Resistance Training for Young Athletes Part 1 Tony Moreno MS CSCS Resistance training has been used for many years at a variety of competitive levels to improve performance and help prevent injury. The term resistance training, is often used interchangeably with other terms such as “strength” training or “weight” training. Regardless of which term is used, it is a practice that is designed to enhance “one’s ability to exert or resist force” (Bompa, 1993). In other words, resistance training is used to increase an athlete's muscle strength and endurance. Implementing a successful resistance training program is dependent on the experience of the teacher or coach, the availability of equipment and space, and the instructional environment. The apparatus commonly found in many facilities may vary from the traditional iron plates, barbells, and dumbells to the use of variable resistance machines, physio-therapy devices, medicine balls, or a combination of all of these products. You, as a youth coach, must have a thorough understanding of why you are using resistance training in your setting. This should include recognizing the benefits and potential risks, evaluating which practices are scientifically sound, and the ability to supervise and administer an effective program in a safe environment. Popular resources containing information on resistance training (e.g., the internet, general texts, and popular magazines) often suggests that resistance training is safe for youth and adults of all ages. However, it should be recognized that pre-pubescent and adolescent youth require special considerations often not discussed or available from these sources. In this two-part article, we will discuss the utility of resistance training in youth sport, and those practices and exercise techniques that are appropriate for the youth coach to implement in his/her program. Why is resistance training important for youth sports? Resistance training can play a vital role in both athletic and social development. In part one of this article, the focus of discussion will center on the role of resistance training in the prevention of injury, the enhancement of performance, and those psycho-social factors that contribute to the health and well-being of the young athlete. Prevention of Injuries As with many recreational pastimes, participation in sport carries a potential risk of injury depending on the type and frequency of the activity. Current literature suggests that the risk of injury may become compounded because participation numbers for individuals who actively engage in youth sport have increased dramatically during the past few decades (NSCA position statement, 1996). An increase in the number of participants enhances the number of "athletic" exposures to potentially injurious situations associated with vigorous physical activity and sport. Resistance training can play an important role in reducing the incidence and severity of injury in youth sport. It stimulates the appropriate biological mechanisms that strengthen the supporting structures (muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones), enhance the ability of tissues to absorb more force prior to failure (tearing) and develop greater muscular balance about specific joints. Research supports the vital role that resistance training can play in the reduction of injuries. In a high school study comparing the incidence of injury among male and female adolescent athletes, the injury rate (26.2%) and recovery time (2.02 days) were significantly reduced for those who participated in a supervised strength training program when compared to a control group (72.4% and 4.82 days, respectively) that did not follow a weight training protocol (Henja, Rosenberg, Buturusis, & Krieger, 1982). Cahill and Griffith (1978) reported high school football players were able to reduce the severity and incidence of knee injury by participating in a pre-season weight training regimen. Hewitt, Stroupe, Nance, and Noyes (1996) in a study involving female high school volleyball players, demonstrated that a routine of plyometric and lower extremity strength training was able to minimize landing impact forces from a block jump. The authors implied that the alleviation of impact forces via tissue resiliency and neuromuscular training, was instrumental in decreasing the incidence of injury for these athletes. Although it may be easy to generalize these selected findings to children and adolescent athletes in other sports, coaches should remember that the application of resistance training is by itself a physical stress. Factors such as fatigue, aggressiveness, experience, contact in the sport, practice time, and other social or environmental influences play a role in the prevention of injuries. These factors should always be considered in the over-all program of planning practices and physical training sessions. Performance Enhancement Success in sport can be attributed to many factors. However, a structured resistance training program and its influence on the body’s structures may well be the cornerstone to a positive outcome in many sport situations. Many coaches agree that muscular strength, power, and endurance are highly desirable traits for young athletes. The rigid links through which force is produced and transferred throughout the segments of the body consist of muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bone. Concomitant improvements in strength and skill are most evident when athletic performance capacities such as the vertical jump are increased, and sprint and reaction times are noticeably reduced in physical testing. Youth sport varies on a continuum from non-contact activities such as golf and swimming, to those with a heavy collision component such as hockey and football. Regular strength training induces biochemical and structural tissue adaptations in muscle that lead to mechanical advantages in the muscle-bone-joint leverage systems of the body. As a result, resistance training can be a useful tool for the sport coach who hopes to improve the athlete’s performance characteristics. Psycho-social factors Although direct findings are limited, the