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Strength Training Safe and Effective for Kids

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WebMD Health News

June 5, 2001 -- Kids of all ages are lifting free weights, trying to bulk up for sports or to look like their favorite athletes. But how safe is all this strength training for children and adolescents? And what exactly is the difference between strength training and weight lifting?

To help parents make sense of it all, a policy statement issued this week by the American Academy of Pediatrics outlines the risks and benefits of strength training. The report appears in the June issue of Pediatrics.

"We support anything that gets kids to become active and stay physically active -- and that doesn't cause injuries -- and strength training can be all those things," says study author Bernard Griesemer, MD, a pediatric sports medicine specialist at HealthTracks Training Center of St. John's Health System in Springfield, Mo.

"Especially for middle and high school students, this kind of training can help with sports performance," says Griesemer. It's especially popular in sports like football, where size and strength are desirable, he says, but it does not help much to enhance running speed or jumping ability.

So what's the difference between strength training and weight lifting?

Strength training, also known as resistance training, uses resistance methods -- like free weights, weight machines, elastic tubing, or the person's own body weight -- to enhance muscle size and strength. Workouts involve a group of repetitions separated by rest periods, for example, three sets of 20 reps.

In weight lifting or power lifting, how much an individual can lift at one time is the focus. Many kids don't know the difference between strength training and weight lifting, and that gets them into trouble, says Griesemer.

During 1991-1996, children under 21 suffered an estimated 21,000-26,000 injuries each year using strength-training equipment, according to statistics from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Muscle strains account for 40-70% of all injuries.

Other statistics show that at the middle-school level, high injury rates have been associated with weight lifting and power lifting. "These occur when there has not been appropriate training or monitoring of technique," Griesemer tells WebMD.

"Young athletes should avoid major competitive lifts," he says. "They should also be realistic about their expectations. These kids will not bulk up -- that only comes with puberty -- but they will gain strength, which is positive."

In some cases, in fact, strength training might not always be the best use of an adolescent's time, Griesemer tells WebMD. "Many youngsters are probably going to get more benefit from practicing and perfecting the skills of their sport than from strength training." Plus, strength-training programs are not effective for weight loss, especially for girls trying to lose weight, he adds.

Therefore, Griesemer recommends that younger athletes focus on a well-balanced exercise program, not just lifting weights. "They need to be getting aerobic exercise," he says. "Kids should have fun and stay physically active."

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