Physical fitness for teens is necessary as exercise is crucial for their physical, mental and psychological health. Despite this, people between the ages of thirteen and eighteen tend to be real slackers when it comes to exercising. It is hard to get them off the couch.  

There is another type of teenager that is too busy to exercise. Like adults they are always have an appointment, are on a cell phone or attending a meeting.  If the problem is not too many extracurricular activities or having to go to a part time job then it might simply be teenage malaise.

‘Many adolescents simply are not in the mood to exercise and prefer to surf the Internet and play video games. This of course can lead to a fat kid. Perhaps the best thing you can do for a child who goes 'What's the point?' when it comes to doing regular exercises or taking a walk is buy him or her a bicycle.

A bicycle makes perfect sense to an adolescent because it is does have a purpose, which is to transport the teenager from one place to another. Buying your child a bike that he or she likes will also encourage him or to ride. There is nothing like a brand new bike to encourage physical fitness for teens. Girls like old-fashioned roadsters and boys tend to like bikes that are capable of racing. Both sexes like the idea of a bike that they can bling out with various accessories such as stickers, bells, lights, baskets or ornament. 

You should also make swimming part of any plan for personal physical fitness for teens. Swimming is fun and it strengthens and elongates the body the same way Pilates does.  If your adolescent is shy about showing their body in public you can encourage participation in swimming by buying swimsuits or trunks that make your child look cool at the pool. Overweight girls who are sensitive about their appearance can also now buy swimsuits that have boy shorts and skirts, which offer more coverage. 

A kid that spends a lot of time on the couch watching television might be inspired by competitive sports. Enrolling your child sports team that meets and plays regularly is a good way for a kid to get exercise.  It also teaches skills like goal setting, teamwork and how to get along with other people. Gymnastics might also suit some individuals who are already demonstrating some level of athletic prowess. Competing in sports and gymnastics teaches your child an appreciation of the potential of their bodies to do great things. If your kid is a thrill seeker then you might have to come up with some more clever ways to excite him or her about the idea of exercise.  Some more offbeat and adventurous ideas for physical fitness for teens are rock climbing, surfing, skateboarding, rollerblading and hiking.  Adolescents that enjoy thrilling sports also might enjoy taking part in a biking trip that takes them out of town and involves camping and swimming. There are many parks in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom with extended bike trails that take you across a network of trails that intersect with cities.