Aside from playing sports and keeping active, another means for children to keep strong and improve performance is to begin strength training by around 8 years old. Let’s not confuse strength training with weightlifting, bodybuilding or powerlifting. These activities are largely driven by competition, with participants striving to lift heavier weights or build bigger muscles compared to other athletes. In these training styles, there is too much strain on young muscles, cartilage, and tendons that haven’t yet turned to bone, thus slowing down growth patterns.
But at our facility, we favour light resistance and controlled movements for your children — with special emphasis on proper technique and safety.
Strength training can become a valuable part of an overall fitness plan — as long as the child is mature enough to follow directions and practice proper technique and form. Strength training is meant to increase muscle strength and endurance. Bulking up is something else entirely — and most safely done after adolescence.
With childhood obesity on the rise, any professionally supervised exercise, including strength training, will definitely benefit children.
The benefits of strength training for children and why they should start at a young age
Done properly, strength training for kids can:
- Increase your child’s muscle strength and endurance
- Help protect your child’s muscles and joints from sports-related injuries
- Improve your child’s performance in nearly any sport
- Develop proper techniques that your child can continue to use as he or she grows older
- Improve motor performance and coordination
Keep in mind that strength training isn’t only for athletes. Even if your child isn’t interested in sports, strength training can:
- Strengthen your child’s bones
- Help promote a healthy heart
- Help your child maintain a healthy weight and lessen the occurrence of obesity when older
- Reduce the chances of family-related health issues
- Improve your child’s confidence and self-esteem
Call 893-5427 to Enroll Your Child Now
