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The Benefits of Youth Strength Training Ten Success Tips for Youth Strength Training:1) Prevent dehydration by having your child drink one to two 8-ounce glasses of water before exercising; give him free access to water during the exercise routine. 2) Integrate free weights and resistance bands into the program. 3) Set a good example by not complaining about your own exercise. 4) Have your child begin each workout with 5 to 10 minutes of a warm-up activity, such as walking, jogging in place or jumping rope to minimize the risk of injury. 5) Establish a rest period of at 6) Vary the program regularly to create diversity and avoid boredom. 7) Plan for a program that is progressive in nature yet does not overshoot the child’s physical or emotional abilities to tolerate and recover from the exercise routine. 8) Find a trainer who connects well with your child so that the time spent together will be something they both look forward to rather than a punishment that they dread. 9) Be sure that all the major muscle groups are addressed in a balanced, full-body workout. 10) Make strength training part of a bigger
overall program by teaching positive
lifestyle habits such as proper nutrition,
good sleep patterns and hygiene.
Strength training leads to increased muscle mass, and since muscle burns more calories than fat, it’s a great way to help kids lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. It’s important that a certified trainer supervise your child, at least in the beginning, because the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children avoid weight lifting, power lifting and bodybuilding until they have reached a certain level of developmental maturity, usually around age 15. This means that strength-building activities for children are safe, but should be monitored and age-appropriate. Examples of strength-training exercises include sit-ups, crunches, leg lifts, pushups, pull-ups, lunges, knee bends, heel raises, arm curls with free weights, and any other exercises that involve free weights, resistance bands or body weight.” by Amber O'Neal, owner of Cafe Physique, an Atlanta-based fitness and nutrition company for children and adults. Nutrition Bookshelf Get a Healthy Weight for Your Child: A Parent’s Guide to Better Eating and Exercise. Authors Brian W. McCrindle and James G. Wengle offer tips on how to manage your child’s weight through the four-stage Healthy Weight Program. Sample menus, diagrams of at-home exercises and nutrition worksheets are a huge benefit. ($18.95) Dr. Susan’s Kids-Only Weight Loss Guide: The Parent’s Action Plan for Success. Get your kids fit without a fight! You can do it with Dr. Susan Bartell’s help – her book teaches you about family patterns that cause kids to be overweight and offers help on breaking those habits. Bartell also provides quizzes to make you think about your own attitudes of eating healthy and exercise. ($12.95) Supervised strength training that emphasizes proper technique along with these success tips can offer your child:
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To help your
child lose weight, maintain a normal weight
or simply develop life-long healthy habits,
you should encourage regular physical
activity as part of your family lifestyle at
an early age. Many parents focus on
repetitive cardiovascular activities such as
running, cycling and jumping when they think
of exercise for kids. While this type of
activity certainly has benefits, strength
training can also be an important part of
your child’s fitness routine.