Strength, Conditioning, and Resistance Training

More American children are competing in sports than ever before. Studies show that sports help children and adolescents keep their bodies fit and feel good about themselves. Here are some important injury prevention tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics which can help parents promote a safe, optimal sports experience for their child.

Participation in the sport of weightlifting and the performance of weightlifting movements as part of a strength and conditioning program can be safe, effective and enjoyable for children for children and adolescents, says a new position statement by an international panel of experts.

A new international consensus position statement contains comprehensive guidelines on youth resistance training, and has been endorsed by 10 leading professional organizations within the fields of sports medicine, exercise science, and pediatrics. 

Appropriately designed resistance training programs can benefit youth of all ages, with children as young as 5-6 years of age making noticeable improvements in muscular fitness following exposure to basis resistance training using free weights, elastic resistance bands and machine weights, says a new international consensus statement.

Thinking about starting your child or teen in a resistance training program, but wondering whether it is a good idea? Not only is there no cause for concern, but, according to a new international consensus statement (Loyd RS, et al 2014), resistance training for children and adolescents has two major benefits: improved athletic performance and a positive effect on overall health.

Substituting 45 minutes of supervised school-based strength training for 2 of 3 regular PE classes significantly increased upper and lower body strength in healthy schoolchildren aged 10 to 14 years, and significantly increased daily spontaneous physical activity outside the training for boys.

The use of muscle-enhancing behaviors among middle and high school boys and girls - including such unhealthy behaviors as using protein powders or shakes, steroids, and other muscle-enhancing substances - is substantially higher than previously reported, a new study finds.

When athletes see a hit coming, they instinctively flex their neck muscles. Since it is the acceleration of the brain after a force is applied or transmitted to the head that results in concussion, reducing the acceleration of the head after impact can reduce the risk of sustaining a sport-related concussion. One way to do that is by strengthening the neck muscles.