridges, and bicycle crunches	3	8 – 10
Saturday	Light Cardio or Rest	1	15 – 20 minutes
Sunday	Full body stretching	–	–

Breaking it Down – Teen Gym Workout Plan for Intermediate

If you are at an intermediate level, your workout plan will be different from that of a beginner. Since you have some experience, you are ready to move on to the next step. So, the following gym workout plans for teenagers will be helpful for you:

Days	Exercises	Sets	Reps or Duration
Monday	Squats, pushups, pullups, and planks	4	8 – 10 and planks for 30s
Tuesday	High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)	1	15 – 20 minutes
Wednesday	Dead bugs, Russian twists, weightlifting, and leg raises	4	8 – 10
Thursday	Cardio: Rowing, Jogging, or cycling	1	30 – 40 minutes
Friday	Lunges, hip bridges, bicycle crunches, planks	4	8 – 10 and planks for 30s
Saturday	Full body stretching	–	–
Sunday	Light or no activity	–	–

Final Takeaway

I understand the urge to build muscles and lose fat – I’ve been there! But the teenage years are a critical period of our lives, and we must not act hastily. Instead, working out moderately and consistently is the key! 

I know how desperate the situation can get, but you must be strong and mindful. So, for now, follow the workout plans for teenagers as mentioned above. And, after puberty, you will be ready to grow muscles! So, embrace your body and live this chapter of your life because it’s never coming back!

Frequently Asked Questions

Should 14-year-olds exercise daily?

Yes, having physical activity is very important, even for teenagers. As a fitness trainer, I assure you that one hour of moderate physical activity on a daily basis won’t harm you in any way. Instead, it will strengthen your body, improve your mental health, and uplift your mood.

Does going to the gym impact a teenager’s height?

The simple answer is absolutely NO. It is just a myth that going to the gym stunts growth. Moreover, no evidence or research can prove that workouts for teenagers can stunt height.

What is the best age to start a gym?

There is no absolute age to start going to a gym. However, it is important to wait until puberty to start intense training to build muscles. Also, you can start moderate exercising during your teenage years for muscle strengthening.