YOUTH ATHLETES (ages 8 - 18)

With whom are you going to trust your child? Dr. Lawrence Lemak of the National Center for Sports Safety says, "There is not one parent that would drop their child off at a local community pool if there were not a certified lifeguard on duty. That same standard of care should be available at every sports facility in this country." Please realize that many "trainers" are not certified at all or have taken weekend long certification programs. Drs. Horwitz and Glodzik are both chiropractors with extensive athletic backgrounds. Both are certified strength and conditioning specialists and have worked extensively with youth athletes. Please read more about them here.

Youth Training: If a child is ready for participation in organized sports, he or she is ready to undergo instruction in resistance training. As a result of modern sedentary lifestyles, young athletes are often not physically prepared for the rigors of sports. This lack of physical activity causes weakness, inflexibility, and poor motor skills - all factors causing poor performance and an increased risk of sports injury. Read what Louis Simmons, powerlifting champion and expert on strength training says,

"There has been much said about lifting and age. Everyone has their viewpoint. The United States, for the most part, will start young, 8-10 years old, in a particular sport such as football, baseball, basketball, boxing, and wrestling. It's almost always sports specific. That is, they participate in the sport with no prior general physical preparedness (GPP).

In the old Soviet countries, there were sport institutes that prepared the youth age 12 and above for sports but not by playing a certain sport, but by a well-prepared process of GPP. This is general mobility, flexibility, dexterity, endurance, hand/eye coordination, balance, and strength. For example, pushups, pull-ups, rope climbing, medicine ball work, kettle bell work, and some running and short sprints are done. They produced the model athlete for their sports system. Children were chosen for the sport that suited their physical, mental, and emotional qualities. Neither the child nor the parents were able to pick the sport."

"...the incidence of overuse injuries sustained by young athletes could be reduced by 50% if more emphasis was placed on the development of fundamental fitness abilities before sports participation."
Faigenbaum, A., Schram, J. Can Resistance Training Reduce Injuries in Youth Sports? Strength and Conditioning Journal 26(3) p18. 2004.
"Approximately one-third of young athletes participating in organized sports in the United States sustain injuries requiring medical attention. Incidence of medical treatment for sports injuries peaks between the ages of 5 and 14 years and progressively decreases thereafter." Gamble, P. Approaching Physical Preparation for Youth Team-Sports Players. Strength and Conditioning Journal 30(1) p30. 2008.

The main premise for our youth training is that there is no point in trying to impose sports specific training on flawed fundamental movement patterns. Teaching basic movement mechanics for running stopping, changing direction, jumping, and landing must form the basis of training for all young athletes.

Our initial functional movement assessment is designed to identify these flawed movement patterns. A training program is designed based on the findings of this assessment and is designed to enhance coordination and mobility and build strength and athleticism.

To read more about strength and conditioning for youth, CLICK HERE

2007

Dear Mi,

Ross has made tremendous strides on the basketball court thanks to you! His coaches and teammates have taken notice on his improved speed, agility and increased strength. Again, thank you for getting Ross into shape.

Sincerely,
Nan Bender

Parents and coaches continue to express concern about the suitability of strength training for children and adolescents despite the mounting evidence that it is both safe and effective. Let's address these concerns head on:

1. Lifting weights can damage the growth plates of youngsters. In fact, damage to growth plates has never been documented with strength training programs for children that were administered and supervised by qualified personnel. Studies using appropriate youth resistance training, in fact, report low incidences of injuries of any type (Strength and Conditioning Journal 1996. 18 pp.62-75). Far from stunting growth, the contemporary evidence is that resistance training, in combination with proper nutrition, has the potential to enhance growth within genetic bounds at all stages of development. Most injuries occur when the program is unsupervised, equipment is used improperly, attempts are made to lift too much weight and technique is poor. Lifting weights is actually a big plus to the bones of youngsters. "There is good reason to believe that the more bone mass you accumulate during childhood, the higher your eventual peak bone mass and the lower your chances of suffering osteoporotic fractures in later life." Youngsters practicing gymnastics, weight-training and other demanding sports have been shown to accumulate more bone than their less active peers (Peak Performance, December 2004, pp. 11-12).

