Building muscular strength is a goal for many people, including kids and teenagers. Whether trying to emulate a sports hero, get stronger to play a sport themself or catch the eye of a special someone, building strength and muscle is something many young people want to do. It is wise to educate youth on the ins and outs of building strength, so health and injury prevention is always the main priority.
Features
MayoClinic.com points out that building strength is not the same as bodybuilding, weight lifting or power lifting. You don't have to toss heavy weights around a gym to get stronger. Different body weight exercises can be done just about anywhere at any time of the day. The primary goal of strength training is to get stronger, and a young person can avoid a lot of injuries by staying away from heavy weights.
Benefits
A youth can realize many different benefits by taking up a strength-training program. He will increase his muscle strength and endurance, improve performance in specific sports, protect his muscles and joints from injury, speed up metabolism, create fitness habits and improve self-esteem .
Upper Body Exercises
Some of the exercises a youth can perform to boost upper body strength include push-ups, pull-ups or chin-ups, sit-ups or crunches, bench press, shoulder presses and various rowing motions. To help do the exercises, you can use light weights, resistance bands, machines and even a medicine ball.
Lower Body Exercises
Building a strong lower body will help youths excel in many sports. Exercises that you can perform include squats, lunges, leg presses and leg extensions. You can also do plyometrics, or jump training, which will create explosive leg power for sports that require acceleration or vertical jumps.
Considerations
For youths starting a strength training program, proper technique is the key. With good technique and the ability to follow direction, MayoClinic.com says kids as young as 8 years old can begin strength training. Building bulkier muscles should wait until puberty has ended. It is important to get the proper instruction to avoid injury, so consult a trainer or physical education specialist before beginning a strength-training program.
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