So, your kid wants to be the Incredible Hulk.

By  Michael Carrera

I still remember traveling to my local sport store and purchasing my first set of barbells and dumbbells.  I was eleven years old and determined to shape my body into the muscle-bound beast I new I was meant to be.  The only problem was that I really didn’t know what I was doing, and unfortunately, I had nowhere to turn for guidance or support.

Should kids weight train?
Strength training for young athletes has sparked much debate among fitness and health professionals and phys-ed teachers for quite some time.  Is there really an appropriate time for kids to start strength training?  

In the 1970s and 80s, strength training of any kind was seen as being dangerous for children under the age of 16, as lifting weights could lead to growth deformities and, of course, stunt a child’s growth. 

The 1990s saw the birth of a new system of thought, which promoted light strength training with dumbbells, barbells, bodyweight exercises and medicine balls as a method of improving a child’s muscle and bone strength, along with tendon, ligament and joint strength.  

What’s the problem?
There isn’t much research available to support or refute strength training for kids.  It’s obvious that weight training with heavy loads for many sets can pose serious injuries for a child—especially if the exercise is performed without supervision.  For this reason parents and coaches are reluctant to have children under the age of 16 participate in any form of strength training, light or heavy. 

Unfortunately, the same child that is told not to participate in strength training activities, plays football, soccer and hockey, three sports that can cause more serious injury on the field than in the weight room.    

Safe training for kids
To be safe, children between the ages of 6 and 12 should not participate in any kind of strength training programs that use dumbbells or barbells.  Bodyweight exercises (such as sit-ups, pushups and burpees) are ideal at this age since they are fun and a great way to build strength, endurance, motor coordination and balance. All Truestar exercise programs for children 6 to 12 use an assortment of bodyweight exercises.  

The start of the teenage years (13 to 15 years) is a good time to introduce light strength training exercises into a program. Performing full-body resistance training two to three times a week with an assortment of exercises for all major muscle groups is ideal.  Perform one to three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions with a light load.  Children in this age group should never train with heavy loads or to failure (performing a strength training exercise to exhaustion). Bodyweight exercises should be used since they are the foundation of all strength.  As I always tell my clients, show me an individual who can bench press 300 lbs and I will be mildly impressed. Show me that the same individual can perform just 8 to 10 chin-ups and I will be exceptionally impressed. 

Teenagers aged 16 and above are free to perform strength training exercises that are specific to their sport or training goals. Exercise, developmental and sport-specific programs are available for all kids and teenagers in the Exercise section of Truestar.

The final word
If children are going to play sports that involve running, jumping and sometimes body contact, it is very important that some form of strength or bodyweight training is part of their program. Strength training exercises strengthen the body and can protect against injury in sport. It is also critical that children are taught proper exercise technique, along with the importance of warming up, cooling down and, of course, stretching. 

Parents should be aware of when their children are strength training and never leave a child under the age of 16 unattended. 

If children want to start strength training but are not directly involved in sport, find out what sparked their interest. Chances are a bodybuilder, superhero or wrestler they have seen on TV has won their respect. Building a body is a wonderful reason for starting an exercise program, but reality must be kept in check. Discuss with them the dangers of doing too much, too soon, and that forming a solid foundation of strength when they are young will help them in their teenage and adult years. In fact, studies have proven that children who exercise at a young age are more likely to exercise in adulthood. This is great news, because our society can use all the help it can get in the exercise department.

In the end children will be children.  Just as I quickly learned that training my biceps and chest every day of the week would not make me look like Hulk Hogan or impress the girls, so will they.  Strength training not only builds strength but also self-esteem.  With physical education classes being cut from schools, obesity is on the rise.  Exercise for kids has never been so important.

Visit the Truestar Fitness for Kids and Exercise for Kids sections for more information on the right strength training program for your child.

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