Physiological differences between children and adults, and how they affect exercise

assessment and program design

The most important and a fundamental statement to mention before starting to discuss the
physiological differences between children and adults is that “children are not miniature adults”.
Young children are not capable of learning motor skills or achieve physical fitness at the same pace
as adults, and they get tired more easily with intense exercise. On the other hand, during
adolescence a maximum exercise capacity may be achieved in comparison to that of any other time
in life. Therefore, it is imperative to make several distinctions when designing an exercise program for
children in a responsible and professional way.

To begin with, children’s bones can keep on maturing until they are 22 years old, so the type of
athletic injuries differ from the adults’, and consequently, high intensity training must be done with
much caution. They are not able to handle the same physical stress as adults or develop so much
muscle power, that’s why children must not begin working with weights so early and using their own
bodyweight should be enough to develop strength and an appropriate muscle size for their age, until
they are old enough to commit to training on a regular basis.

Regarding the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, children have lower blood pressure, a higher
heart rate and they breathe less air than adults, because even though their breathing frequency is
greater, their volume per breath is less. This can cause them to hyperventilate, so that’s why children
are better at performing low intensity -aerobic- exercises for longer periods than adults and are not
able to sustain the same level of effort required in intense -anaerobic- exercises as adults do.

Also, children’s temperature regulation systems are still immature, so they are not capable of
sweating the same way as adults do and they also get cold quicker, that’s why they are more
vulnerable to extreme weathers. Trainers must be especially cautious when working with kids in the
cold and be sure they are properly dressed for the weather because due to their large body surface in
relation to their muscle mass they could get severely cold without the trainer noticing it. Wearing a hat
is especially important because the head has a dense blood supply, therefore it is the first part of the
body where children lose heat in the cold. When training in hot weather, it is important to drink plenty
of fluids, wear light clothes, do not over train and take enough breaks in order to recover properly. It
is crucial for trainers to be aware of the signs of heat-related problems such as dizziness, headache,
pale skin and weakness, and get medical care if any of these appear. Acclimatization is also a very
important factor when exercising in hot or cold weather, and it is not enough to just get exposed to
such weather but to actually perform the specific activity you are trying to acclimatize for.

Remember that a child who exercises is on the right path to becoming a healthier adult. So, as a
Youth Personal Trainer, the best thing to do is to develop an attractive, effective and fun exercise
program and always be aware of fatigue, pain or temperature-related problems, and be sure the kid is
dressed according to the weather, drinks plenty of fluids before, during and after exercising, gets
enough rest and, most important of all, never over stresses, either physically, or mentally.