WORDS BY ERICA NEWTON, MYFIRSTGYM CO-FOUNDER
Why teenagers need movement more than another algorithm.
Teenagers are fascinating. One minute they’re eating everything in the fridge, the next they’re sleeping till lunchtime. They’ll practice a dance routine or skateboard trick for three hours straight, but are “literally too tired” to empty the dishwasher. Dare not ask them how their day went: you’ll get a look of adolescent derision so intense you’ll melt into the floor. Literally. And then, just as you climb into bed, exhausted from being the worst parent in the world (apparently), they appear at your bedroom door, ready to divulge every single detail of their day.
Yep, teenagers are fascinatingly complicated.
They’re growing faster than they have since they were toddlers. Their brains are developing, friendships are changing, confidence can swing wildly from one day to the next, and their bodies are trying to keep up with it all.
It’s a lot, and despite all our innovation and breakthroughs as a society, I don’t think this generation of teens have it easy at all.
Looksmaxxing, Social Media and Movement Trends.
Every generation has had to navigate the awkwardness of growing up. The hormones. The friendship dramas. The pressure to fit in. The rollercoaster of trying to work out who you are while desperately hoping nobody notices you don’t really know who you are.
Social media has taken all those things and amplified them exponentially. For our teens, there is nowhere to hide or even regroup, especially if they have an internet enabled device in their hand. Constantly exposed to carefully curated highlight reels, impossible beauty standards and influencers telling them how to dress, what to eat, how to train and even how their faces should look… it’s not only exhausting, it’s completely toxic.
One of the latest trends, looksmaxxing, takes that pressure to a whole new level. It’s built around the idea that if you follow the right diet, workouts, skincare routines and endless ‘hacks’, you’ll somehow unlock the perfect appearance.
Now, I’m all for looking after yourself and feeling confident in your own skin. But confidence built entirely on what you see in the mirror or (much worse) what the internet says is on trend, can be a very fragile path to self-assurance. Especially when adolescence is a time of constant changes in hormones and the body. Research from Macquarie University found that among Australian pre-adolescents, appearance comparisons on social media predicted every aspect of mental health measured, while greater investment in appearance predicted more depressive symptoms.
What does that mean? Feeling good about yourself and consuming social media are the very definition of ‘frenemies’.
The Movement Antidote.
Long before social media, becoming an adult wasn’t about perfect skin or the right jawline. Whether it was a young Spartan proving their endurance or Aboriginal children learning through movement on Country, rites of passage celebrated capability over appearance. That is exactly what movement still offers today’s teenagers.
Physical activity should never be about changing your body. It’s about strengthening your mind as much as your muscles. Movement is about feeling good from the inside out, not the other way around.
Regular physical activity has been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, improve mood, boost self-esteem, support better sleep and help young people cope with stress. It all makes sense, but fewer than one in five Australian teenagers meet the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity each day.
Kicking the Doomscroll for Dodgeball.
A core MyFirstGym principle is creating lifelong healthy habits, something we do in a fun, safe and inclusive environment. Supportive staff and coaches, one uniform, one drop-off and pick-up and a variety of classes help keep movement interesting. It makes MyFirstGym the perfect place to begin the healthy habit journey or improve the one your teen is already on.
Social media tells teenagers to value their bodies for how they look. Movement teaches them to value their bodies for what they can do.
MyFirstGym can help with that. Check us out here: www.myfirstgym.com.au