Strength training for children and teens
Introducing strength training under the guidance of an exercise physiologist is the best way to ensure that children and teenagers are safe doing strength exercise.
Our practitioners introduce strength exercise to adolescents (10 years to 19 years) with a focus on teaching quality movement so that they learn the patterns they need for life and sport.
The Australian Strength and Conditioning Association (ASCA) indicates that strength and conditioning training can be started for children as young as 6 years old.
Adolescents are not adults, and respond to strength training differently due to age (and gender) related hormonal differences including levels of circulating androgens. Current research tells us that adolescents gain strength through neural adaptations, not muscle hypertrophy (muscle size). This means that strength training improves the number and coordination of activated motor neurons, and motor neuron firing rate and patterns.
Strength training for adolescents is about moving well through common functional-based strength movements such as squat, dead lift, lunge, press and row. The focus is on promoting muscular awareness, and coordination of arms and legs with trunk movements to support developing bodies. Introducing strength training at a young age is a great way to develop of strong base for those that work with weights as they get older. Muscular strength also helps reduce overload of the joints and tendons during normal everyday activities and sports which will benefit them into adulthood and reduces the overall risk of injury.
Research indicates that twice weekly strength training for 8-12 weeks in adolescents can improve overall strength by 30%-50%.
Benefits of strength training for children and teens
Core strength and stability
Strengthen and balance the body
Efficiency and coordination of movement
Improve power and endurance
Chronic disease management
Mental health
Body confidence
Sport performance
Injury prevention and recovery.
