This is a subject that has been highly mythologized for a long time, with no real scientific evidence demonstrating the value of these myths. Myths such as that working on strength in children is very harmful because their muscle strength is very low, or that the muscle contractions produced cause the muscle to shorten, and that the child does not develop as it should.
Today we have arguments and scientific evidence that give security to training at an early age. Therefore, no coach, teacher or parent of a child should oppose the introduction of strength training into the planning. This is why we want to argue the effectiveness of strength training for the improvement of health and performance in children.
Since there is no reason to contraindicate the controlled and supervised practice of strength in children, let us consider the main objectives that we must achieve:
The following are the main benefits of strength training in children:
For this reason, it only remains for us to emphasize those false myths that we commented on at the beginning, and affirm that strength training in children really produces serious benefits for children's musculoskeletal health. Let us hope that new results will soon be published that offer even more improvements in health, and that everyone is aware of this and applies it when planning training for children.
REFERENCES
Today we have arguments and scientific evidence that give security to training at an early age. Therefore, no coach, teacher or parent of a child should oppose the introduction of strength training into the planning. This is why we want to argue the effectiveness of strength training for the improvement of health and performance in children.
Since there is no reason to contraindicate the controlled and supervised practice of strength in children, let us consider the main objectives that we must achieve:
- Promote optimal and balanced musculoskeletal development.
- Consolidate some technical bases in the variety of exercises.
- To instill in them healthy habits that last into adulthood.
The following are the main benefits of strength training in children:
- 1. Prevention/reduction of the incidence of injuries caused by physical-sports practice. If prescribed and supervised correctly in fitness programs, they have been shown to reduce the incidence of injury in both children and adolescents (Avery D Faigenbaum et al., 2009; Lloyd et al., 2014). Physical inactivity is a risk factor that can lead to injury during physical activity. Overweight/obesity children are more than twice as likely to be injured as underweight physically active children (McHugh, 2010). Strength training programs in children focus on the major risk factors associated with sports injuries in children. For example, in muscle imbalances or with low initial levels of neuromuscular fitness. Injurious risk factors for muscle overload are reduced by up to 50% (A D Faigenbaum & Myer, 2010). But we go further, and we must point out that the incorporation of strength programs in children athletes has shown that, in addition to reducing the risk of injury, in the event of an injury, recovery is much lower than those athletes who do not follow these strength programs, even in the face of the same injury in both subjects.
- 2. Improvements in muscle strength and performance in motor skills. Strength training, if prescribed correctly, generates performance improvements in basic motor patterns such as running, jumping or throwing. This can have a major impact on other skills in sports practice. In childhood and pre-adolescence, the physiological mechanisms responsible for the improvements cited are primarily neuronal (Avery D Faigenbaum et al., 2009). However, there is some controversy as it is questioned the impossibility that in early stages can achieve increases in muscle mass, since they postulate that there is no hormonal environment appropriate for it. But some reviews and meta-analyses have confirmed significant increases in muscle mass after strength training even in pre-adolescent children (Behringer, vom Heede, Yue, & Mester, 2010).
- 3. Improved bone health. Childhood, as well as pre-adolescence and adolescence are key stages for increasing bone density and mineral content, and thus having a good level of reserve for the future (Mackelvie & Khan, 2002). The above objectives can be achieved through the regular practice of physical activity, with the subject's own body as support, and also through more particularized strength training. Adolescents who have previously been training in weightlifting have a higher density and bone mineral content than other adolescents of the same age (Avery D Faigenbaum et al., 2009). It is true that the peak bone mass reached at early ages is very marked by genetic aspects, sex, or nutrition, among others. However, the participation of strength programs, based on multi-articular exercises, and against established moderate to high intensity resistances, will be a great incentive to maximize bone capital in childhood (Avery D Faigenbaum et al., 2009; Lloyd et al., 2014). Like not doing exercises that involve mechanical stress on musculoskeletal structures, it can have a long-term negative impact if not done at these key stages (Lloyd et al., 2014).
- 4.Improvements in body composition and insulin sensitivity in obese adolescents. Commonly, overweight/obese youth have been recommended to engage in aerobic activities, but excess body weight hinders performance and worse, increases the risk of musculoskeletal injury. We are currently attending to a trend that shows positive results in overweight or obese children, on the improvement of body composition. A decrease in body fat corresponds to an increase in muscle mass (McGuigan, Tatasciore, Newton, & Pettigrew, 2009; Sothern et al, 2000; Treuth, Hunter, Figueroa-Colon, & Goran, 1998) and also with respect to insulin sensitivity (Benson, Torode, & Fiatarone Singh, 2006; Shaibi et al., 2006; Suh et al., 2011; VAN DER HEIJDEN et al., 2010) all powered by strength training. In addition to not being an aerobically demanding physical exercise, it is very entertaining and enjoyable for this cut of the population. Work is currently underway to seek further improvements through research that analyzes the lipid profile in the blood of children (Gutin & Owens, 2011; MacMAHON, 1988) and also the positive effects that may derive on the psychological profile and mood of children.
See you in the next post.
May the force be with you!
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M. E., & Fiatarone Singh, M. A. (2006). Muscular strength and
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