Team sports help children and teenagers in so many ways. Young athletes get regular exercise. They also learn self-control and how to work on a team. But sports may make parents and children feel pressure to be more competitive.
This is why child athletes are being pushed to add strength training to their workouts. Before a child begins strength training, parents should know all the benefits and risks.
“Strength training offers young athletes a lot of benefits, but it must be done correctly and safely,” says Jeffrey Nepple, MD, Washington University pediatric orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine physician at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. “Growing children should not lift weights with the goal of lifting as much as they can. It’s safer for them to start with lighter weights and do many repetitions of an exercise.”
There have been some concerns that strength training is not good for children who have not entered puberty. Studies have suggested that weight training might harm a child’s growth, lead to injuries or not increase muscle strength. But Dr. Nepple says parents should not worry. Lifting weights can help kids as young as 7 years old.
