STRENGTH IN BELIEF
Starting strength training at a young age can have long-term positive health benefits but it needs to be done correctly.
LET US NOT CONFUSE STRENGTH TRAINING WITH WEIGHTLIFTING, BODYBUILDING OR POWERLIFTING.
WELCOME to 2019. A new year, maybe a new approach for sport.
I am sure many parents are looking at how they can help their children in their sporting endeavours.
Strength training is a topic of interest for many parents, coaches, researchers and practitioners.
When to start? How much is enough or too much? What exercises to prescribe?
These questions and many more are constantly debated.
At present there is compelling scientific evidence which supports participation in appropriately designed youth resistance training programs that are supervised and instructed by qualified professionals.
This is the important area – qualified strength and conditioning professionals, not an interested parent. The benefits of strength training starting at a young age can have long-term positive health and fitness adaptations and sport performance for children.
Firstly, let us NOT confuse strength training with weightlifting, bodybuilding or powerlifting.
These activities are largely driven by competition, with participants vying to lift heavier weights or build bigger muscles than those of other athletes.
This WILL put too much strain on young muscles, tendons and areas of cartilage that haven’t yet turned to bone (growth plates), particularly if proper technique is sacrificed in favor of lifting larger amounts of weight.
Strength training uses low resistance and repetitions to gradually build strength and conditioning.
For kids, light resistance and controlled movements are best with a special emphasis on proper technique and safety.
Young athletes can do many strength training exercises with his or her own body weight or inexpensive resistance tubing. Free weights and machine weights are other options but only under strict supervision and guidance.
There are many myths about youth and weight training. Comments like:
“Kids can’t do strength training; they’ll get injured.”
“Won’t too much fitness training stunt my kid’s growth?”
“Won’t weights make my daughter muscly?”
Fitness is important but it also needs to be age-appropriate. Training for kids is only safe and beneficial when it’s age-appropriate, when it’s progressive, and when they’re taught and monitored for correct form.
With childhood obesity on the rise, youth training programs have become increasingly widespread and popular.
Parents, if you want your child to start strength training, make sure you follow some basic guidelines (see below).
Just as adults need to build a foundation for strength training with exercises in balance and proper form and movement, children also require practice, exercises and progressions that match their age and fitness levels.
Next week I will follow this article up with further guidelines on my philosophy on strength training.
Please understand that my philosophy comes from being involved with track and field and sport in general for over 40 years.
I am also a Level 5 coach in track and field and have been mentored in the area of strength and conditioning by one of Australia’s leading strength coaches in athletics.
I am happy to hear from anyone who has any questions in this area.