Today we know that children and teens who participate in resistance training experience a variety of benefits.
The benefits are further enhanced and the risks reduced when youth are under the supervision and instruction of a competent adult, such as a personal trainer. Give me a call on 027 351 8433 about some personal training sessions or an exercise program for your child or teenager.
Benefits of Strength Training
- Increased muscle strength
- Increased bone-mineral density
- Increased cardiorespiratory fitness
- Improved blood-lipid profile (cholesterol and triglycerides)
- Improved body composition (muscle vs. fat)*
- Lowered blood pressure (if they have high blood pressure)
- Increased resistance to injury
- Increased psychosocial well-being
- Enhanced sports performance**
- Improved attitude towards lifetime physical activity
Before starting on a resistance training program for children and adolescents:
- Always start with a warm-up and end with a cool-down.
- Begin with 1 set of 8–15 repetitions and enough exercises to include all major muscle groups. Work through a full range of motion.
- To achieve strength gains, the workout should be at least 15–30 minutes long 2–3 times per week, and resistance should be added as strength improves. Children should rest at least 1 day between sessions. There is no additional benefit to doing resistance training more than more 4 days per week.
- Increase resistance (number of repetitions, more advanced variations of an exercise, or the amount of weight used) once the young person can successfully perform 10 repetitions for three consecutive sessions
*Because strength training is not as taxing on the respiratory system as aerobic exercise, overweight children are more easily able to participant due to the decreased fatigue during exercise.
* * Resistance training should not replace practicing and perfecting the skills of your child’s sport, but rather supplement it and help avoid injuries.
Download Strength Training for Kids Program
Fill in the form below to receive a sample 15 minute fun dynamic body weight only exercise program that combines resistance (strength) and cardiovascular (huff and puff). Exercises can be performed indoors or outdoors in a back yard, in a park, or on hard sand on the beach.