Youth strength training: what parents and coaches should know

The question parents ask me most often is whether strength training is safe for their child. When it is properly planned and supervised, resistance training is safe and effective for children and adolescents [1,2,4], and it has a clear place in long term athletic development [3]. This article outlines the main benefits, addresses three common myths and sets out what good coaching should look like.

What strength training involves

Resistance training simply means making muscles work against a resistance, which may be body weight, elastic bands, medicine balls or free weights. Most young people begin with body weight exercises and a strong focus on technique, adding external load only as their movement quality improves [1,2].

The benefits

Strength and athletic performance. Resistance training produces large improvements in muscular strength in young athletes, alongside small to moderate improvements in jumping, sprinting and sport specific performance [5]. Both traditional strength training and explosive power training improve strength, power and speed in young people, and each is better suited to particular goals [6].

Health. Young people with greater muscular fitness tend to have better bone health, lower body fat, healthier heart and metabolic profiles and higher self esteem [7]. These are associations rather than proven effects, so muscular fitness is best viewed as one important part of an active, healthy lifestyle rather than a remedy in itself [7].

Readiness for sport. Well planned strength and movement training helps young athletes prepare for the physical demands of their sport and can reduce their risk of injury [1,3]. Injury prevention is covered in more detail in a separate article in this series.

Three common myths

Myth 1: “Strength training will stunt their growth”

Supervised and well designed resistance training does not damage the growth plates or reduce a child’s eventual height [1,2,4]. The growth plate injuries that have been reported are largely associated with poor technique, a lack of supervision or the misuse of equipment, rather than with properly coached programmes [2,4].

Myth 2: “It is unsafe for young people”

No physical activity is entirely free of risk, but the risk of injury from resistance training is low when young people are supervised by qualified coaches, taught sound technique and progressed sensibly [1,2]. Most reported injuries result from accidents, poor technique or a lack of supervision, frequently involving equipment at home [4]. The appropriate response is therefore to provide good coaching, rather than to avoid strength training altogether.

Myth 3: “It is only for older teenagers”

There is no minimum age for starting resistance training; the more important consideration is whether a child is able to listen to and follow coaching instructions [1,2,4]. Strength can be developed throughout childhood and adolescence, with the emphasis of training changing as young people grow and mature [8]. For younger children, this might involve games, body weight exercises and learning to squat, lunge, push, pull and land well, whereas older teenagers can progress to more structured lifting with heavier loads [8].

Growth, maturation and long term development

Children of the same age can differ considerably in physical maturity, particularly around puberty. Training should therefore be matched to each young person’s growth and maturation, with care taken to avoid excessive loading too early [3]. Strength and movement skills form the foundation of development at every stage [8].

In practice, a rapidly growing 13 year old may benefit from a period of lighter loading and greater emphasis on movement quality, while a teammate of the same age may be ready to progress [3,8].

How much activity young people need

Children and young people should average at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day across the week, including activities that develop movement skills, muscular fitness and bone strength [10]. Muscle and bone strengthening activities should be included on at least three days a week [9]. Sport, play and PE meet part of this need, and a short, well coached strength session or structured warm up helps to ensure that muscular fitness is not overlooked.

What good coaching looks like: a checklist

The following checklist can help parents choosing a programme and coaches introducing strength work at their club [1,2,3,4,8].

• Qualified coaching. The coach holds a recognised strength and conditioning qualification, such as UKSCA accreditation, and has experience of working with young people.
• Technique first. Young athletes master each movement with body weight or light loads before resistance is increased.
• Gradual progression. Load increases in line with movement quality rather than with how much a young person can lift.
• Appropriate frequency. Beginners train two to three times a week on non consecutive days [1,2].
• Growth awareness. The programme is adjusted around growth spurts and maturity, not age alone.
• Balance. Strength work complements sport, play and wider movement skills rather than replacing them.
• Safe environment. Equipment is suitable for young people, the space is clear and there are enough coaches for the size of the group.
• Enjoyment. Sessions are engaging and the purpose of each exercise is explained, so young people understand why they are training and want to return.

If a programme does not meet most of these standards, it is worth asking questions before your child takes part.

Summing up

Well coached strength training is safe and beneficial for children and teenagers [1,2,3,4]. It develops strength, power and speed [5,6] and is associated with wider health benefits [7]. The important question is therefore not whether young people should take part in strength training, but how well that training is coached.

This article gives general information about exercise and is not a substitute for individual advice from your GP, a physiotherapist or another qualified healthcare professional. If you have a health condition, an injury or symptoms, have recently been unwell or had an operation, or are pregnant or have recently given birth, speak to a healthcare professional before starting a new programme. Stop and seek advice if you feel pain or become unwell while exercising.