[Dominique Stasulli is an Athletic Development Intern at Athletic Lab]

kobeShould your child be weight training to supplement their traditional sporting practices? There has been much controversy in recent years on whether or not strength training (also known as resistance training) in youth population is safe or effective. Many parents voice their concerns for their child’s health, based on the belief that resistance training may damage growth plates, stunt growth, lead to injury, build muscle prematurely, and hinder pubertal progression. These concerns are reasonable but not valid or supported by the research. This article serves to be an informative piece to clear up the parental concerns regarding any negative effects of strength training in youth populations.

Does strength training damage my child’s bone growth or tendons
In a growing child, growth cartilage can be found at the following three locations: the ends of long bones, the lining of joint surfaces, and where tendons attach to the bones (1). The potential for injury to this type of vulnerable tissue is actually less in preadolescent (prepubescent) children because cartilage is actually more pliable and resistant to sheering forces at this age (1). The evidence suggests that strength training in youth, actually increases the strength of ligaments, tendons, and bone (2), much like other weight bearing exercise. Childhood and adolescence is an opportune time for the process of bone remodeling, in which the body recycles structural bone cells in order to then build stronger bones (by increasing the bone mineral density); the body does this in response to tensile or compressive forces, such as those experienced with resistance training or any other weight bearing activity. In the most recent statement from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), it is stated that there is, “no evidence to suggest that resistance training will negatively impact growth and maturation during childhood and adolescence” (1), since the supposed training-induced damage is in fact, non-existent.

Is my child more likely to be injured from strength training
There have been a growing number of sport-related injuries and hospitalizations in recent years, specifically involving youth populations. Certain youth injuries may even increase the risk of osteoarthritis (the wear-and-tear type) in the joints (1). In most of these injuries, the child was found to be unprepared for the demands of the sport due to improper training, lack of conditioning, muscle imbalances, or previous unhealed injury; when addressed appropriately, the risk of acute and chronic overuse injuries decreases dramatically by 15 to 50% (1). Due to the positive effects that resistance training has on strengthening the musculoskeletal system, the likelihood of injury is actually reduced (2), indicating a need for its incorporation into both a preseason conditioning and a competition-season maintenance program.

Will my child build bulky muscle from strength training
During adolescence (post-puberty), muscle strength gains can be correlated with increasing muscle size as a result of increasing hormonal circulation. This is unable to occur in prepubescent children because they lack the proper hormones to induce muscle growth (1, 2). With that being said, strength gains are still seen in these youth, due to neural adaptations to weight training. Typically 1-3 sets of 6-15 repetitions are recommended, with a combination of both upper- and lower-body strength exercises (1). The resistance/weight can be increased gradually, 5 to 10%, as strength improves (1).

Will my child’s sport performance be enhanced by strength training
The American College of Sports Medicine states that “properly designed and competently supervised youth strength training programs may not only increase the muscular strength of children and adolescents, but may also enhance motor fitness skills and sports performance” (2). Strength gains up to 74% have been observed after an 8-week progressive strength program, with the average falling around 30% over 8-20 weeks (1). The steepest gains are seen especially in preadolescence, due to the rapid instatement of neuromuscular adaptations in which the brain circuitry is wiring the coordination of various musculoskeletal movements for speed, power, agility, and so on. Some parents may worry that their child will become too fatigued from strength training to perform in his or her sporting competition, but studies have shown that children are able to recover from this type of exercise quicker than adults (1).

Ultimately why should my child strength train

The NSCA Position Statement states that properly designed youth strength training (1):

    1. Is relatively safe for youth
    2. Can enhance the muscular strength and power of youth
    3. Can improve the cardiovascular risk profile of youth
    4. Can improve motor skill performance and may contribute to enhanced sports performance of youth
    5. Can increase a young athlete’s resistance to sports-related injuries
    6. Can improve the psychosocial well-being of youth
    7. Can promote and develop exercise habits during childhood and adolescence

In the end, not only does a child reap performance-based benefits of strength training from a young age, but also those benefits involving important health-related measures, providing a long-term, stable wellness profile that can be carried into adolescence and adulthood. The verdict is: Yes to strength training and all it has to offer for a young athlete.References

    1. Faigenbaum, AD, Kraemer, WJ, Blimkie, CJR, Jeffreys, I, Micheli, LJ, Nitka, M, and Rowland, TW. Youth resistance training: Updated position statement paper from the National Strength and Conditioning Association. J Strength Cond Res 23(5): S60-S79, 2009
    2. Faigenbaum, AD & Micheli, LJ. “Youth strength training.” American College of Sports Medicine Bulletin 32:2. Pg 28.