3 Youth Training Myths
1) Lifting will Stunt Young Athletes Growth
Stress is how we get better. Pushing yourself on a run will make you a better runner. Adding load to athletes will make them stronger. However, too much stress results in injury.
Mechanics, consistency, then intensity. When working with people new to weight training it is important to focus on mechanics and consistency first. Load and intensity are how we improve and get better but there should be an evolution of that intensity, it should NOT be going from 0 to 100.
Example: Older women with osteoporosis should lift weights (relative load). The load from lifting weights puts a mild stress on the bones and the bones react to that stress by increasing their density. The weights will also help build muscle and help them stay independent longer.
So weight does not hurt kids. Too much, too fast hurts kids.
2) Kids only need to develop skills
Only developing sport skills, speed, and agility will increase risk of injury. Lack of strength with excessive speed will result in injury. Joints need strong muscles to support them. If the muscles are underdeveloped in a child but their speed and agility are at a high level the muscles will not be able to support the joint and injury becomes more likely.
Coaches that only do speed, agility, and skill work are doing a disservice to their team.
Example - Urban Meyer. ~90% of new recruits are multi-sport athletes.
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/30/sports/ncaafootball/ohio-state-clemson-multisport-athletes-fiesta-bowl.html
Build athleticism not skills.
3) Squatting below parallel is bad for your knees
Your knees (all joints) don’t just use one set of muscles they use multiple. When squatting we want to use both the anterior (quads) and the posterior (hamstrings) and squatting to full depth lets us do that. By squatting to crease of the hip below the top of the knee we are developing all the muscle around the knee and hip. This is what we call a compound movement, a movement that uses multiple muscle groups at one time and compound movements are king.
You ready to give Equity a try? Book a 'No Sweat Intro'.
Have a question or comment about the topic above? I would love to hear about it, let me know.
Cheers,
Berek
