Strength sports in children

Strength sport in children It does not mean weight lifting or weightlifting. When we talk about work in which there is a strength component in routines for children, we are basically referring to including adapted resistance without looking for muscle hypertrophy, which would be a mistake.

• Lifting your own body, as many children do in parks when climbing ropes or mobile structures, is already one way to include strength training.
• In addition to this type of exercise, which after all is a game, there are a series of accessories that help turn the game into a routine that is part of a training session.
• muscles, bones, joints are benefited, while it improves performance in other sports, increases confidence and helps weight control.

In fact, you just have to go to a park and see how many children are already doing this type of exercise when climbing ropes, climbing mobile structures or jumping from one element to another. They, without being aware, are already covering part of that program increasingly recommended by specialists: lifting your own body is an easy and perfect way to start including strength training.

Turn the game into routine

In addition to this type of exercise, which after all is a game, there are a series of accessories that help turn the game into a routine that is part of training and that should be understood as part of the child's development, not as a program to make you a professional weightlifter.

The use of rubber bands (there are different resistances) is a very wise recommendation for those who are beginning to include words such as repetitions and series in their vocabulary. They are an ideal option for the upper and lower body instead of weights, since possible falls of the weights are avoided, which, although they are light, can cause injuries as well as problems when performing the technique improperly. Also here are valid all those sports in which strength is included in their physical preparation such as gymnastics, in which the need for muscular work included in the routine is essential for a correct development of the sports discipline, both male and female. female.

Older children

In older children, using machines or free weights are options that can be considered, always under the supervision of a knowledgeable adult to be able to correct the technique if necessary. It would be appropriate, prior to muscle work, to perform a cardiovascular warm-up and in this way the muscles will be in better condition. The recommendations are based on sessions in which the majority of muscle groups are included and in which 8-15 repetitions are performed, about 2-3 times a week, with small and gradual increases in the resistance with which you work .

What are the benefits of strength sports for children?

According to the benefits are:

• Increases strength and muscular endurance of children
• Helps achieve good bone health
• Control of weight and cholesterol numbers
• Protects muscles and joints from injury
• Improves performance in the practice of any sport
• Increase self-esteem and confidence

The same institutions position themselves as to what the risks would be, which have always been mentioned, when children practice force. According to its members, children who follow supervised strength training programs do not have a higher risk of injury than if compared to playing other sports. There is also no evidence regarding the alteration in the development of the little ones, who follow training programs at this level, as long as they are adapted to their needs. It should be noted that not only is there no evidence that it is not negative but quite the opposite, as we have seen in the benefits.