Summer has arrived, which often means teenagers might be parked on the couch all season, endlessly scrolling their phones and not doing much of anything.
Hold on — that shouldn’t be the case. It’s essential to encourage your teen to stay active this summer for both physical and mental health.
Don’t worry if there aren’t school gym classes in June and July. High school students ages 14 to 19 can use any Planet Fitness location this summer at no cost. Register here to take advantage of the program, available at all 2,400 Planet Fitness clubs across the U.S. and Canada.
The complimentary access runs from May 15 through Aug. 31, and minors under 18 must sign up with a parent or guardian. Planet Fitness promotes this yearly initiative as a means to keep teens active through the summer in what it calls a “fun, safe and judgment-free zone,” as noted here.
The program includes free fitness training led by certified instructors, along with workout plans tailored specifically for high school students.
Why Staying Active Over Summer Matters
Even if teens don’t take advantage of Planet Fitness, health experts recommend they maintain a regular routine of physical activity during the break. It’s easy to fall out of habit when school is out and organized activities like sports, PE and after-school clubs pause for the season.
Planet Fitness highlights two important statistics:
- The World Health Organization advises that children and adolescents up to 17 years old should average at least 60 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity to support their physical and mental well-being.
- A broad 2021 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that nearly 30% of high school students reported experiencing poor mental health.
If you’re skeptical that teenagers will actually go to a gym, Planet Fitness notes that last summer 3.5 million high school-aged youths completed 17 million workouts at its clubs.
There’s also a TikTok contest. Teens can post a short video describing their Planet Fitness summer experience; ten participants will receive $10,000 scholarships. The contest details are available here.
For context, Planet Fitness regular monthly plans are typically $10 for a single location or $23 for access to any club, with an annual fee of $39.
Alex Morgan is a senior writer at Savinly.
