Strength Training

Top 10 Reasons for Strength Training

1. Stronger muscles

2. Stronger bones

3. Stronger tendons

4. Stronger ligaments

5. More muscle

6. Less fat

7. Higher metabolism

8. Greater physical capacity

9. Greater self-confidence

10. Lower injury risk

Men, Women and Children of all ages are now experiencing epidemic levels of obesity, and this problem is, in large part, associated with physical inactivity. However, the standard fitness recommendation to get more cardiovascular exercise may not be the best advice for overweight, underactive people. The fact is, very few choose to spend 20 to 30 minutes doing any kind of continuous endurance exercise, regardless of the benefits or incentives.

Focus You Strenght Academy provides access to exercise programs that meets the individual’s physiological needs and match their personal activity patterns. Sensible strength training—and the beneficial effects typically exceed most people’s expectations.

Children now are experiencing epidemic levels of obesity, and this problem is, in large part, associated with physical inactivity. However, the standard fitness recommendation to get more cardiovascular exercise may not be the best advice for overweight, underactive children. The fact is, very few children choose to spend 20 to 30 minutes doing any kind of continuous endurance exercise, regardless of the benefits or incentives. Most youngsters prefer to play hard or run fast for 30 to 60 seconds, rest a minute or two, then repeat their performance, essentially alternating brief bouts of vigorous exercise with longer recovery periods.

Ideally, children should have access to exercise programs that meet their physiological needs and match their personal activity patterns. Fortunately, it is possible to provide such exercise programs through sensible strength training—and the beneficial effects typically exceed most people’s expectations.

 

Benefits of Kids’ Strength Training

Strength training not only offers many advantages over other types of exercise; it also appeals to children’s activity preference to alternate brief bouts of high-effort movement with longer periods of rest/recovery. Strength training also provides visual reinforcement, because young exercisers can easily see how much weight they are lifting and how much progress they have made.

One of the best features of youth strength training is the success rate that overweight boys and girls experience. Unlike most athletic activities (e.g., running, jumping, soccer and basketball), in which extra body weight is undesirable, strength training actually favors larger youth and gives them a much-needed sense of physical accomplishment. Because the amount of weight lifted is positively related to body weight, heavier children can usually train with heavier weight loads than their lighter peers.

Here are some more compelling reasons why sensible resistance training benefits children.

Dispelling Myths & Misconceptions

Unfortunately, many people mistakenly believe that strength training is an inappropriate and unsafe activity for youth. Conceptually, this does not make sense. If strength training is safe and effective for your frail elderly clients, it is even better for healthy young people with full movement capacity and plenty of energy.

Indeed, no serious injury has ever been reported in any prospective study on youth strength training. Not only is strength training safe for kids, but it may actually help reduce the number of injuries they sustain during other physical activities. According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), 50 percent of preadolescent sports injuries could be prevented, in large part, by enrolling kids in youth strength and conditioning programs (ACSM l993).

The key to successful youth strength training is gradual progression, which facilitates safe workouts that are both challenging and reinforcing.