A major new study from the University of South Australia has found that regular movement can significantly improve the mental health of teenagers.
With one in four children in Australia experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety, many from a young age, this practical, no cost solution is available to everyone.
Personal Trainer, Philippa Kirkham, 19, talks to us about how you can encourage your teen to incorporate more movement into their day to support their mental health.
Q: You qualified as a fitness instructor and personal trainer while still at high school, what engaged you, as a teen, in exercise?
I found that exercise, whether walking, going to the gym or just messing around with my siblings and friends made a massive difference to how I felt. I also really loved doing activities with my friends which were just fun, like ice skating or dancing, where it didn’t feel like exercise. Going for a long walk either on my own or with my mum or a friend was my main way of dealing with stress and when I felt upset about things going on in my life. It just really helped me cope.
Q: You talk about walking but what about the gym?
I wasn’t old enough to go to the gym when I was a younger teenager, so getting outside was my only option. I got used to walking and running as my exercises and only started going to the gym later. When I did start going, I often went with my friends or my mum. I did a real mixture of workouts in the main gym and learnt a lot about strength training. But I also did classes like Zumba which were so funny, especially when my mum couldn’t do the moves!
Q: Did you find exercise was an opportunity to connect with people?
Yeah, I really did. It was much easier to talk to my mum about what was bothering me when we were on a walk. We didn’t need to make eye contact, so it felt easier to open up to her without it being overwhelming. I also found the same with my friends, if they were struggling with something, I often suggested a walk together so we could talk more comfortably together.
Q: What advice would you give to parents about how to get their teenager exercising?
Honestly, not presenting it as ‘exercise’ is really helpful. There are a few things I’d suggest:
- Finding something they enjoy doing for the fun of it is much more likely to get them to want to do it regularly. Anything that involves movement is good, it doesn’t have to be ‘exercise’ for the sake of exercise.
- I also loved when I got to do things with my mum, it gave us one-to-one time that wasn’t focused on talking about life and let us just relax together. Especially during exams, that time was really important, and doing it together felt like I had ‘permission’ not to be studying.
- Doing a challenge can be really good too, especially doing it with someone else. There are loads of options to choose from, and you can also do it to raise money for a good cause too.
(You can find and take part in opportunities to support Raise through challenges here.) - Going to the gym is much more ‘cool’ now too which is great. If that’s something they want to do, helping with the costs can really encourage them to go and keep going, but it’s not a cheap option, so it doesn’t have to be a gym environment to be effective. I’m not really into cycling, but my brothers both cycled a lot which got them outside and moving in a way they enjoyed.
- Another thing is to give them independence by getting to school themselves by foot or bike rather than going by car, or even just walking to the bus stop. Anything that gets them moving makes a big difference, and if it makes them feel they are being treated in a more adult way, that makes it feel more of a privilege and less of a chore.
