Get Kidz Fit

Getting Kidz Fit for Life

Should your child lift weights?  Will it stunt their growth?

Misconception:                                                       Truth:

Strength training is an unsafe activity for youth.             If strength training is safe and effective for our                                                                                              frail elderly, it is even better for healthy young                                                                                                people with full movement capacity.

Increases potential injuries                                              It helps reduce the number of injuries sustained                                                                                             during physical activity.

Strength training can be detrimental to bone                  Strength training has been shown to enhance development in children.                                                 bone development in kids.

Calisthenics exercises are safer than strength                Most children, (especially those who are underfit &                                                                                         overweight) cannot complete a single pull-up or                                                                                             push-up.  Practicing only calisthenics exercises                                                                                             results in failure.

The results are short-lived                                              Strength training effects are relatively long lasting                                                                                        due to increased muscle tissue.

Benefits of Youth Strength Training:

• Strength training provides visual reinforcement, because students can see how much weight they are lifting and how much progress they have made.
  

• Success rate of overweight boys and girls; unlike most athletic activities (running, jumping, etc), in which extra body weight is undesirable, strength training favors larger youth and gives them a much-needed sense of accomplishment.
  

• Stronger muscles, bones, tendons and ligaments
  

• More muscle & Less fat
  

• Higher metabolism (burns calories faster)
  

• Greater physical capacity & self-confidence
  

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• Lower injury risk
  

Youth Strength Training Facts:

• According to the American College of Sports Medicine, 50% of preadolescent sport injuries could be prevented, in large part, by enrolling kids in youth strength and conditioning programs.
  

• In a 10-month study of 9-10 year old girls, bone mineral density increased by 6.2 % in those who performed  strength and aerobic exercise, compared to 1.4% in those who did not strength train.
  

Training Guidelines:

Sets:  one challenging set of each exercise, which may or may not be preceded by one or two preliminary

         sets.

Repetitions:  10-15 reps in each exercise set

Progression:  a weight increase of 5% or less (1-5 pounds) once a child can complete 15 repetitions

                       with a given load

Speed:  2 seconds for lifting movements and 2 seconds for lowering movements

Range:  full movement range on simple exercises and moderate movement range on complex exercises

Breathing:  exhale during lifting movements, and inhale during lowering movements

      

Posture:  standing or sitting tall with head up, shoulders square, torso erect, hips level; avoid twisting,

                turning and squirming

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