Children And Exercise

If you have a child of about 6 to 8 years old that wants to start exercising and lifting weights, you may be wondering what to do.  While some think it is perfectly okay for children to exercise, others think differently.

The fact is that it is  beneficial for your child to partake in exercise  or a weight training regimen, however there are few things you should keep in mind.

No matter how you look at it, children are not adults therefore you can't use the same methods and intensity for adults also for children, as children are different from adults emotionally, anatomically, and physically.

The skeletal bones of children don't get mature until they get to between 14 - 22 years of age.  Exercising during childhood can have a very critical effect on their bone health that can last for their entire lives. 

Children have immature temperature regulation systems due to their having a large surface area compared to their muscle mass which will cause them to be more susceptible to injury when they are not properly warmed up.

Children don't sweat as much as adults do, so they will be more susceptible to heat exhaustion.  Due to their low muscle mass and immature hormone system, it makes it harder for them to develop strength and speed. Their breathing and heart response during exercise are also different from that of adults, which will affect their capacity to exercise.

Before setting up exercise programs for children, first and foremost you should obtain a medical clearance.  The first approach to designing a program is to establish a repetition range of 8 - 12 and keep the work load appropriate for the range.

You should ensure that workouts are spread out enough to have at least 1 - 2 full days of rest between workouts. The main focus when working out should be on the form of every exercise performed, and not on the amount of weight being lifted.

Before weight training, warm up and stretching should be done.  Start your children off with light loads and then make adjustments accordingly.  No more than 3 non consecutive exercise sessions should be done in a week.   

You should also see to it that they drink plenty of water before, during, and after exercise.  Getting enough water is very important with exercise, as it is often times very easy to get dehydrated, especially with children.