Is Strength Training Safe for Kids?

Q. “Won’t lifting weights stunt their growth?”
Q. “Isn’t weight-lifting harmful for my child?”

These are probably two of the most asked questions heard by the coaches at S.S.T. from parents with young children in sports. From soccer moms to hockey dads and everyone in between, the question of strength training being harmful for young children always remains at the top of the list. The answer, of course, is NO!! Strength training is, in fact, healthy and beneficial for your child. So much so, that studies conducted on the subject have been conclusive in finding that a properly constructed, structured and supervised program is a safe way to increase strength and endurance for sport, improve posture and reduce the chances of injury during game play.

In today’s video game driven era, coupled with cutbacks in the school system for physical education classes, it’s no wonder that obesity and youth inactivity are on the rise. Parents have allowed their children to sit in front of the television watching too much TV, playing games and eating foods that just add unwanted fat to their bodies. The combination of inactivity and unhealthy eating is more detrimental to children than parents realize. This lifestyle is setting up children up for a lifetime of health problems if something is not drastically changed. That’s where the importance of a supervised strength training program at S.S.T. comes into play.

What parents have to understand about strength training for their young children is that the weight training emphasized at S.S.T. is not “weight-lifting” (where the largest amounts of weight are pulled or pushed overhead in attempts at breaking records). The programs are, however, based on your child’s needs, with emphasis on body weight exercises, whether it be jumping, bounding, calisthenics, etc. to lighter weights (the weights are raised and lowered in a slow and controlled manner) all while being properly being supervised by our staff.

Our individualized and properly supervised strength training programs will:
• Improve coordination, body awareness, and balance
• Increase muscle strength
• Increase endurance for sport
• Increase performance
• Reduce injury by protecting joints

The health benefits of a properly supervised strength building program at S.S.T. are equally important:
• Improved heart and lung function
• Stronger bones
• Healthy body composition (more muscle burns more fat calories)
• Lower blood cholesterol levels

Studies have also shown that strength training increases self-esteem and confidence in children who actively take part, with a decrease in the possibility of a child becoming depressed.

So for the parents who still wish to ask the question “Is strength training harmful for my child?”, my answer is simply “No, strength training is not harmful for your child”. So get rid of the video games and snack foods and get your child into a strength training program. Believe me, they will thank you for it someday!!

Coach Duane Swif