1. Plank

Plank is definitely one of the best teenage exercises out there! Plank strengthens your core, and a strong core is important because you use it every day for everything, it helps keep your back healthy and strong, improves your posture, and more! Healthy abs will help you infinitely in the present as well as later in life. I consider plank the best core workout because you can multitask in plank-put a book on the floor and read to pass the time, put a phone there instead and you can watch music videos or YouTube! Perfect for a busy teen! Plus, you can mix it up in plank; challenge yourself at your own pace by putting one arm up, inverting your plank, or going onto your elbows.

2. Daily Jog

Cardio exercise is important for heart health, and is a great habit to form when you’re young. Going on a daily thirty minute jog will benefit your body so much! Within a few weeks, you’ll notice that you have more energy, you’ve slimmed down, and are building muscle. For double the benefits, jog before school with a friend so that you can wake up your brain and focus better in class!

3. Nightly Walk

A 30 minute jog is great, but you’re supposed to have 60 total minutes of cardio per day. So what’s a girl to do? You can go for a quick-paced evening stroll every day to fulfill your daily cardio requirement. Plus, it’s a great way to wind down the evening and get tired before bed!

4. Roll Ups

Roll ups are a little bit different, and in my opinion a little bit better, than the traditional crunch. This motion is 30% more effective when targeting your “six-pack” muscles. Doing 8-10 reps of these will not only strengthen your core and build up visible muscles, but also improve your posture by strengthening your lower back!

5. Cobra Pose

I am absolutely in love with anything relating to yoga! However, this pose is definitely one of my favorites that I couldn’t live without. Cobra pose is good for a number of bodily improvements; it prevents slouching, improves posture, and strengthens your lower back muscles. Plus, out of all yoga poses, it’s one of the easiest to perform! To do cobra, lie on your stomach, place your palms next to your shoulders, then press up, lifting your hips off the ground, and hold for at least five breaths.

6. Goddess Squats

My least favorite place to gain weight, and I’m assuming this goes for a lot of other teens, is my inner thighs! It just isn’t very cute! While I definitely don’t recommend working out with the goal of getting a “thigh gap”, or simply to look good to impress boys, I do recommend doing goddess squats to eliminate excess fat in an unwanted area! Goddess squats are basically wide-legged plie squats. They burn, but in a good way!

7. Luminosity

Don’t forget that your brain is a muscle, too! In fact, it’s your most important body part because you literally could not live without it! To exercise your brain, play mental games, like those on luminosity, or simply complete crossword puzzles and sodoku. Over time, you’ll increase your mental flexibility, speed, and strength-just like your body!

I think it’s important for young girls to love their bodies just the way they are! Your body doesn’t need to change in order to be beautiful, because it already is completely gorgeous! However, since you love your body so much, it’s your duty to take good care of it! Which of these exercises will you try first? How will you fit it into your busy schedule?