2. The forces caused by weight training are so great that they will cause injuries. This is a concern I hear from not only parents and coaches, but physicians as well. My first response is always, "Did you fail physics class?"

The reality is that children are exposed to far greater forces and of longer duration during sports and recreational physical activity than those encountered during strength training, even if they were to perform a maximum lift (Strength and Conditioning Journal 2008. 30:1 p.30).

3. Kids will not derive any benefit from strength training before puberty. Children can gain strength with proper training before puberty (Strength and Conditioning Journal 1996:18:62-75). Vertical jump, standing long jump, sprint and agility times all improve in this age group with proper training. In addition, strength training is recommended as part of a pre-conditioning program. Studies show that the incidence of overuse injuries sustained by young athletes could be reduced by 50% if more emphasis was placed on the development of fundamental fitness abilities before sports participation. Relative newcomers to a sport are significantly MORE likely to be injured than individuals who have been training for many years (American Journal of Sports Medicine, vol. 16(3), pp. 285-294, 1988, and also Archives of Internal Medicine, vol. 149 (11), pp. 2565-2568, 1989). The 2003-2004 NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook states: "Preseason Preparation: The student-athlete should be protected from premature exposure to the full rigors of sport. Preseason conditioning should provide the student-athlete with optimal readiness by the first practice."

National Strength and Conditioning Association Position Statement on Youth Resistance Training

1. A properly designed and supervised resistance training program is safe for children.
2. A properly designed and supervised resistance training program can increase the strength of children.
3. A properly designed and supervised resistance training program can help to enhance the motor fitness skills and sports performance of children.
4. A properly designed and supervised resistance training program can help to prevent injuries in youth sports and recreational activities.
5. A properly designed and supervised resistance training program can help to improve the psychosocial well-being of children.
6. A properly designed and supervised resistance training program can enhance the overall health of children.

Code of Ethics
1. Strength and conditioning professionals should not practice nor condone discrimination.
2. Strength and conditioning professionals should not condone, engage in illegal behavior or defend unsportsmanlike conduct or practices.
3. Strength and conditioning professionals should refrain from using techniques and practices in which repeated acts of negligence would result in injury to an individual.
4. Strength and conditioning professionals should use care to be truthful and not misleading when stating their education, training, experience, and involvement of NSCA and shall not misrepresent or misuse their affiliation with the NSCA for unwarranted favors-monetary or otherwise.
National Strength and Conditioning Association Position Statement: Youth Resistance Training

American Academy of Pediatrics Position Statement: Strength Training by Children and Adolescents

1. Strength training programs for preadolescents and adolescents can be safe and effective if proper resistance training techniques and safety precautions are followed.
2. Preadolescents and adolescents should avoid competitive weight lifting, power lifting, body building, and maximal lifts until they reach physical and skeletal maturity.
3. When pediatricians are asked to recommend or evaluate strength training programs for children and adolescents, the following issues should be considered:

Before beginning a formal strength training program, a medical evaluation should be performed by a pediatrician. If indicated, a referral may be made to a sports medicine physician who is familiar with various strength training methods as well as risks and benefits in preadolescents and adolescents.

Aerobic conditioning should be coupled with resistance training if general health benefits are the goal.

Strength training programs should include a warm-up and cool-down component.

Specific strength training exercises should be learned initially with no load (resistance). Once the exercise skill has been mastered, incremental loads can be added.

Progressive resistance exercise requires successful completion of 8 to 15 repetitions in good form before increasing weight or resistance.

A general strengthening program should address all major muscle groups and exercise through the complete range of motion.

Any sign of injury or illness from strength training should be evaluated before continuing the exercise in question.

American Academy of Pediatrics Position Statement: Strength Training by Children and Adolescents

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YOUTH ATHLETES (ages 8 - 18)

National Strength and Conditioning Association Position Statement on Youth Resistance Training

American Academy of Pediatrics Position Statement: Strength Training by Children and Adolescents

Sports Injury Services

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