With over 10 years of experience working exclusively with youth athletes one of the most consistent questions I get from parents is is strength training safe for kids. To this day, I’m still surprised that so many parents ask this question given the fact that strength training is an absolute necessity for not only keeping athletes safe, but also allowing them to experience more joy in whatever sport they choose to participate in.
While some parents think that youth strength training comes with too many risks, I’d argue that without a solid degree of muscular conditioning your risk of getting injured playing sports increases. With that said, here are 3 benefits of strength training for children as early as 9 years of age.
- Strengthens tendons and ligaments – At my gym, Bass Athletics here in Corona Ca, we specialize in youth athlete workout plans. And while hormones limit building large muscles at such a young age, there are still strengthening that takes place in tendons and ligaments that are crucial to protecting joints. In the event that an athlete needs to change direction, decelerate, or make contact with another player during play, this is where youth strength training plays a huge role.
- Increases endurance, durability, & coordination – Building on my previous point, strength training for youth athletes not only makes them more durable during sport activities but it also helps increase endurance. At Bass Athletics our youth athlete workout plans are designed to progressively increase volume (the amount of reps & sets) over time. This allows youth athletes to not only build a base of strength, but the lighter load for higher reps activates muscles used for endurance activities. Coordination also improves as well as athletes improve motor control which leads to more efficient movement during competition.
- Builds confidence & mental toughness – Whether the sport is football, basketball, soccer, or lacrosse confidence plays a huge role in success. A confident youth athlete is a happy athlete and being happy leads to sustained participation in sports. From my experience, kids who strength train are just built differently. They play harder, compete longer during competition, and have more grit. These are the intangible qualities that strength training builds within young athletes that also keeps them safe during competition. Less confident athletes are more susceptible to injury as they doubt their capabilities, and compete with more reservation. (While it may seem counterintuitive, paying reserved is a less safe approach to competing)
To wrap it up, the benefits of youth strength training far outweigh the risks. But there are times when kids’ strength training can become a problem. Not having a qualified strength coach can present a potential issue for young athletes since their programming should not be the same as older more experienced athletes. The program of a young lifter should reflect her age group. Also, poor technique or lifting weight that’s too heavy can also present a problem and damage a young athlete’s growth plates, hence the necessity of a qualified coach. When you have the right coach, and a motivated young athlete, lifting weights can unlock a new level of potential and fun in sports for kids.
Ray Bass
Owner, Bass Athletics
CSCS
Contact Information
📍 Address: 500 Harrington St unit c-1, Corona, CA 92878
📞 Phone: 951-847-1260
🌐 Website: https://bassathletics.com
🕒 Hours: Monday–Friday 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
