Young children have less endurance than teens, not to mention from a smaller attention span. Once your child hits the teenage years, her body is more fully developed, and she should be able to perform sustained sports activities that require higher endurance than in early childhood. Keep in mind, however, that teenagers' bodies are still developing, so always be sure to supervise any weightlifting exercises.
Push-ups and Crunches
Whereas exercises like vertical jumps indicate muscle power, the number of push-ups and crunches a teenager can do indicates his muscular endurance, according to the book "Inspire Kids and Teens to Fitness," by the IDEA Health & Fitness Association. Make sure that your teens do crunches and push-ups with the correct form for maximum benefit and challenge. During push-ups, the head and neck should be aligned and straight, and the hands should be below the shoulders, with the weight primarily on the outside of the hand to prevent wrist injury.
Interval Training
Interval training allows teens to improve their endurance while also increasing cardiovascular health and strengthening their muscles. Interval training involves alternating lower-intensity exercises, like walking or jogging, with high-intensity activities like sprinting or jumping rope. According to "The Interval Training Workout," teens should be careful to avoid overexertion during interval training, since the alternation of high- and low-intensity workouts can mask heat exhaustion and muscle fatigue. Fartleks are a classic example of interval training used in teenage sports programs. To perform fartleks, teens alternate slow jogging and fast bursts of running.
Strength Training
Although the intense bodybuilding is inappropriate for adolescents and teenagers, moderate strength training helps build muscle strength and endurance. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, strength training is especially beneficial for children and adolescents who are overweight and those with cerebral palsy. Because heavy lifting can be damaging, challenge your teenager to make strength training a long-term goal rather than focusing on how much weight he lifts. As noted by the AAP, children and adolescents lose any gains in muscle strength that they may acquire from strength training within six weeks of stopping their workouts, so strive for consistency for maximum benefit.
Diet and Sleep
Exercise isn't the only factor involved in improving endurance. In addition to encouraging your teen to exercise at least five days of the week, challenge him to change his diet habits to provide the best fuel for muscle development. Avoid low-carb diets, since carbohydrates provide energy for muscle recovery. Instead, encourage your teen to make at least half of his carb intake from healthy sources, like whole grain products. Sleep is another important factor in improving endurance. Make sure that your teen receives at least 8 1/2 hours of sleep each night, as recommended by the National Sleep Foundation.
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