What does the scientific literature have to say about strength training for youth? This post addresses some of the bigger issues and explains how that affects the training methodology at In Pursuit Fitness Training.
Strength training is safe for youth when it is expertly supervised. The current pediatric and sports medicine guideline is clear in this regard, and the emphasis on 'expertly' is from me. I've seen and heard of less than expert and that's where people start wondering, asking questions, and shy away. But research has shown that when a program is well-designed, implemented, and supervised that it is appropriate for those that want to participate (Strickler, P (2020). Younger kids get stronger in the following ways:
• motor-unit recruitment
• coordination between muscle groups
• balance and stabilization
• force production
• movement sequencing
• technical proficiency
At In Pursuit, what I tell the kids is that this beginner level of strength training is very important. You're learning the proper technique, how to progressively load when you're ready, and appreciating how long and how much work it actually takes to get stronger. To be clear, it's tough to hold some of them back because they just want to lift heavier and heavier. But we drill home the phrase "own it before you load it" to instill the idea that they need to control (for weeks) a weight before they can progress heavier.
For the 5th & 6th graders, until they go through puberty, the changes are mostly neurological. This means they are getting stronger because they are recruiting the neurons properly to do the movements and lifts better. They are in fact getting stronger but they won't be able to experience as much hypertrophy until they have the hormones to support such training.
I teach the athletes the seven foundational movements in strength training: push, pull, squat, hinge, carry, lunge, and rotate. We have multiple options for each of these movements. Controlling the weight at this age will allow them to really load the weight more when they are older and have two or more years of experience. For a first year lifter, a 'heavy' goblet squat simply means something that's challenging and can be done with total control at the full range of motion.
This post isn't meant to give all the details of our youth strength and conditioning program. I just wanted to address some of the bigger topics and concerns that parents may have.