Chances are somebody has told you that “strength training will stunt your child’s growth”. In yesterday’s email, we addressed this common concern.
We understand your worries, but it’s important to understand there is absolutely no truth behind this statement.
You don’t have to take my word for it, though. According to a review in the American Academy of Pediatrics, scientific reports conclude that “strength training can be not only safe for young people, it can also be beneficial, even essential”.
Here’s a full explanation of the many benefits of strength training for younger athletes:
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Benefit # 1 – Injury Prevention… Simply put, when your child learns how to control their bodyweight while jumping, running, changing directions and during other athletic movements, they will be less likely to get injured because their body is prepared to do these athletic movements. Additionally, the joints, tendons, and ligaments physically grow tougher with strength training, thus become more resilient to injury.
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Benefit # 2 – Increased Strength, Speed, & Power… Regardless of your child’s sport, increasing relative body strength means that they will run faster, be more explosive and more powerful. For baseball players, this means an easier transition onto the “big field”. Basketball players will be able to jump higher. Football players will be more agile on the gridiron and be able to hit holes faster or tackle harder, while wrestlers will be more aggressive on the mat and dominate their opponents.
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Benefit # 3 – Improved Coordination… Improved coordination is extremely important for your child because it will improve their motor control. If your child does not work on their coordination at a young age, it becomes a skill that’s harder to teach once they reach high school. The best way for your child to improve coordination is to learn it from a young age so they do not develop any bad habits over time.
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Benefit # 4 – Improved Endurance… Endurance – the ability to perform an activity for an extended period of time – is totally affected by how “light” or “easy” something feels. A weak person won’t be able to carry 50 lbs too long, just like a strong person can’t carry 500 lbs for too long, because these weights are relatively “difficult” for each person. But the strong person can at least hold the 50 lbs longer than the weak person can. That’s how strength training helps athletes improve endurance – the stronger the athlete is, the longer he or she can sustain activities.
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Benefit # 5 – Improved Confidence & Leadership Ability… Strength training goes above and beyond physical development. Developing the mind and improving confidence, self-esteem and leadership ability is an overlooked area of training. You see, when a young athlete does something that they never thought they could do before, like a certain number of push-ups or pull-ups, this gives them the confidence not just to achieve success in their sport, but more importantly in life. They will be ready to lead because they have overcome things that they never thought they could. This confidence and leadership ability doesn’t just carry over to sports – it sets the foundation for your child’s entire life.
With that said, strength training for younger athletes has benefits that are almost too good to ignore.
For overall physical development, athleticism, and preparation for life, strength training is an important activity for your child to participate in regularly.
At GameChanger, we have Athlete’s Strength Programs for children of all ages.
Interested in strength training for your child? Click on the links below for more information.
