Children will always do what they do best—MOVE. Society just needs to ensure that their movement tends to productivity for overall physical and psychological wellness. Advancements in technology has many benefits, but it is imperative that we keep them in perspective by managing our habits and not allow them to be distractions. As children learn to crawl before they can walk in different stages of development, they will also become interested in various physical activities in the same way and will require further guidance in safe participation in strength activities to reduce the quantity and quality of injuries.
Children are not miniature adults! The key to preventing injuries in our youth during strength training is mature, responsible coaching and supervision (4). Risk has to be managed, not avoided when engaging in physical activity and exercise. The perception that is strength training is unsafe and inappropriate for our youth is inconsistent with current knowledge from research (4). The main benefit of strength training for youth is neural adaptation. Development of the nervous system is a major factor in preventing or decreasing the severity of injuries in activities of daily living or sports (4). Past puberty, adolescents may experience increased lean muscle mass due to increasing amounts of hormonal changes. This is significant in handling the demands placed on the body as youths mature. A healthy perspective must be also maintained during this period to prevent the formation of a serious cultural dilemma of external admiration or being too fond of “outward beauty” without building the necessary physical & mental infrastructure. Designing training priorities into seasons (Off-season, Preseason, In-season, Postseason) builds that infrastructure (1). The Off-season focuses on muscular balance, symmetry, endurance, and posture with the use of resistance training; Preseason focuses on sport specific skill coupled with light resistance training; In-season focuses on maintenance of preseason training goals; Postseason focuses on active rest, recovery, and therapeutic strategies. The ACSM, American College of Sports Medicine, estimates that 50% of overuse injuries sustained by active youth can be prevented by emphasizing the balance of sport seasons with physical fitness rather than sport-specific training alone (4).
With the prevalence of childhood obesity today, strength activities should be designed in a manner that encourages participation while addressing the components of health and fitness. It really breaks my heart to see a child who wants to participate in a sporting activity, but does not due to the fear of not being able to perform the movements confidently. There are many strength training modalities that are available to help youth athletes improve body composition while engaging in sports at the same time if regular body weight exercises presents a challenge. Modified body weight, medicine ball, stability ball, rubber tubing, and some free weight training can assist not only in ensuring a successful training session, but also allow for progression to more challenging movements to build individual and team confidence (5). The use of these training styles also puts focus on proper technique for continued progress in strength.
Reducing distractions, managing risks concerning physical activity, and improving body composition are just some factors that need to be addressed when training youth athletes. The psychological element of athletics adds to the complexity in adolescent behavior that youth already have a hard time dealing with in regard to personal and social issues due to rapid hormonal changes in their transition to adulthood. In light of this, we must have a clear and concise definition for sportsmanship. Sportsmanship is built by having the courage to stare life in the face and overcome opposition while maintaining the will to not compromise self worth. Let’s TRAIN our youth!
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1. Baechle T, Earle R. Essentials of Strength and Conditioning (3rd ed). Baechle T and Earle R, eds. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2008.
2. Powers S, Howley E. Exercise Physiology (7th ed). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2009.
3. Thompson WR. Worldwide survey of fitness trends for 2013. ACSM HealthFitness J. 2012; 16(6): 8-17
4. Vehrs P. Strength Training in Children and Teens: Dispelling Misconceptions-Part One. ACSM HealthFitness J. 2005; 9(4): 8-12.
5. Vehrs P. Strength Training in Children and Teens: Implementing Safe, Effective, and Fun Programs-Part Two. ACSM HealthFitness J. 2005; 9(4): 13-18.
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