Current recommendations suggest that
school-age youth should participate in at
least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous
physical activity daily. In addition to aerobic
activities such as running and cycling,
research increasingly indicates that regular
participation in a youth strength-training
program can offer observable health, fitness
and performance benefits for children and
adolescents. Presently, a growing number of
boys and girls are experiencing the benefits
of strength training in schools, fitness centers
and sports training facilities. Contrary to
the traditional belief that strength training is
dangerous for children or that it could lead
to growth plate disturbances, the American
College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
contends that strength training can be a
safe and effective activity for this age group,
provided that the programs are properly
designed and competently supervised. It
must be emphasized, however, that strength
training is a specialized form of physical
conditioning that involves the progressive use
of a wide range of resistive loads and a variety
of training modalities. As such, instruction
and supervision should be provided by
qualified professionals to ensure that strength-
training programs are consistent with the
needs, goals and abilities of each participant.
Children and adolescents can participate in
strength training programs provided that
they have the emotional maturity to accept
and follow directions. Many seven- and eight
year-old boys and girls have benefited from
strength training, and there is no reason why
younger children could not participate in
strength-related activities, such as push-ups
and sit-ups, if they can safely perform the
exercises and follow instructions. Generally
speaking, if children are ready for participation
in organized sports or activities—such as
Little League baseball, soccer or gymnastics—
then they are ready for some type of strength
training. The goal of youth strength training
should be to improve the musculoskeletal
strength and general fitness of children
and adolescents while exposing them to a
variety of safe, effective and fun training
methods. Adult strength training guidelines
and training philosophies should not be
imposed on youngsters who are anatomically,
physiologically or psychologically less mature.
Strength training should be one part of a well-
rounded fitness program that also includes
endurance, flexibility, agility and skill-building
exercises.
Properly designed and competently supervised
youth strength training programs may not
only increase the muscular strength of children
and adolescents, but may also enhance
motor fitness skills (e.g., sprinting and
jumping) and sports performance. Research
evidence indicates that participation in a
well-rounded fitness program that includes
strength training may also decrease the
incidence of some sports-related injuries by
increasing the strength of tendons, ligaments
and bone. During adolescence, training-
induced strength gains may be associated
with increases in muscle size, but this is
unlikely to happen in prepubescent children
who lack adequate levels of muscle-building
hormones. Although the issue of childhood
obesity is complex, youth strength training
programs may also play an important role in
effective weight loss strategies. Participation
in an exercise program that includes strength
training may provide an opportunity for all
youth, including those who are sedentary or
overweight, to improve their muscle strength,
enhance their motor coordination and gain
confidence in their perceived abilities to be
physically active.
There is the potential for serious injury if
safety standards for youth strength training
such as competent supervision, qualified
instruction, safe equipment and age-related
training guidelines are not followed. All
youth strength training programs must
be closely supervised by knowledgeable
professionals who understand the uniqueness
of children and have a sound comprehension
of youth strength training guidelines. The
exercise environment should be safe and
free of hazards and all participants should
receive instruction regarding proper exercise
technique (e.g., controlled movements), safe
training procedures (e.g., sensible starting
weights), and weight room etiquette (e.g.,
adherence to safety rules). Although a medical
examination is not required for apparently
healthy children who want to participate
in a strength training program, a medical
examination is recommended for children
Youth Strength training
ACSM Sports Medicine Basics
www.acsm.org
with known or suspected health problems. A
variety of training programs and many types
of equipment—from medicine balls to free
weights (barbells and dumbbells) or child-size
weight machines—have proven to be safe and
effective.
Although there is not one optimal
combination of sets and repetitions for all
children and adolescents, one to three sets
of six to fifteen repetitions performed two to
three times per week on nonconsecutive days
have been found to be reasonable. Beginning
with one or two sets of 10 to 15 repetitions
on several upper and lower body exercises that
focus on the major muscle groups will allow
room for progress to be made. As competence
and confidence to perform different strength
exercises improve, the program can be made
more challenging by gradually increasing the
weight or the number of sets. Although not all
exercises need to be performed for the same
number of sets and repetitions, youth with
strength training experience may progress
to 2 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 repetitions with a
heavier weight provided progression is based
on technical competency. This is especially
important for youth who perform multi-joint
exercises (e.g., squatting) or complex exercises
(e.g., weightlifting) due to the complex nature
of these movements. As training experience
increases, young athletes may be introduced
to periodic phases of lower repetition ranges
(≤ 6) and heavier weights... It must be
underscored that the overriding emphasis of
any youth strength-training program should
be on proper technique and safety—not on
how much weight can be lifted.
Proper training guidelines, program variation
and competent supervision will make strength
training programs safe, effective and fun for
children and adolescents. Instructors should
understand the physical and emotional
uniqueness of children, and, in turn,
participants should appreciate the benefits
and risks associated with strength training. If
age-related guidelines are followed, it is the
opinion of ACSM that strength training can
be enjoyable, beneficial and healthy experience
for children and adolescents.
About the Authors
Written for the American College of Sports Medicine by Avery D.
Faigenbaum, Ed.D., FACSM (Chair) and Lyle J. Micheli, M.D.,
FACSM.
Suggested Citation: Faigenbaum, A. and Micheli, L. Youth Strength
Training. Indianapolis, IN: American College of Sports Medicine;
2017.
ACSM Sports Medicine Basics are official statements by the
American College of Sports Medicine concerning topics of interest
to the public at large.
ACSM grants permission to reproduce this fact sheet if it is
reproduced in its entirety without alteration. The text may be
reproduced in another publication if it is used in its entirety without
alteration and the following statement is added: Reprinted with
permission of the American College of Sports Medicine. Copyright
©2017 American College of Sports Medicine. Visit ACSM online
at www.acsm.org.
