Misconception
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Truth |
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Strength training is an unsafe activity for youth.
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If strength training is safe and effective for our frail elderly, it is even better for healthy young people with full
movement capacity.
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Increases potential injuries
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It helps reduce the number of injuries sustained during physical activity.
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Strength training can be detrimental to bone development in children.
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Strength training has been shown to enhance bone development in kids.
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Calisthenics exercises are safer than strength training exercises.
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Most children, (especially those who are underfit & overweight) cannot complete a single pull-up or push-up. Practicing only calisthenics exercises
results in failure.
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The results are short-lived
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Strength training effects are relatively long lasting due to increased muscle tissue.
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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
- 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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