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Youth Strength Training: Is It OK?

You've heard coaches and other parents talk about strength training, but you wonder — is strength training really good for a child?

The answer is yes. Strength training exercises that are supervised, safe and age-appropriate offer many bonuses to young athletes.

Strength training for kids — not to be confused with weightlifting, bodybuilding or powerlifting — is a carefully designed program of exercises to increase muscle strength and endurance

Strength training benefits older preteens more than younger kids, according to Dr. Edward Laskowski MD., a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., and co-director of Mayo Clinic's Sports Medicine Center.

"It's certainly not necessary for 5- or 6-year-olds to be lifting weights," Dr. Laskowski says. "At that age, kids should be learning body awareness and body control, balance, running, jumping and throwing — movement skills we used to learn in P.E. class."

Because technique and proper form are so important, don't let your child begin strength training until he or she is mature enough to accept directions. A good rule of thumb is if your child is old enough to participate in organized sports, such as hockey, soccer or gymnastics, he or she is ready for some form of strength training.

For more information on this topic, click on Fitness and Sports.

posted by Mike @ 8:40 AM