At my son’s last well visit, I asked the doctor if it was an appropriate time for him to start lifting weights. This may sound like an odd question, but my son was starting to express interest in getting in shape. He was eleven years old and some of his friends had started working out, plus two of his older sisters have boyfriends with pretty serious workout regiments. With his curiosity growing and my limited knowledge of strength training, I thought it was a necessary question to ask.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children ages 6-17 should be engaging in one hour of moderate to high intensity exercise daily. Getting kids to go outside and play is fairly easy when they are young, but as they get older, it may not be as easy to get them to be active. Exercise for older children may look more like organized sports, lifting weights or playing basketball at the local gym.
Regardless of their age or what they are doing, safety is key.
There is such a thing as too much exercise.
If your teen has started to express an interest in getting in shape, you might be surprised to know that when it comes to exercise, there can be too much of a good thing. You want to be sure your teen is incorporating at least one day of rest in the week so that their muscles have time to recover and rebuild tissue. This day of rest is just as important as the workout days. The time off helps to prevent injuries and reach fitness goals.
Don’t skip the warm-up and the cool-down.
Your teen may be tempted to skip this important step, but it really does make a difference. Warming up and cooling down will help the muscles prepare for the exercise, prevent injuries and relieve muscle tension.
Stay hydrated.
Hydration is always important, but this especially rings true if your teen is participating in an outdoor activity during the hot summer months. Pay attention to heat advisories, and if it’s too hot out, encourage them to head to the gym or do something that doesn’t involve being outside in the sweltering heat. If they do want to be outside on a day that is supposed to be overly hot, check the temperature during different times of the day and encourage them to wake up early or take advantage of the late sunsets and workout during those times of day instead of midday when it is much hotter. And always, regardless of temperature, but sure your teen is drinking plenty of water and staying hydrated. Hydration is so important to our health.
Wear protective gear.
It doesn’t matter how uncool, not-stylish, or uncomfortable protective gear may seem. It exists for a reason and that reason is to keep your child safe. Emphasize the importance of wearing protective gear at all times.
Pay attention to your coaches.
Coaches and weight trainers know what they are doing. If your teen is anything like mine, they all seem to be in the “I know” phase of life — but so many times, they really don’t know. In this case, be sure to emphasize before the season begins that the coaches and trainers really do know what they are talking about – and it’s important to always follow their lead.
Take a break.
Our culture encourages and applauds year-round sports of all kinds. There are youth leagues, rec leagues, school leagues, travel leagues, individual coaches and more. With all of the opportunities, parents can feel pressure to have their kids participate in their sport year round, but breaks are actually good. Figure out when is a good time to take a break. This will help avoid burnout and will also reduce injuries that can occur from the overuse of joints and muscles.
Have a spotter.
If your child is old enough that they have made the shift from more strength training to serious weight training with the hope to bulk up those muscles, be sure they have a friend with them who is able to spot and help while they are lifting the weights. This is of the utmost importance to avoid injury.
