---

Is strength training really good for a child?

The answer is YES! Strength training exercises that are supervised, safe and age-appropriate offer many bonuses to young athletes.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Sports Medicine, and the National Strength and Conditioning Association all support strength training for kids - if it's done properly.

• Today's children are increasingly overweight and out of shape.
• Strength training can help put them on the lifetime path to better health and fitness- not to be confused with weightlifting, bodybuilding or power lifting - is a carefully designed program of exercises to increase muscle strength and endurance.
• It isn't about lifting the heaviest weight possible. Instead, the focus is on lighter weights and controlled movements, with a special emphasis on proper technique and safety.

Benefits

• Experts now realize that with good technique and the right amount of resistance, young athletes can avoid growth plate injuries.
• Strengthening exercises, with proper training and supervision, provide many benefits to a young athlete.
• Supervised strength training that emphasizes proper technique: Increases your child's muscle strength and endurance; Protects your child's muscles and joints from injury; Helps improve performance in a particular sport.

Your child may gain other health benefits from strength training, too. These include:

• Better heart and lung function.
• A healthy body composition.
• Stronger bones.
• Lower blood cholesterol levels.
• A good fitness habit that lasts a lifetime.
• Improved self-esteem and a decreased chance of depression also are upshots of strength training.

"Strength training is one part of a well-rounded fitness program, along with aerobic exercise and stretching," says Dr. Laskowski. "If you establish a habit of strength training with good technique early on, your child will likely reap benefits for a lifetime."

Encourage physical activity in your child - it's a key step to becoming a healthy adult.

---