Should my son/daughter be resistance training?
What age should my child start resistance training?
Is it safe for kids to lift weights?
How often should they train?
There are so many questions, and misinformations, surrounding the topic of youth athlete training.
When answering one of the above questions there isn’t necessarily a one-size-fits-all answer, much of it depends on context.
Should my son/daughter be resistance training?
Yes, in most cases (barring anything significant) youth athletes should be involved in a resistance training program. Not only will it contribute to their sport performance, but it will also aid them in becoming a more well-rounded athlete.
Most kids these days don’t spend significant amounts of time playing outside, climbing and jumping out of trees, getting to know how their bodies function. Due to this it has become increasingly more important for kids to be involved in a well structured and safely executed resistance training program.
What age should my child start resistance training?
As long as your child is able to follow instructions and act responsibly, they can begin engaging in an AGE-APPROPRIATE training program. For most kids this is around the age of 8 but can be as young as 6 years old.
The most important factor to consider when training young kids is to make the workouts age-appropriate. What this entails is looking at not only the chronological age, but also the biological age of the individual, and determining what kind of training they will benefit from. This includes looking at what type of exercises are safe for them to perform based on their physical and psychological maturity level. It is also important to remember that resistance training programs encompass much more than just weight lifting activities.
6-10: In this age range we want to focus on developing motor skills, balance, coordination, and the nervous system. Training sessions for this group should be short, fun, adventurous, and multifaceted.
Running, jumping, skipping, turning, crawling, throwing, kicking, and carrying are all methods of training that can be used.
11-13: By this age most kids decide whether they want to take sports seriously. While the emphasis is still on developing their motor skills, balance, coordination, and the nervous system, their training can be more organised. Sport related skills can also start to be added in around this age. We can teach them why we are doing certain things and how it will help them.
14+: If a child has been involved in a training program up to this point, we can look at starting to add in more strength training components as well as more structured and intense sessions. However, training still needs to be progressed slowly and safely. These kids are not adults yet and can’t be treated or trained in exactly the same way.
Is it safe for kids to lift weights?
Yes, as long as it is in a controlled environment, supervised closely by a qualified professional.
Research has shown that almost all of the accidents and injuries coming from youth resistance training happen when the individual is alone, lifting weights that are much too heavy, with poor technique.
With any sport or activity there is an inherent risk of injury. However, when all three of the aforementioned variables are negated, the risk of injury in youth resistance training is very low.
There is also a misconception that engaging in resistance training at a young age will ‘stunt the individuals growth’ and ‘damage growth plates’. This is NOT the case. Many studies on this topic have been conducted and they have shown that there is no evidence to link youth resistance training to any problems with growth.
How often should they train?
This depends on a few things including how active their schedule is already and how many sports they are playing. However, generally speaking they should be resistance training 2/3 times per week.
Benefits of youth resistance training
A well structured, age-appropriate training program can be a valuable tool in helping youth athletes decrease the likelihood of injury, improve motor skills and movement patterns, and augment their athletic performance.
However, the benefits go beyond just the physiological components. Being involved in a resistance training program from a young age teaches kids valuable life lessons, including that hard work and dedication to something will result in improvements.
It is also important to note that resistance training isn’t only beneficial to youth athletes. Kids who aren’t seriously involved in sport can also gain great benefit from a resistance training program. It is a great way for kids to become active and stay healthy.
Things to remember
- Youth resistance training is safe as long as it is structured and supervised by a qualified professional.
- Train kids as kids, they are not adults yet.
- Youth resistance training should be enjoyable and age-appropriate.
- Progress training slowly
- Resistance training is highly beneficial for athletes and non-athletes alike.
Resistance training is a form of exercise that we can do throughout most of our lives, so why not start early.
If you have any questions about anything I discussed, or are interested in getting started with a training program, don’t hesitate to reach out. You can find me on Instagram @evans.p.t or email me at train.ept@gmail.com.
