Youth Protective

Youth Protective

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Youth Protective

The Truth about Youth and Resistance Training

When discussing the topic of resistance training for youth, it is often asked if this method of physical conditioning for sports is both effective and safe for children to participate in. It is a commonly held belief that children will be adversely affected if they participate in resistance training. This belief, however, is unfounded, and in many cases, it has been shown that resistance training cannot only benefit the sport performance of youth but also help to protect them from common injuries that are sustained during sports. It is our belief at Superior Athletic Advantage that resistance and other physical training is a vital part of developing not only better athletes but also stronger, more injury resistant youth.

A common misconception is that resistance training will damage the growth plates of children causing them to stop, or reduce their ability, to grow. The Epiphyseal plates, more commonly known as growth plates, are the cartilaginous areas at the end of long bones, at which the length of these bones is still increasing. Studies show that injuries to these areas of the bone responsible for growth are often sustained during high velocity, high force movements (NSCA p. 172). This happens when the weight of the body or other external forces are applied without the proper structural strength to tolerate these high forces. Basically, during common sporting movements such as running, jumping, landing, or contact with other participants. Resistance training, or other physical training for sport, which is conducted in a controlled environment where there is little chance for unexpected movements to occur, can help to prepare the body to resist injury during these types of generally unavoidable occurances. It should be mentioned as well that Epiphyseal plate damage requires a level of force that is several times greater than the weight of the body. Therefore, in order to damage a growth plate during resistance training, an athlete would have to be lifting a weight that greatly exceeds that of their own body. This would be feat of strength that is possible only after several years of aggressive strength training, and at that time the athlete would be finished growing!

As mentioned before resistance training in youth, as well as all other age groups, actually leads to stronger more dense bones and connective tissues. Whenever a person routinely engages in an activity that places more than the Minimal Essential Strain on their bones, bone cells called Osteoblasts are activated to increase the calcium density inside and around the bone. This occurs so that the bone is not repeatedly subjected to a level of strain that it is not structurally equipped to handle. Another benefit of resistance training related to bone and connective tissue comes from the increased level of strength in the muscle. As muscular strength increases the body must in turn increase strength of the connective tissue responsible for transmitting muscular contraction into physical movements (NSCA p.60). Not only is this reaction beneficial to performance, but also helps protect the body from sport related injuries by increasing the amount of force the connective tissues and there attachments to the bones can absorb.

In order to specifically target these beneficial adaptations specific exercises must be selected. The proper exercises are ones that include multiple joints and muscle groups. Examples of these types of exercises are squats, deadlifts, pull ups, presses, etc... Basically, any type of exercise that requires the body to stabilize itself, demands multiple muscle groups to work together, and applies compressive and shearing force to the bones and other structures relative to body weight, age, gender and training experience (NSCA p.61). This combination of forces will develop the quickest and most comprehensive strengthening response possible from bone and connective tissue. Also, as youth athletes adapt to stress placed on the body, external loading must increase slowly over time to continue positive growth in muscular and structural strength (NSCA p. 61).

Whenever a youth athlete decides to participate in resistance training it must be stressed that the athlete has a balanced diet that has adequate protein and calcium content. Protein is the building block of muscle and all other soft tissues in the body. Following resistance training protein is used to recover and rebuild muscles and connective tissues in a stronger form. Calcium is necessary for a similar reason, as it is vital to building strong bones. It should be observed that these strengthening processes are reversible if protein or calcium is not present in the diet. The human body will strip protein and calcium from muscles and bones for use in other processes more vital to survival.

With this information it is not hard to see why many health practitioners including pediatric and orthopedic doctors are recommending age appropriate resistance training exercises for healthy develop of youth.

Youth Strength Training Links

Mayo Clinic

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/strength-training/HQ01010

American College of Sports Medicine http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Search§ion=19991&template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentFileID=325

About the Author

Superior Athletic Advantage is a Strength and Conditioning/ Athletic Skill Enhancement facility located in Buffalo Grove, IL. The coaching staff consists of former Division I Strength and Conditioning Coaches, who have also spent time studying under a former Chinese Olympian in the sport of Weightlifting.

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