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Over the last decade
across the nation, the numbers of adolescents who have a gym
membership has grown over 200 percent. While some children are
trying to fend-off excess weight, others are trying their hands
at weight training. There’s overwhelming controversy surrounding
the weight lifting and obesity issues amongst children in America. Weight training
is safe for children as long as a few guidelines are followed.
Primarily, children should exercise under the supervision of
certified and licensed professionals. To find qualified professionals,
research personal trainers who are certified by the American
College of Sports Medicine.
An adult
weight training program is different from a child’s regimen.
Until a child’s skeleton has been fully matured, they should
not lift the maximum weight. Lifting excessive weight may permanently
damage parts of the bone referred to as growth plates. Too much
pressure on the growth plates may result in a fracture.
Girls reach their
skeletal maturity between the ages of 14 and 16. In boys, skeletal
maturation occurs from 16 to 18 years old. Prior to puberty,
children have substantially low levels of testosterone. Consequently,
they are incapable of acquiring muscle mass the way an adults
does.
Inevitably, the best
way for children to work out is with a very low weight load
and a number of repetitions. According to the president of Takes
2 Fitness in Nashville, Tennessee, Jeff Bergholtz, for obese
children lifting weights is a great form of exercise. Unlike
a push-up that requires a person to lift their own body weight,
free weights, can be customized to accommodate the user's strength.
The underlying advantage
of strength-training exercises is how they are executed with
very little time between exercises. It allows kids to keep their
heart rates up which offers a cardiovascular element to the
exercise.
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