By Jeff Friday M.S., C.S.C.S.      Jeff is the Head Coach and Owner of ProShape, LLC (www.getinproshape.com).  He is also the former Head Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Baltimore Ravens, holding the position for nine years. With more than 18 years of experience in training and developing college and professional athletes, Jeff has implemented athletic development programs in several intercollegiate men's and women's sports that have allowed athletes to succeed at the highest levels.  This article provides insight about youth strength training that will be educational to every parent and athlete.

Why Strength Training?

In their quest to see their son or daughter reach their athletic performance potential or promote a healthy lifestyle, parents are looking for guidance as where to start in a strength training program. Strength training has numerous benefits as it will increase the child’s muscle strength and endurance, help protect the muscles and joints from injury, and improve their performance in virtually any sport.  It is a misconception that preadolescents can not improve strength as studies have shown an overall strength gain of 74 percent in a two month twice a week program.

Striving to reach the 50^th percentile and progress to the 85^th percentile in strength, speed, agility, quickness, flexibility and endurance for their gender and age group is a good starting point.  Standards in performance have been in existence for decades.   Starting with the Presidents Physical Fitness Award in 1966, The Presidents Challenge has motivated millions of youth with standards for a basic level of fitness.  Standards can be viewed at the following link:

http://www.presidentschallenge.org/educators/program_details/physical_fitness/qualifying_standards.aspx#

The physical fitness test recognizes students and athletes for their level of fitness in 5 events: curl-ups or partial curl-ups, shuttle run, endurance walk/run, pull-ups or right angle push-ups, and V-Sit or sit and reach.  The standards start at age 6 and end at age 17.

The standards for selected exercises for a 10 year old male are listed below:

Presidents Challenge    Curl-up                 Push-up               Pull-Up                 1 Mile                   Shuttle

National (50%)                  35                           12                           2                              9:48                        11.5

Presidential (85%)          45                           22                           6                              7:57                        10.3

I would also add the one leg squat (diagram 1) to the above list of exercises for the purpose of developing lower body strength and power.  Some authors have recommended that 15 one legged squats with correct alignment or holding the bottom position for 30 seconds without wobbling as an indicator of appropriate fitness.  The athlete should first progress to the quarter squat, then a half squat.

Ultimately, improvement must be measured within one’s own ability.  Don’t get hung up on someone else’s standards.  Parents and athletes must be realistic in their goal setting, as body type and limb length will affect the over all results of the President Challenge.  There are numerous ways to measure improvement (i.e. body composition), however, the exercises selected in the Presidents Challenge rely on very little equipment and can be performed virtually anywhere.  

There are many strategies for increasing performance; however, the simplest form is to practice the exercises.  Performing the tested exercises two or three days per week on non consecutive days will enable the athlete to improve their level of fitness.  Training with your bodyweight can be productive assuming the athlete has the correct muscular ability for the weight.  If the child does not have traditional free weights or machines to match their current level of muscular fitness, there are several strategies using their bodyweight to improve strength.   

Perform more repetitions - The simplest strategy is to perform more repetitions of the selected exercise each workout.  For instance, goals can be as small as increasing performance by ¼, ½, or ¾ of a repetition.  If the athlete weighs 100 lbs. and performs ¼ more reps in a bodyweight exercise, the theoretical strength gain is 25 lbs.  I often encourage athletes to achieve “one more inch”.  This “inch” or small increment will lead to large gains over a period of time.

Breakdown the movement - Other methods to increase performance would be to breakdown the movement into parts until the whole movement can be completed.   For instance, if the athlete can not perform a proper push-up, place a basketball or similar object under their chest as the range of motion goal.  Once this height is mastered, lower the height by using a soccer ball (greater range of motion).  Proceed until the athlete is capable of performing a full range of motion push-up.

The lowering phase - Performance of only the lowering phase is another option.  Lowering the body is easier than raising the body because we don’t have to work against gravity.  Gravity is assisting us.  As an example, when performing the pull-up, the athlete starts with the chin above the bar and proceeds to lower themselves in the selected time.  A progression of 12 repetitions could be performed with each repetition lowered in: 04.  Progress to: 06 and eventfully: 30 seconds until the athlete is able to perform several pull-ups.

Additional bodyweight exercises like horizontal rows, dips, lunges, bodyweight squats, etc… can be included to provide variety and stimulate muscle development.  Tubing and band exercises can also be incorporated to enhance the program.

I think it is safe to assume that a child can start a training program as soon as they can accept coaching at the age of 6, 7 or 8.  The Presidents Challenge standards start at age 6.    

What is heavy?   If the athlete is striving to perform 12 push-ups as the above standards indicate and can only perform 6, is this lifting heavy?  Or striving to get 6 pull-ups and can only get 4, is this heavy lifting?  I don’t condone heavy lifting for youth in the weight room because of safety factors.  There are however, several checkpoints the athlete should go through when performing a strength training exercise to avoid a potential injury:  1. perform the exercise through a full range of motion, 2. accentuate the lowering of the weight, and 3. avoid fast or jerky movements. 

Help your child by incorporating strength training into the structure of their program, not only to win on the field, but win in life!

1.       Stand on one leg

2.       Pull chin back, shoulder blades together, stomach in and position your knee over your second toe.

3.       Keeping your heel on the floor, slowly bend your knee, lowering your body towards the floor.

4.       Slowly straighten your knee, raising your body back to the starting position.