Guidelines from the UK’s Chief Medical Officer recommend that children and young people take part in 60 minutes or more of sport and physical activity a day, on average.
It’s no secret that exercising and being active – whatever your age – is not only good for the body, but the mind too. So, how old do you have to be before you can go to the gym?
The answer varies depending on the gym’s operator. The most common age is 16 and we are no exception here at Bolton Arena Sports Village.
Why? The NHS says children and young people aged up to 18 need to do two types of physical activity each week:
- Aerobic exercise.
- Exercises to strengthen their muscles and bones.
It goes on to say: “Young people can use weights for resistance exercise if a qualified adult trains them to use weights correctly and supervises them.”
A Bolton Arena membership provides access to the gym, health suite and group fitness sessions.
Most importantly, though, it includes a full gym induction, and access to our outdoor 400m running track, covering both elements of the NHS recommendations.
Why being active is important
The latest Active Lives Children and Young People survey by Sport England that covered the 2022-23 academic year revealed that 43% of children and young people ARE meeting the Chief Medical Officer’s recommendation we began this article with.
Although it’s less than half, it’s actually good news as it shows the figure holding firm following a slump during the Covid-19 pandemic.
And at the risk of repeating ourselves, being active is good for the mind too.
The Children’s Society’s ‘The Good Childhood Report’ 2024 youth section found that most wellbeing scores were down on those in the 2009/10 report. Overall, 15-year-olds in the UK had lower wellbeing on average than 15-year-olds across 27 European countries.
The report has prompted the Children’s Society to call on the government to prevent a mental health crisis among young people.
Such findings add magnitude to the simple question: ‘How old do you have to be to go to the gym?’
We believe starting young creates good habits that can benefit young people a on their life’s journey.
Click here for more information about our memberships
