Is Weight Training Unsafe for Kids?

I’m often asked by concerned parents, grandparents or anyone who has young athletes in their life whether weight training is safe for young athletes.

Especially around this time of year, as some are feeling the injuries from 9 months or more of continuous sports participation, and others are contemplating whether it is time to start training and conditioning in the summer.

This is a common concern, as I’ve repeatedly heard people make claims that weight training will stunt growth, reduce flexibility, increase injuries, decrease “touch” (usually referring to skills such as shooting a basketball) and other negative claims. Some simply question whether young athletes can even benefit from training.

Being entrusted with the responsibility for rehabilitating injuries and training developing athletes, I pay the utmost attention to the minimization of injury risks so as not to jeopardize the health of their growing bodies.

And as a parent who would sprint head first into oncoming traffic to protect my little girls, I completely understand the ongoing need to keep kids out of harm’s way.

That’s why I’m glad to address these concerns, and give you the facts about these issues. Fortunately, there is a preponderance of evidence and little disagreement regarding these issues. Even better, rather than finding harm, you’ll see that evidence shows just the opposite.

So let’s address some of these issues. Click here to go to the blog to see what I’m talking about – it is just scratching the surface of what’s out there.

Injuries in young athletes are increasing

“ I am seeing four times as many overuse injuries in youth sports than five years ago and more kids are having surgery for chronic sports injuries.”
-Dr James Andrews, regarded as the world foremost expert of orthopedics surgery and dysfunction of the shoulder and elbow in baseball pitchers.

Many injuries are preventable

“50% of overuse injuries in children and adolescents are preventable.”
- The American College of Sports Medicine

“Most overuse injuries can be prevented with proper conditioning and training”.
- Dr. John P.Difirori, Physician and Sports Medicine, ‘99

Overuse injuries are the most common

Nearly half of all sports injuries to middle-and high-school students, are due to overuse.
-NSCA

30% to 50% of all pediatric sports injuries are due to overuse
-SAFE Kids USA

Overuse injuries are more devastating

“Athletes who had overuse injuries lost 54% more time from training and competition than those who had acute injuries.”

“In some cases, the damage is permanent, increasing the risk that the athletes—some of them as young as 9—will suffer crippling arthritis or require extensive surgery as they get older.”
-Difiori, Physician and Sports Medicine

Proper conditioning is the solution

“Young athletes need proper training for sports. They should be encouraged to train for the sport rather than expecting the sport itself to get them into shape. Many injuries can be prevented if youths follow a regular conditioning program.”
- American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons

“Cross-training in moderation throughout the year is reccomended to prevent any one area of the body from becoming overworked and stressed and to help maintain overall fitness levels.”
-American Academy of Pediatrics

Risk factors identified for overuse injuries include inflexibility, muscle imbalance,Prior injury Inadequate conditioning Anatomic malalignment, low self-esteem,
Too-rapid training progression and/or inadequate rest, and incorrect sport technique
- Difiori, Physician and Sports Medicine

Closely Supervised Weight training is safe.

“There is no current evidence to support the misconceptions that children need androgens for strength gain or lose flexibility with training.”
- Lyle J. Micheli, MD, Boston Children’s Hospital, JAAOS, 2001

“Experimental training protocols with weights and resistance machines and with supervision and low instructor/participant ratios are relatively safe and do not negatively impact growth and maturation of pre- and early-pubertal youth.”
-Malina, Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine, 2006

“16-year-old athletes were divided up into a supervised training or unsupervised group. They performed the same program for 12 weeks. The supervised group demonstrated greater adherence and strength gains compared to the unsupervised group.”
-Coutts AJ, ,J Strength Cond Res. 2004

Clearly, we can see that not only is weight training safe for kids, but a comprehensive conditioning program (including strength training, amongst other forms of training) is widely excepted as a key component to injury prevention and optimal performance.

And I would also add that it has benefits that extend beyond what this research mentions.

Enhanced motor control is fostered with proper conditioning, which reduces impairments associated with disabling neck, back, shoulder, and knee conditions and arthritis pain that are experience by most adults.

Improved attitudes about fitness and nutrition are developed (which sometimes are negatively influenced by experiences with competitive athletics if one does not excel).

And finally, enhanced esteem is promoted through the process of training to improve strength, posture, and function.

Our Athlete Development Program is the perfect way to introduce your young athlete to proper training, or allow the more experience athlete to fully maximize their potential by learning how to train properly.

We have a low trainer to athlete ratio of 1:3, so we can closely supervise and individualize training programs. And we emphasize comprehensive training, focusing on ore than just a good workout, including instruction in proper nutrition, posture, and corrective exercises.

Find out more about or programs at http://www.spectrumfit.net/services/athletedevelopment.html
Be sure to check out what prior ADP participants and parents have said about or program clicking on the testimonials section.

You can also download a registration form to learn more about prices and times.