available literature and practical observations of many coaches and scientists appear to demonstrate that resistance training has a positive effect on a variety of psycho-social indicators such as self-confidence, self-image, and selfesteem (Faigenbaum, 1995). Enhanced self -confidence may improve the socialization skills needed to bring young athletes together to share bonds that make all participants feel a part of the team (Martinez, 1997). Well constructed programs should be designed with the young participant’s best physical and psychological interests in mind. Kids feel better when they are physically able to play without fatigue or when they can hold their own against an opponent. Knowing they are strong or fit enough contributes to their self-confidence. Encouraging self-improvement and persistence may enable athletes to acquire positive psycho-social effects similar to those found in other recreational activities and sports. On the other hand, care must be taken to refrain from excessive levels of training that may be beyond the scope of the athletes’ physical and emotional development. Such practices may encourage the athletes to acquire negative psychosocial behaviors (AAP position statement, 2000). What is the appropriate age for young athletes to begin a resistance training program? Are there any differences between males and females? Growth, Maturation, and Gender Although strength training for pre-pubescent children and adolescent youth has been open to controversy for some time, there is sufficient research and literature to support the use of resistance training for these age groups (Faigenbaum, 2001; Payne, Morrow, Johnson & Dalton, 1997; Ozmun, Mikesky, & Sunburg, 1994; Blimkie, 1993; Ramsay et al., 1990). Strength training is an area of prime concern because childhood and adolescence are stages in life where growth and development are especially dynamic. Much of this concern has focused on the occasional incidence of musculoskeletal injury (e.g. epiphyseal fractures, ruptured intervertebral disks, and low back bony disruptions), particularly during performance of the major multi-joint exercises such as the squat or deadlift (Nelson et al., 1990). For the youth coach and parent, confusion often exists as to the appropriate age to begin a weight training program and the associated affects on normal growth and development. Current literature on age appropriateness appears to be mixed. One study, concerning the effects of resistance training on growth and development, reported no adverse effects as a result of following a weight training program in children as young as six years of age (Blimkie, 1993). The National Strength and Conditioning Association in a paper on youth resistance training (1996), holds the position that properly designed resistance training programs with appropriate supervision can be safe for physiologically and psychologically prepared children and adolescents. However, the position statement does not give a specific age range for males and females (NSCA, 1996). The American Academy of Pediatrics (2000) recommends avoiding the practice of using maximal attempts until adolescents have reached Tanner stage 5 level of developmental skeletal maturity (Nelson et al, 1990). However, according to several growth studies (Malina, 1991), the Tanner stage 5 level can be quite variable across gender and ethnicity, and this can lead to frustration in determining an acceptable age at which to begin strength training. Given the general lack of agreement in the literature determining age appropriateness for strength training, coaches should use extreme caution with children and adolescents when designing these programs. For all novice trainees, challenging sub-maximal efforts that require concentration, emphasize technique, address posture and breathing patterns should be utilized. As the athlete matures, increasing the difficulty of the efforts that match the physical maturity of the child is appropriate. For example, a 13 year old female basketball player that is interested in following a resistance training program should be introduced and practice exercises she feels she can competently perform. The squat, an important exercise for the hips and legs, should be taught in a manner so that the athlete can concentrate on establishing excellent technique. Coinciding with technique should be the fact that maintaining proper posture and breathing patterns will help her lift heavier resistance later in her program. Technique is best established with a light resistance like a broom stick or PVC pipe. With these implements technique can be observed under experienced eyes in a safe manner. Modifications can be easily performed, and the athlete will develop the confidence that she can conduct the squat with the appropriate technique. As her confidence builds, more resistance can be placed by teaching her how to use the barbell, and later with the addition of weight plates to the barbell. Another area that is commonly misunderstood among coaches are the differences between boys and girls when following a strength training program. Because the risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and other lower extremity injury in females is generally two to eight times (depending on the activity) greater than their male counterparts, strength training should become an integral part of the physical conditioning plan (Hewitt et al., 1996) for both sexes. Although there is not as much literature concerning strength training in females as in males, the current evidence indicates that females are able to improve strength from a variety of different weight training protocols (Malina, 1991). The next issue of the Spotlight will focus on the teaching of specific exercises, exercise selection, and the frequency of training. References 1. Anderson, S.J., Greisemer, B.A., Johnson, M.D., Martin, T.J., McLain, L.G., Rowland, T.W., & Small, E. (2000). American Academy of Pediatrics Policy Statement: Intensive training and sports specialization in young athletes. Pediatrics, 106(1), 154-157. 2. Blimkie, C.J.R., (1993). 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