Ovidius University Annals, Series Physical Education and Sport/SCIENCE, MOVEMENT AND HEALTH

ISSUE 1 – 2009
Constanta, ROMANIA

STRENGTH TRAINING FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS IS IT BENEFICIAL?

BEIHOFF CHRISTOPHER1, POP MARIANA2,

1
New York, USA, 2Physical Education Teache At 201 Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, Graduate Student At Queens College,
New York, Master In Nutrition And Exercise Science, USA

ABSTRACT
Strength Training - Uses resistance methods to increase ones ability to exert or resist force. Appropriate strength
training programs have no apparent adverse effect on linear growth, growth plates, or the cardiovascular system.
Closely supervised resistance training programs can significantly improve the muscle strength of children with no
adverse effects on bone, muscle, or connective tissue. Research Methods: Free weights, the individuals own body
weight, machines, other devices (elastic bands, medicine balls).
KEY WORDS: strength training, children, adolescents, benefits, risk factors

What is strength training?

Strength Training - Uses resistance methods
to increase ones ability to exert or resist force.
The sports performance can be improved in Resistance to life-threatening conditions
young athletes by increasing muscular strength with
strength training. Exercise and proper training also have a
Reasons for participating in strength and positive effect on a child‟s
conditioning training cardiopulmonary/cardiorespiratory status and bone
Promotion of a healthy lifestyle mineral density, helping to reduce the risk of serious
Physical well-being is also a state of mind, illnesses in adulthood, such as heart disease and
and physical exercise commonly facilitates the osteoporosis.
incorporation of other aspects of a healthy lifestyle into
a comprehensive regimen. It can also aid in body Methods
composition and the loss of body fat, countering
childhood obesity.  Free weights
Physical well-being is also a state of mind,  The individuals own body weight
and physical exercise commonly facilitates the  Machines
incorporation of other aspects of a healthy lifestyle into  Other devices (elastic bands, medicine balls)
a comprehensive regimen. It can also aid in body
composition and the loss of body fat, countering
childhood obesity. All of these provide resistance

Injury Prevention Photo nr. 1

Studies by the American College of Sports
Medicine show that training may prevent injury from
occurring during the sports season.
Since kids are at risk of repetitive injury and
physical overuse, body strengthening and education
can prevent injuries during and after game time.
It also gives children a basic level of fitness by using a
wide range of exercises to promote flexibility and
coordination, decreasing the number of injuries.

Improvement of sports performance,

physical fitness, and mental self-image
Most importantly, a child‟s self esteem, self
confidence, mental discipline, performance, and
coordination can all be expected to improve as a result
of strength and conditioning training

