Strength Training- a young boy lifts a dumbbell

Strength Training in Children and Adolescents

ActiveKidMD thanks Dr. Cale Franklin, pediatric resident at UCI/CHOC and future sports medicine physician, for his insight on strength training.

Many concerned parents pose the questions, “should I allow my child to start lifting weights” or “how old can they start strength training?”

I would like to address these concerns to bring more comfort in this topic.

Strength Training- a young boy lifts a dumbbell

Benefits of Strength Training

  • Get stronger
  • Improve sports performance
  • Benefits for injury rehabilitation
  • Improve overall health
  • Stress relief, increase wellness

Downsides of Strength Training

The main downside is the possibility of injury that can risk not participating in sport, PE or simply maintaining daily physical activity. Muscle strains account for 40% to 70% of injuries

Myths of Strength Training Debunked

  • Strength training does not stunt growth
  • A child does not need to wait until puberty
  • Gains can occur fairly quickly as a well-designed program can increase strength by 30-50% over 8 weeks.
  • Strength training does not cause a loss of flexibility

How to get the most out of strength training

  • Proper technique is the most important followed by consistent supervision
  • Most injuries occur on home equipment with unsafe behavior and in an unsupervised setting
  • For younger children, consider the use of free weights such as dumbbells as machines are designed for adults
  • Have a well-designed program
    Start with very light resistance until proper technique is obtained. Increase weights by 10% after consistent completion of 8-15
    Target all muscle groups with proper technique
  • For productive results, workouts should be at least 20 to 30 minutes long and 2-3 times a week
  • Studies have shown more than 4 times a week has no added benefit
  • It is beneficial to have 10-15 minutes of warm up and cool down stretches

When can children start?

Studies have shown that balance and coordination matures to adult ability by around 7 to 8 years old. However depending on the individual, type of training, technique and supervision, some children can start earlier.

Should children see a doctor before starting?

  • All children should be evaluated by their primary care doctor
  • Additional caution for individuals with seizure disorders, high blood pressure or undergoing chemotherapy.

Any child with heart issues should see a Cardiologist
MORE INFO: Strength Training by Children and Adolescents. Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness Pediatrics 2008;121;835


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