Hi,
I personally began weight training when I was 8 years old. This issue has been important to me for many years, especially as my children grow up and consider weight training. Let me share some comments from a recent study and then give some additional important references:
Faigenbaum AD, Milliken LA, Westcott WL. Maximal strength testing in healthy children. Strength Cond Res. 2003 Feb;17(1):162-6.
ABSTRACT
Strength training has become an accepted method of conditioning in children.
However, there is concern among some observers that maximal strength testing may
be inappropriate or potentially injurious to children. The purpose of this study
was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of 1 repetition maximum (1RM) strength
testing in healthy children. Thirty-two girls and 64 boys between 6.2 and 12.3
years of age (mean age 9.3 1.6 years) volunteered to participate in this
study. All subjects were screened for medical conditions that could worsen
during maximal strength testing. Under close supervision by qualified
professionals, each subject performed a 1RM test on 1 upper-body (standing chest
press or seated chest press) and 1 lower-body (leg press or leg extension)
exercise using child-size weight training machines. No injuries occurred during
the study period, and the testing protocol was well tolerated by the subjects.
No gender differences were found for any upper- or lower-body strength test.
These findings demonstrate that healthy children can safely perform 1RM strength
tests, provided that appropriate procedures are followed.
INTRODUCTION
During the last decade, strength training has proven to be a safe and effective method of conditioning in children, provided that appropriate exercise guidelines are followed. Reports indicate that regular participation in a youth strength-training program may increase muscle strength and local muscular endurance, enhance bone mineral density, improve body composition, and reduce the risk of injuries in sports and recreational activities. A growing number of boys and girls seem to be participating in strength-training activities in physical education classes and after school programs, and the qualified acceptance of youth strength training by medical and fitness organizations is becoming universal.
Current strength-training recommendations for children include the performance of 13 sets of 615 repetitions on a variety of single- and multi-joint exercises. However, maximal strength testing in children remains controversial. Some observers believe that 1 repetition maximum (1RM) testing (the maximal amount of weight that can be lifted at one time through a subject's complete range of motion) is inappropriate for children, and others are concerned that this method of testing may cause structural damage to the developing musculoskeletal system of young weight trainers. A few retrospective case reports have noted damage to the epiphysis, or growth cartilage, of adolescents who are strength trained with heavy weights. However, most of these injuries were due to an improper lifting technique or lack of qualified supervision.
Growth plate fractures have not been reported in any prospective youth strength-training study that used maximal strength testing (e.g., 1RM testing methods on the leg press, chest press, or arm curl exercises) to evaluate training-induced changes in children. Yet some coaches, teachers, and health care providers continue to suggest that children should avoid heavy strength training or single maximal attempts. Attitudes associated with strength-testing children were highlighted in a recent National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) internet survey, which found that 2,043 of 2,311 responders (88%) believe that 1RM strength testing is inappropriate for children. This issue needs further study and evaluation because most of the forces that children are exposed to in sports and recreational activities are likely to be greater in both exposure time and magnitude compared with competently supervised and properly performed maximal strength tests.
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