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Ovidius University Annals, Series Physical Education and Sport/SCIENCE, MOVEMENT AND HEALTH
ISSUE 1 – 2009
Constanta, ROMANIA
Misconceptions
Commonly confused with the sports of weight
lifting, power lifting and body building.
Weight lifting and power lifting potentially
have more serious injuries associated with them than
does strength training.
Types Training Activity
 Core strengthening
 Proprioception
 Neuromuscular Training
 Plyometrics
Core Strengthening
Every movement you do comes from your
core – your rectus and transverse abdominus, deep
internal stabilizers, back extensors, back stabilizers,
and trunk rotational muscles are all part of your muscle
core.
Core Strength (Cont.)
Begin on a stable surface and progress to
unstable surfaces, such as training with a physioball to
improve balance.
Proprioception
This training teaches athletes how to instinctively
detect joint position and movement in space and to
respond appropriately to variations in forces received
either during or prior to initiation of a deleterious, or
harmful, movement. Much of this training involves
balance conditioning, and as the athlete‟s skill
improves, more stimuli are needed to continue
improvement in this area.
For example, a gymnast does a back tuck in the air
on a balance beam just a few inches wide. There is less
than a second for her body to know where to land, and
proprioception enhances her body‟s ability to
determine how to land with two feet safely on the
beam.
Neuromuscular Training
Neuromuscular training teaches athletes to
make the proper decisions in order to avoid injury. It
enhances unconscious motor responses during
movements, especially when jumping, landing, cutting,
pivoting, hopping, and decelerating. Training this
continual feedback control system improves one‟s
ability to utilize proprioceptive information.
Plyometrics
Plyometrics involve the rapid stretching of a
muscle (eccentric phase) and the rapid shortening of
the same muscle (concentric phase). Using this
technique, the nervous system is conditioned to react
more quickly to the stretch-shortening cycle, thereby
increasing the speed of movement and improving
power production.
When plyometric activity is incorporated into
their regimen, athletes improve their reaction time, and
their overall strength improves -- they learn how to
jump and leap higher, run faster, and throw farther. It
also improves hand-eye coordination.
Polymeric Activitie
 Rope Jumping
 Hoping
 Skipping
 Box Jumps
Key is stretch and contraction!
Common games and activities such as
hopscotch, rope jumping and jumping jacks can also be
characterized as plyometrics
Every time the feet make contact with the
ground the quadriceps are subjected to the stretch-
shortening cycle.
In fact, plyometrics are a natural part of most
movements, as evidenced by the jumping, hopping and
skipping seen on any school playground.
The Facts
 Appropriate strength training programs have
no apparent adverse effect on linear growth,
growth plates, or the cardiovascular system.
 Closely supervised resistance training
programs can significantly improve the
muscle strength of children with no adverse
effects on bone, muscle, or connective tissue.
 Contrary to prior understanding, new studies
have shown that growth plates (the areas of
primary growth at the ends of longer bones) in
prepubescent children are not at high risk of
epiphyseal fractures when the training adheres
to these guidelines. Strength and conditioning
training can actually enhance bone growth;
the greatest amount of bone formation occurs
during childhood, and strength training can
serve to create stronger bones if done
correctly and in the proper setting.
Risks of Strength Training
 Muscle strains 40-70% of all injuries.
 Hand, low back, and upper trunk are
commonly injured areas.
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Ovidius University Annals, Series Physical Education and Sport/SCIENCE, MOVEMENT AND HEALTH
ISSUE 1 – 2009
Constanta, ROMANIA
Things you should be aware of before beginning
strength training
Caution should be used for certain young athletes
that have:
 Preexisting hypertension.
 Received chemotherapy.
 Cardiomyopathy (hypertrophic
cardiomyopathy).
 Pulmonary hypertension.
 History of seizures.
Safety Guidelines
 A qualified individual (physical therapist,
Certified Strength and Conditioning
Specialist, or athletic trainer) must be present.
 There must not be too many other kids at the
same session. The best ratios for training are
one-on-one, -two, or -three, and there should
never be more than three to four children to a
trainer, especially in sessions for beginners.
 Children should wear loose clothing and
sneakers to train.
 Set reasonable goals for each child, based on
his or her desires and ability.
 Perform aerobic exercise for 10 minutes
before training begins.
 Use different modes of training, including free
weights, size-appropriate weight machines,
body weight exercises, elastic bands, and
medicine balls.
 Start with six to eight exercises, 10 to 15
repetitions per set at a low weight level.
Choose weight with which a child can
succeed. Adults can spot children to help them
finish a set.
 Stress proper technique, rather than increased
weight.
EMOTIVENESS AND IMPULSIVENESS
EVALUATION PATHS
BIANCALANA VINCENZO Prof.
University of Urbino “Carlo Bo” - Italy
ABSTRACT
Impulsiveness and emotiveness are often confused and overlapped between them. Instead, who has a daily direct
contact with subjects in the years of growth must be able to properly recognize and evaluate the impact they have on the
didactic environment and to well know the most effective methods for structuring a suitable emotional expertise.
KEY WORDS: emotiveness, impulsiveness, schoolchildren
EMOTIVENESS AND IMPULSIVENESS
If we consider that emotiveness is more
connected to the environmental factors than
impulsiveness and that impulsiveness brings the subject
to express with remarkable behavioural immediateness
 Rest between sets, and complete one to three
sets, based on child‟s needs.
 Training should begin at an appropriate level,
with adequate rest between exercises, to
minimize injury and maximize fun. Proper
form will decrease the risk of a soft-tissue
injury.
 Encourage use of workout cards, and review
progress at each session.
 Stress proper nutritional guidelines including
the importance of calcium in a child‟s diet.
 Train in two to three sessions spread
throughout the week.
 Kids should use low weights and high
repetition, with a qualified supervisor
correcting their form and teaching them the
proper technique. With proper early direction,
children learn safety standards that can benefit
them throughout their lives.
 The best results are seen with an 8-12 week
program.
Conclusions: Training should begin at an
appropriate level, with adequate rest between
exercises, to minimize injury and maximize fun.
Proper form will decrease the risk of a soft-tissue
injury.
REFERENCES
BENJAMIN, H. J., 2003, “Strength Training for
Children and Adolescents.” The Physician and
Sportsmedicine Vol. 31-No.9
MCARDLE, W. D., KATCH, F. I., KATCH, V.
L., Exercise Physiology, fourth edition.
WILLIAMS, H., “Strength & Conditioning for
Kids: How and Why?”
HAYASH, I, A., 2008, “Leveling the playing
field” AAOS Now February.
AT SCHOOL. OBSERVATION AND
his biological contingent conditions (physical needs),
through rigid and well tested schemes, it will be
productive to study the subject in specific playful and
social situations. In fact, the emotiveness control is
intended as the person‟s capability of addressing his
own behaviour toward the prefixed aim or goal,
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