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Strong Kids = Healthy Kids

Strong Kids = Health Kids: Teaching Children to Strength Train

Children are often busy playing sports and playing games. They are FULL of energy and while keeping them active may not be a challenge, can they also benefit from a program designed to keep them strong? Undoubtedly, the answer is yes!

Everyone always benefits from having stronger muscles. The most important factor with younger clients is not their age, size, or strength. What really matters is how well they can take instruction. Strength training is a skill that requires practice: coordination of the body, controlled breathing, and, most importantly, focus.

Isaac on the shoulder press at OneUp Fitness

Proper coaching is especially important for younger clients. For kids, it is essential to establish from the beginning that the true objective of exercise is to fatigue the target muscles as efficiently and safely as possible. This mindset enables greater success when reaching the deepest levels of fatigue, which require more intense focus and awareness of body position.

A common challenge I experience with our younger clients is their tendency to lose focus. They will typically laugh, shift in their seat, and squirm right when the exercise is becoming its most difficult. These are things they have to learn to control and overcome in order to ensure safety and overall effectiveness of the exercise. In general, we have found that children aged 10 and over can take instruction seriously and maintain the necessary level of attention required to stay safe while exercising.

Children can benefit dramatically from strength training, maybe even more so than adults. This is the phase when they are growing and setting the foundation of their bodies for the rest of their lives. Strength training supports this process by making bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments stronger and more resilient to injuries. A supervised strength training program gives kids a solid foundation for better heath and fitness, leading to improved performance, greater enjoyment of sports, and better protection from the forces those activities will unquestionably deliver.

It's never too early to start creating good health and fitness habits and all signs point to the earlier the better! You can read more here about the benefits of strength training for kids and if you're interested in getting your child started, we'd love to meet with you and your family at OneUp. Together we can explore options on how we can work together to give your child the best possible start.

Thanks for reading!

Post by: Evan Snow, B.Sc.Kin, Fitness Coach