Gym Workout suggestion for with a soon to be 13 yr old

iamkarent
iamkarent Posts: 144 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
My son has repeatedly requested to let him come work out with me when I go to the gym, so I went in and got him a gym membership over the weekend.

Yesterday I took him in with me to the cardio floor....and we went to each machine type and showed him what they did/how to work them safely etc....and we did 30 minutes of cardio...which he split 10 mins on 3 different machine types (as I suggested to try them out) while I did my couch to 5k workout on the treadmill in the room

He did really well...to the point one of the regular guys there was telling him what a great job on the stair climber.....

He rides his bike everywhere...so is in fairly decent shape...but says he wants to get "athletic"

So my thoughts are cardio (including rowing machine which he likes and adds a little upper body) as I go to get my cardio in and he has to be with me in the gym at his age.

We will do some light swimming after workouts....but typically more for fun as my toddlers will join in at that time.

I was thinking of making a nautilus type machine circuit for us to alternate on...but any other age appropriate ideas for in the gym?That might be fun....like ideas with a medicine ball or such that is a team workout?

And before anyone says get outside....yes we do that as well when we have the chance...we have kayaks and bikes , but with toddlers ..I use the gym daycare to be able to get in my regular workouts

Replies

  • julie9200
    julie9200 Posts: 62 Member
    Sorry, I have no suggestions for you. I just wanted to say that I think it's great that your son wants to join you. I'm having a hard time getting my kids to join me (16, 13 & 11). You're setting a great example. Keep up the good work!
  • ATLMel
    ATLMel Posts: 392 Member
    I think the medicine ball is a great way to help him build some strength. Throw it back and forth to each other or stand back to back and pass it in a circle. This is easy to turn into a game in the gym or in your yard (medicine balls are pretty cheap, and you really only need a couple). Try shuttle runs where one of you does as many jumping jacks as possible while the other runs down, grabs the ball and comes back..little circuits like that could be fun.

    I also think it would be good to have him doing body weight lunges and squats. It's pretty safe and if you make it a challenge (30 jumping squats as fast as you can, for example) it could be cool.

    I don't know enough about young people and training with major weights, but I do volunteer with a fitness program for children and these are some things that are similar to our cirriculum. I think having him design his own workout would also be good, with input from you and his doctor. It would give him a sense of ownership.
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    Over the past few years, there has been more research done by ACSM and other nationally recognized exercise professionals with children and strength-training. Many of them indicate that children as young as 10 yrs old can safely benefit from some sort of strength-training program since their bodies are capable of handling the physical stress that comes with it during the "growth spurt" years (10-17). It can also greatly increase their sports performance and skills which is very important for sports such as gymnastics where athletes must develop at earlier ages.
  • paulmdepoy
    paulmdepoy Posts: 20
    I wouldn't have him lift any free weights since he most likely doesn't have the nervous system recruitment to control the weight and could get hurt. Like the other people have suggested: medicine ball tosses, bodyweight squats, lunges, pushups/pullups all could be great workouts where he doesn't have to have a huge bar with weight on it.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,043 Member
    My son has repeatedly requested to let him come work out with me when I go to the gym, so I went in and got him a gym membership over the weekend.

    Yesterday I took him in with me to the cardio floor....and we went to each machine type and showed him what they did/how to work them safely etc....and we did 30 minutes of cardio...which he split 10 mins on 3 different machine types (as I suggested to try them out) while I did my couch to 5k workout on the treadmill in the room

    He did really well...to the point one of the regular guys there was telling him what a great job on the stair climber.....

    He rides his bike everywhere...so is in fairly decent shape...but says he wants to get "athletic"

    So my thoughts are cardio (including rowing machine which he likes and adds a little upper body) as I go to get my cardio in and he has to be with me in the gym at his age.

    We will do some light swimming after workouts....but typically more for fun as my toddlers will join in at that time.

    I was thinking of making a nautilus type machine circuit for us to alternate on...but any other age appropriate ideas for in the gym?That might be fun....like ideas with a medicine ball or such that is a team workout?

    And before anyone says get outside....yes we do that as well when we have the chance...we have kayaks and bikes , but with toddlers ..I use the gym daycare to be able to get in my regular workouts
    No weight added resistance (machines or free weights) yet. He's still in a growing phase and you don't want his bones to "close" yet which can be affected by heavy resistance training.

    I suggest that if he wants to be athletic, learn plyometrics, and even just how to do ladder work. You can even throw in some body weight exercises like pullups and pushups to get him to feel like he's "lifting".


    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    Wrong. He is old enough at 12 yrs of age. Again, there are plenty of reputable studies that demonstrate this. Use google. And if you are certified through ACE, this was a topic in one of the issues months ago.
  • bobbybdoe
    bobbybdoe Posts: 472 Member
    You should make him do this - it's a great strength training routine:

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/teen-workout-plan/

    First couple sentences on the page:
    Here is a teen workout appropriate for people ages 10-17. Contrary to myths you might have heard, working out IS good for teens and it will NOT stunt growth.
  • iamkarent
    iamkarent Posts: 144 Member
    Thanks all.

    Not to worry...I wasn't looking to do heavy weights with him or such...more just basic fitness stuff.

    He is loving the challenge of it...we have done the cardio machines, and today added some basic weight machines but not looking to have him load up on weight or do tons of it...just a mild whole body toning by lower weight repetition

    We added in some rope work which he thought was cool..and ab machine

    Thinking a medicine ball will help round it out..thanks all.

    I will take a look at that teen workout when I get a chance!
This discussion has been closed.

Categories