Gym Rats

The Benefits of Teen Gym Memberships

By Lisa A. Goldstein

If your teenager is on the couch again watching a Friends rerun for the zillionth time, consider getting him or her a gym membership. It's not too early!

Working out at home is fine, but "working out in the gym gives [teenagers] the benefit of working with the [experts] to teach them correct form and alignment, as well as how to modify certain exercises based on their own bodies," says Leigh Crews, spokesperson for the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Council on Exercise (ACE). At this age, bodies are changing rapidly, and without having a professional assist a few times, it's hard to know if you're doing an exercise properly, she says.

Other benefits to the gym are structure and guidance, which are important for teenagers, says Kathy Martin, national fitness director for Slim and Tone, LLC. There are also fewer distractions.

"When you actually have to make an effort to get somewhere and set aside a certain amount of time while you are there, i.e. for a class, then you are more likely to follow through," says Holly Little, director of Balanced Energy Fitness and a group/personal trainer who has worked with youth fitness programs. "When you have the ability to stop and answer the phone or the television or homework is two feet away from you, the odds are a lot lower that you will stay committed to working out."

Exercising at a gym teaches teens responsibility, good habits, and about their bodies, Little says. It builds their confidence and self-esteem and gives them a reason to carry these good habits into other areas of their lives. They'll make friends, be less likely to abuse their bodies with unhealthy substances and fill idle time. "They'll also be exposed to others of all ages that care about their health and know more about fitness," Little says.

Want to see more?

• Healthy Teens: Mission Possible: There's Hope for Healthy Teens
• Is Your Teen Sleep Deprived? Getting Serious About Sleep
• Teens at the Table: The American Medical Association Weighs in on Nutrition and Young People
• Check out our Article Library.
• Talk about it!