Be sure to let us know right away if you are interested in enrolling in our summer program. We have limited spots available, as we like to keep the program small to assure individualized attention.


Dedicated to your health!

Mike

p.s. Be sure to download our special report, "10 Things You Must Know to reduce injuries and optimize performance for young athletes" by clicking here .

What I learned from the Patriots and my clients

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. Mine was a blast. The kids did great with the travels to Chicago. Bella dazzled everyone with her charm and her self-taught ballet moves and everyone vied for a chance to hold Maddy. I got some much needed rest, but poor Danielle was sick most of the time.

My vacation ended with a great lesson from an unlikely source that I want to share with you: A lesson that will have a strong impact on your health pursuits.

When I returned from Chicago, my neighbor greeted me with a great surprise. He had scored some good seats to the Patriots game last Sunday, and myself and a few other guys from the neighborhood were invited. I was psyched!

I am a huge football fan. However, I’d never been to a Pats game. I’ve never really pursued tickets in the past because I really like watching football on TV. It is convenient and comfortable. But more importantly, you can see every detail on the field, watch instant reply, and not miss a whole series because you were waiting 20 minutes to get to the bathroom.

Nonetheless, it was my first chance to see the Pats live, and I was excited to hang out with the guys all day. Sure, the weather was awful, but I was prepared. I got bundled up like the kid from a Christmas Story! We had the tent and grill going at the tailgate, and everything was great!

I was really beginning to get fired up for this game. Having not seen a live game for years, I had forgotten the excitement of the whole spectacle.

But then it hit me. After trekking a couple of miles from our parking area, we finally descended on the Mecca of New England football, Gillette Stadium. As throngs of people entered the stadium, the energy was palpable. It wasn’t the beauty of the stadium, but it was the comradery of the fans, thousands of people braving the elements to see the Pats.

I swear by the time I arrived at my seat, I was ready to rush the filed tackle somebody! Heck, I had so many layers I wouldn’t even need pads! And I’m pretty convinced I can outplay Delta O’Neil!

Sure, the Pats laid an egg and proceeded to stink up the joint, but that wasn’t what struck me about my Patriots game experience.

What struck me was the power of the comradery. The influence of being surrounded by, enthusiastic, passionate fans. Even though I was standing in 33 degree weather being pelted by rain and sleet for almost 8 hours, the excitement of the event made me oblivious to the discomfort.

This lesson was hammered home again yesterday. I went to the studio and reviewed some video of our athletes from our Athlete Development Program. Check out these videos featuring Daniel

Daniel is a great kid, and an amazing athlete. He is at least a 6-12” shorter than most kids his age (something I could relate to when I was his age). Yet, he may be one of the best athletes we’ve worked with, and is a force in the weight room. The video provides a glimpse of the byproduct of his hard work (sure, need needs to make some foot ware changes, and shore up technique a bit, but very impressive still!). And just a few months ago Daniel was recovering from surgery for a medical problem!

Then, the superwomen descended upon the clinic for their 6pm group work out. These girls come here after work and BRING IT! As I packed up to go to the gym, they were at the end of their workout with Tom, in the midst of the dreaded interval training. And there was no quit in site for Kathy, Donna, or Celine.

So the lesson sunk in, and hopefully it will do the same with you. Energy is contagious. Being around people who are enthusiastic, working hard, or persevering through a struggle is one of the most motivating forces. The culture of excitement, encouragement, and support is invaluable, and can only be appreciated through experience.

That is exactly what is cultivated here at the Spectrum Fitness Consulting studio. Our group programs, whether it be Our Athlete Development Program, or our adult small group programs are exactly what you need to experience the power that a group provides.

Our groups are small enough to facilitate individualized attention and instruction, yet just big enough to create the energy, motivation, and accountability to drive you towards success. Combine this with our expert instruction, and you can’t help but succeed.

If you have ever struggled with motivation, the group training format at Spectrum is your answer. Give us a call at 978-927-2065, or go to www.spectrumfit.net/freeconsultation.html to sign up for a free health and fitness consultation to see if this is right for you.

Getting fit and staying in shape is a battle. The images of Daniel hammering out 1 leg squats like a machine and the trio of Kathy, Celine, and Donna churning out double digit rounds of intervals after weight training keeps be focused during my workouts – and I’m a seasoned gym rat!

You need every bit of help, and the group dynamic gives you the ammo you need for the battle.

You owe it to yourself to at least give us a call, or sign up for a free consultation at www.spectrumfit.net/freeconsultation.html to learn more. Whether you are an experienced trainee with Spectrum, or haven’t seen a gym in decades, there’s a place for you in Spectrum’s group training programs.

Here’s to your dedication to get fit, and stay healthy!

Mike

p.s. Things are going to be crazy busy in a few weeks with the new years fitness rush, so it is best to act NOW! Go to www.spectrumfit.net/freeconsultation.html to find out about group training.
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