Strong on the Sidelines: How Parents of Teen Athletes Can Reclaim Their Own Fitness

For as long as I’ve been a personal trainer, I’ve been fortunate to have a front-row seat to many different types of families — from the driven urban parents of New York City to the active, outdoorsy families of Southern California.

In New York, I saw professionals balancing high-pressure careers while navigating the relentless pace of raising kids in a competitive city. In my own childhood, I was part of a close-knit, stereotypical Italian-American family — equal parts love, loyalty, and lively debate around the dinner table, complete with home-cooked meals. And later, when I relocated to the West Coast, I discovered an entirely new rhythm of family life — one where weekends revolve around sunshine, sports, and time outdoors. Take-out food is more the norm around here. A drive thru dinner is usually the go to for busy parents supporting their busy athletes.

But no matter the zip code, the dynamic is strikingly similar. Once the kids hit middle school or high school, a shift happens. Parents — especially those raising competitive athletes — start to notice how much they’ve given to everyone else… and how little is left for themselves.

Deadlifts are my favorite!

Just getting started with three or four basic movement patterns will make it easier in the beginning of your reboot.

Fact:

Most parents don’t realize until it hits them… you’ve spent the better part of a decade training, just not in the gym.

You’ve trained your time management, your patience, your endurance for chaos. You’ve carried coolers, washed and folded uniforms. You headed team fundraisers and navigated weekend schedules like no other. You’ve built resilience — but somewhere along the way, your own strength training fell off the roster.

So if you’ve ever caught yourself wondering, “Where do I even start?” — you’re not alone. Every parent I train has been there. The good news? You don’t have to overhaul your life to find your strength again. You just have to take the first step — and I’ll help you figure out what that looks like.

In the coming weeks I will be working on a plan for parents that are ready to regain their strength. Because it takes more than motivation — it takes reorientation.

xx

Christina