Frequently Asked Questions

How Should My Child or Adolescent Strength Train?

The latest research shows that strengthening can benefit children and young adults as long as it is age appropriate and supervised. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Strength and Conditioning Association all support strength training for youth, as long as it is done properly.

Experts agree that with proper technique and the right amount of resistance, strength training will decrease the risk of injury in the youth population. If your child is old enough to participate in organized athletics and can follow directions, they are ready for some form of strength training. Some of the benefits of strength training for youth include:

• Increasing muscle strength and endurance
• Helping to protect muscles and joints from injury
• Helping to improve athletic performance
• Increasing bone strength
• Increasing heart and lung function
• Lowering cholesterol

Creating good fitness habits that can last a lifetime

A youth strength training program should be designed to emphasize correct technique, controlled motions and less resistance with many repetitions. This is the opposite of an adult strength training program. A coach or other athletic instructor can tailor a strength training program for your child. Some basic principles for a strength training program include:

• Proper instruction: each exercise should be demonstrated for your child so that they can see the correct way to do the exercise
• Supervision: your child should never participate in strength training unsupervised. Supervision helps decrease the risk of injury and can provide positive reinforcement.
• Proper warm up and cool down: your child should start activity with a 5 - 10 minute warm up (jogging, walking, etc) to help prepare the body for activity. End their workout with a similar cool down along with some stretching.
• Light weights and controlled repetitions: one set of 12 to 20 repetitions with a light weight is all it takes for your child to get the benefits of strength training. They can use adult sized weights as long as the weights are not too heavy.
• Rest: 2 - 3 times a week of strength training is all that is necessary, so make sure your child is getting at least a days rest in between workouts
• Keep it fun: variation in the routine can decrease the chance that your child will get bored with the activity. If your child is having fun, they are more likely to stick to the program.

Source:

• Mayo Clinic