Junior High School and High School athletes seem to be bigger and better these days. I attend a great deal of youth sporting events and am still surprised at how many athletes are performing at levels beyond those of their peers. So, why is this happening?
In part, it is due to athletes simply "hitting the weight room." It is very common for High School teams to spend part of their practice time lifting weights. The results? Better, stronger, faster, more intimidating athletes.
Many people ask the question, How do you know if your teen is ready to lift weights? The idea exists that teens should not lift weights because it will stunt their growth. The truth is, weight lifting will not stunt your teen's growth. In fact, it has been proven, that weight lifting actually strengthens bones! This may seem difficult to believe, but it is true, in weight lifters of all ages.
It is important to remember, that teens can, and do, get injured in the weight room. I think that that is where this myth of stunting your growth comes from. There are several important rules for teens to follow when considering a weight training routine.
SUPERVISE
Teens need to be supervised at all times. This is an easy step to forgo. You think that you can show them the exercises and let them loose in the weight room the next time, figuring that they will remember how and what to do correctly. How many times have you done your exercises correctly the first few times? Because they are being introduced to many different exercises, all of the specific "how to" directions may get confused. Make sure to walk through the weight room with them, pointing out correct form and weight load. Even when they are proficient at lifting weights, it is still critical to provide supervision. You never know when an accident may occur. Safety is extremely important.
WEIGHT LOAD
When lifting weights, teens should stick to lifting a weight that they can successfully lift for 12- 15 repetitions. The amount of weight depends on what the teen can manage. It is better to start out with weights too light and complete the repetitions successfully, then risk an injury because the weight was too heavy. The amount of weight can always be increased if it is too light. In the beginning, it will be through trial and error that the teen figures out the best weight load to use for each exercise.
PROPER FORM
In addition to lifting the correct amount of weight, proper form is essential! If your teen is cheating on the moves, he/she could get injured. Also, the muscle that is being worked may not be the one intended. It is important that form is always being thought of even when a teen seems proficient at an exercise, it must still be concentrated on to gain maximum results.
DIET
It seems like teens can, and do, eat whatever they want. Eating a proper diet is necessary to have a healthy body. Teens need to make sure that they are eating well and include protein and complex carbohydrates with each meal. Drinking enough water is essential, too. This will provide their bodies with enough fuel to be an active athlete.
Many High Schools have weight training rooms in them, now. With so many athletes using these rooms, and more and more teens becoming active in sports, we need to make sure that they are weight lifting in a healthy way. Let's not take the safety of their bodies and the sport for granted.
Author Resource:-
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