If a child is old enough to follow basic instruction, he or she can typically begin strength-training exercise.
Current recommendations say that children should get 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity on a daily basis. In the past it was thought unsafe for children to include resistance (strength) training as a form of exercise, but research has shown that with proper guidance and supervision, strength training has many benefits for the majority of preadolescents and adolescents.
The program must take into consideration individual differences, such as age, current state of health and emotional maturity. Exercises that require no equipment such as squats, push-ups and sit-ups may be used, as can those which use dumbbells, weight machines, elastic bands or a stability ball.
There are no specific recommendations for maintaining strength gains in preadolescents and adolescents once they have been achieved. Some research has shown that any gains made in strength, muscle size or power are lost after six weeks, however, if resistance training is discontinued.
Safety should always be a primary concern. Children are inquisitive, full of energy and not always focused on the task at hand, so be sure that your child is well supervised when exercising. A U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission report estimated that each year about 8,700 children under the age of 5 were injured with exercise equipment. There were an additional 16,500 injuries per year to children ages 5 to 14.
Types of equipment identified in these cases included stationary bicycles, treadmills, stair climbers and weight resistance machines. Fractures, amputations and even deaths were reported in about 20 percent of injuries related to exercise.
Exercise sessions should take place in a hazard-free, well-lit, adequately ventilated environment, with an instructor who has experience with children and strength training.
An instructor-to-child ratio of at least 1 to 10 is recommended.
Exercise can aggravate certain medical conditions in children such as asthma, diabetes and/or high blood pressure. To be safe, have your child evaluated by a physician before beginning a strength-training program. Any sign of injury or illness occurring once training has begun should also be evaluated.
Some guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics:
Strength-training exercise programs appropriate for most children or adolescents should begin with low resistance until proper form and technique are achieved. When a set of 8 to 15 repetitions can be completed, additional weight, increased by 10 percent increments, can be used.
To improve muscular endurance rather than increase strength, as may be needed in repetitive-motion sports, increasing repetitions instead of increasing resistance may be performed.
Include exercises that work all muscle groups, including the core through a full range of motion.
Workouts need to be at least 20 to 30 minutes and two to three times weekly. Additional weight or repetitions should be added as strength improves. Strength training four or more times per week provides no additional benefit.
Marjie Gilliam is an International Sports Sciences Master certified personal trainer and fitness consultant; .
