Dr. Zaslow agrees that the gym can be a safe place for kids to get a good workout in (with proper supervision).
Article Link: Should I let my 14-year-old go to the gym? What parents need to know. (yahoo.com)
Regular exercise is encouraged as a part of healthy living for kids and teens. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that teens get 60 minutes of daily physical activity, along with three days that include activities that build bone and muscle strength.
Experts agree that the gym can be a safe place for kids to get a good workout in. “It’s great for kids to be active and exercising — the gym is a good place for them to do that,” Dr. Tracy Zaslow, a primary care sports medicine specialist at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles and a team physician for Angel City Football Club and L.A. Galaxy, tells Yahoo Life.
Zaslow says that strength training is “part of a healthy exercise program and can be done safely with kids.”
But there’s a lot more that needs to be considered beyond just taking a child to the local gym and letting them get to work. “They’re going to need supervision,” Zaslow says. “Just having a kid jump into the gym is probably not the best option.”
