As strange as it sounds, the idea of children participating in exercise has been a topic of debate for over thirty years. Statements such as “lifting will stunt your growth” or “training kids won’t have any effect” have been main taglines for anti-adolescent exercise arguments, but are they true?
To answer these questions, we will be discussing a type of
exercise referred to as resistance training. The logic behind this is technique
is quite simple, you increasingly add more resistance to a movement to increase
the strain put on the specific muscle groups which leads to a desired result.
The literature based definition is as follows, specialized method of physical conditioning that involves the
progressive use of a wide range of resistive loads, different movement
velocities and a variety of training modalities including weight machines, free
weights (barbells and dumbbells), elastic bands, medicine balls and plyometrics
(Faigenbaum, 2010). For the sake of simplicity, when discussing if children
should perform these exercises, we will use the age range of 8-13 years of age.
So why might a child participate in resistance training? Across
the nation we are seeing a mass increase in adolescents participating in different
forms of resistance training. Experts believe that this rise could be attributed
to the increased incorporation of strength training into athletics as well as
the increase in overall popularity of newer forms of this training (Faigenbaum,
2010). In addition to this rise in popularity, there has been multiple recent studies
that highlight the many benefits that exercise has on children. Benefits from
adolescent exercise included increased cognitive learning ability, a positive effect
on self-esteem and positive neural and cognitive effects that can last to adulthood
(Pan, 2018).
Furthermore, with these benefits it is important to examen the
risks associated with resistance training. First, we must remind ourselves that
any form of childhood athletics involves some sort of risk, and resistance
training is no exception. Despite this, research has shown that across all
sports related injuries, resistance training accounts for 0.7% of said injuries,
in comparison to football at 19% and gymnastics at 13% (Faigenbaum, 2010). As for
the fear of stunting adolescent growth it has been shown that although the
growth plate may be less resistant to shear and tension forces, injuries can be
largely avoided with proper technique and coaching (Faigenbaum, 2010). Research
has seen that majority of injuries to the growth plates of adolescents were a
result of improper technique and lack of adult supervision. Thus, the
literature has shown that through safe practices and proper coaching we can minimize
the risk factor and obtain the many desired benefit that come for resistance
training.
So, is the risk worth the reward? Although we are still collecting
data on this subject, resistance training may in fact be a lot safer than most
other popular adolescent activities. If you are looking to get you child involved
in this form of training, there appears to be very healthy ways to do it. With
the proper coaching and a sound understanding of technique, you can achieve
great things and lasting benefits. However, if you leave it to the child to “figure
it out” the consequence could be substantial. Therefore, you should be
comfortable discrediting the common myths put out there by little league
baseball dads but also understand that there are necessary steps that need to
be followed in order to achieving your desired goals.
Tao Pan. (2018). Study on the influence of exercise on children’s cognitive learning ability. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 18(5), 1940–1947. https://doi- org.dml.r egis.edu/10.12738/estp.2018.5.09
A D Faigenbaum.
(2010). Resistance training among young athletes: safety, efficacy and injury prevention effects. British Journal of Sports
Medicine, 44(1), 56–63. https://doi- org.dml.regis.edu/10.1136/bjsm.2009.068098
Exercise and increased cognitive learning ability is an interesting link that has been recently studied and more fully understood, but known in a general relationship for centuries. The argument of specific training, resistance training, as a safe alternative to more high-risk activities leads me to ask about the motives behind rigorous training in adolescents against something akin to a team sport (a high-risk activity). Are the know risks of exercise from football and soccer outweighed by the cooperative learning skills learned from a group setting?
ReplyDeleteTomporowski, P. D., Davis, C. L., Miller, P. H., & Naglieri, J. A. (2008). Exercise and Children’s Intelligence, Cognition, and Academic Achievement. Educational Psychology Review, 20(2), 111–131.
This is a really interesting post. I had always understood that resistance training put stress on growth plates and flexible tendons, potentially causing injury in prepubescent children. The literature I read on this topic found that most injuries to growth plates were due to weight overload and lack of qualified supervision for children doing resistance training. Competitive weightlifting is not recommended for children because they have not reached musculoskeletal maturity. I found that the most effective training programs for children were lifting with submaximal loads with a heavy focus on practicing correct form and technique. Due to underdeveloped balance and coordination, free weights increase the risk of injury. Resistance training with bands, body weight exercises, and free weight lifting at submaximal loads seem to be ideal forms of exercise for preadolescents.
ReplyDeleteDahab, K. S., & McCambridge, T. M. (2009). Strength Training in Children and Adolescents. Sports Health, 1(3), 223–226. https://doi.org/10.1177/1941738109334215