1. Help Kids Train Properly
As much as we like to think so, kids are not little adults. With that in mind, you should not use the training regimen that you would use in an adult to train a child. Unlike adults, their bodies are not fully developed, and they are prone to a higher level of injuries since they will often take more risks than adults. Depending on the sport that they are involved in, your child's training regimen may vary. However, it is important to realize when a child is experiencing fatigue from training too intensively.
Children should gradually begin a training regimen. For example, if they play soccer, they should start their training regimen by learning the mechanics of the sport. It is important to know the basics with regards to rules and goal of the game. After they understand the basics, make sure your child starts off by practicing no more than 3-4 times per week. If they start a tough training regimen without being properly conditioned, it could lead to medical conditions such as stress fractures, shin splints, or it might induce other problems such as exercise induced asthma. Children will often give verbal cues to notify an adult of pain, but it is important to elicit this history on a regular basis if these cues are not given.
2. Consider a Weight Training Regimen
Speak with your child's coach about their training regimen prior to the start of the season. If your child is in their adolescent years, he/she will need to begin a weight-training program for many sports. In most sports, boys and girls should begin a strength training regimen around 12-13 years of age. If they have access to a gym at school, they may start off with circuit training on Nautilus or Cybex equipment. Or, they may use free weights and their own body weight to construct strong muscles. Make sure your child is not training the same muscle groups in consecutive days. Ensure that your adolescent weight trains on alternating days or make a schedule to indicate which muscle group they can train on a specific day of the week. Also, make sure that they are being supervised on any weight equipment at all times.
3. Kids Should Warm Up and Stretch, Too!
Many people feel that children or adolescents do not need to be involved in any warm-up or stretching activities since they are "just kids." On the contrary, making sure that a child or adolescent warms up and stretches their muscles prior to any involvement in sporting activity will significantly decrease their likelihood of injury. Aim for a warm up and cool down, focusing on numerous stretches for the primary body parts used, for at least five minutes prior to and at the conclusion of any sporting activity.
4. Speak with Your Child's Physician
If you are unsure about the proper training regimen for a particular sport, speak with your child's pediatrician. They may be able to guide you, or they may choose to refer you to a sports-medicine physician or physical therapist to help train your child on the exercises that are appropriate for them.
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