Teen Bodybuilding risks and rewards

We're living in a particularly image-conscious society in a world that, as a whole, is growing more image-conscious by the day. Thanks to mass-media and the proponderance of websites like Facebook, MySpace and the like, our kids are bombarded with the message that they have to be beautiful, have to be well-liked, have to be a mini-celebrity in and of themselves in order to have any sort of happiness.

And that's a shame, since teens are already at risk for high rates of depression, suicide and mental illness already. They are balls of hormones and stresses, and they have no experience to guide them in how to deal with their changing bodies and emotions.

For many, then, teen bodybuilding is an easy and constructive way out. It's a direct reward activity, one that stresses the message that you get out of a thing what you put into it. Work hard, and your body will improve. Work harder, and your body will improve more. Discipline yourself in terms of only weight work, and you'll get limited benefits. Discipline your diet and cardio work, and your benefits both in terms of health (short and long-term) and physical appearance are limitless.

So teen bodybuilding can be, if not exactly a panacea, at least a constructive activity. Not only will it have the benefits of increasing fitness and all around health, it'll also instill dedication and have the added benefit of building self-confidence. Many teens feel like they'll never accomplish anything, or that things that are hard aren't worth doing. Get them in a gym and watch them improve their fitness over the course of a month or two, and they'll change their tune.

With that improved fitness will come improved bodies, which leads to more self-confidence and less self-consciousness. This is naturally the end goal, but like anything else with teenagers, teen bodybuilding can be taken to extreme, unhealthy levels. Kids are much more likely to become obsessed than people from other age groups, so it's imporatnt to make sure that your teen sees bodybuilding as a hobby or an outlet rather than a way of life. If he or she begins to see it as the latter, there is the risk not only of direct injury from repetitive stress, but the outside temptation of taking illegal substances like anabolic steroids or human growth hormone in an effort to bulk up and get more definition. There's also the risk of your child suffering from an eating disorder, as there's always bound to be someone around who's more lean and cut, leading them to be self-critical.

The best ward against taht kind of behavior is diligent parenting. Teen bodybuilding is not somethign your teen should do alone, in other words. You don't necessarily have to be there at the gym with them, but you should take an interest and engage them on their day when they come home.