Q: My 11-year-old son is small in stature yet wants to lift weights like his 17-year-old brother. I'm concerned that he'll hurt himself -- that his body is not yet ready for such a heavy weight-lifting routine. I think he hopes it will make him bigger. What can I tell him? A: Several studies have demonstrated significant strength improvements during prepubescence without corresponding increases in muscle development (size and definition), which supports that the majority of strength improvement is related to neural mechanisms. Because large increases in muscle mass (beyond normal growth) are not possible in younger children, they should not strength-train for the primary purpose of developing increased muscle mass. This can be a problem for younger boys who see older boys with defined larger muscles.
As prepubescent boys go through puberty their ability to increase muscle size becomes achievable. At age 11, children should be taught basic exercise techniques, followed by more advanced exercises with low resistance.
Follow these guidelines to ensure your child has a safe, successful strength program:
Consult and work with a certified strength and conditioning specialist to design and implement your child's program.
Ensure your child will be supervised by a specialist during training sessions.
Combine strength training exercises with speed, agility, coordination and balance training to ensure a comprehensive benefit from the program.
Ensure the child has been cleared by a physician and that they have the emotional maturity to begin a structured strength-training program.
Ensure your child has the ability to follow directions and perform exercises safely with proper form.
Select goals most appropriate to your child and select short- and long-term achievable goals.
John Graham, MS. CSCSD, vice president of Performance and Preventive Health Services at Orthopaedic Associates of Allentown.