Your child plays soccer and wants to know how she can get stronger. She has heard that some players lift weights to increase their strength, can she? Is she old enough? Will lifting weights damage her growing bones and muscles? In the past, doctors have cautioned against children, and even teenagers, participating in weight lifting programs of any kind. Much of this caution was based on a concern that growing bones might be permanently damaged from trauma to their growth plates as a result of lifting.
Today, we know that it is safe for children and teenagers to lift weights, if done properly. Indeed, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Sports Medicine, and the National Strength and Conditioning Association all agree that when done correctly, children and teenagers may greatly benefit from lifting weights as part of a strength training program.
When is it safe to begin lifting weights? Your child may begin to lift weights as soon as he or she is old enough to follow directions. A good rule of thumb is that when she is old enough to participate in an organized sport such as soccer, hockey, or baseball she is also old enough to begin a supervised weight training program. Often, this occurs around 6 years of age.
The most important guideline to follow when designing a weight training program for your child or teenager is good technique, good technique, and good technique. Injuries occur when good technique is compromised. Good weight lifting technique for a youth is not merely a less intense version of an adult weight lifting program. Adult programs often stress fewer repetitions and higher resistance. In contrast, correct youth weight lifting technique includes less resistance and more repetitions using smooth, controlled motions. Lifting less weight for more repetitions is not only safe, but is also more effective. Multiple studies have consistently shown that children who lift less weight for more repetitions make significantly greater gains in muscle strength and muscle endurance than do children who lift more weight for fewer repetitions.
Other important guidelines for children to follow include controlled breathing, and warm up and cool down exercises (such as brisk walking, jogging in place, or jumping rope) for at least 5 to 10 minutes before and after lifting. Children should also be taught to track their progress with exercise charts to document how many repetitions they complete at a given weight or resistance. Weight or resistance should be increased gradually, and only when your child can comfortably perform at least 10-12 repetitions with a particular weight. Another principle to keep in mind is that whereas adults lift weights to and beyond muscle exhaustion, this level of intensity is unsafe for a child (because it almost inevitably leads to bad technique) and counterproductive (because a child’s developing muscles respond better to less intense stimulation).
An appropriate beginning exercise regimen for a child includes performing one exercise for each major muscle group. Children should exercise no more than 4-5 muscle groups per exercise session. Each individual exercise should include 12-20 repetitions at a lighter weight under strict adult supervision. This should initially be done twice per week. Once the child is comfortable with this regimen, the frequency of exercise may increase to 3 times per week, making sure to rest at least one day in between each exercise day. Free weights, weight machines, resistance bands, and his or her own body weight (e.g., push ups, sit ups) are all appropriate tools to use in child weight lifting, as long as the child is appropriately supervised by an adult. Try to keep the routine fun by varying the routine often. Kids are more likely to stick to their workouts if they are having fun!
While child athletes may be more likely to express an initial interest in weight lifting, all children can benefit from a safe, structured weight lifting program. And the benefits are plentiful -- including improved athletic performance, better heart and lung function, a healthier body composition, stronger bones, lower blood cholesterol levels, improved self-esteem, and a good fitness life-style that is more likely to last a lifetime! For more information on this and related topics please review the following sites:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/exerciseforchildren.html
http://www.strongkid.com
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4596
Author Information:
Grant Cooper, MD
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
New York-Presbyterian Hospital
The University Hospitals of Columbia and Cornell
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