Science confirms: strength training won't stop kids from growing

When the words "strength training in children" are uttered, many parents and coaches think of bent spines, stunted growth and high risk of injury. The reality, however, is quite different. Research in recent years clearly demonstrates that strength training is not only safe for children and youth, but also very beneficial - it promotes healthy bone growth, muscle development and improves athletic performance.

What does the science say?

The ideal "recipe" for strength training for children? Scientists have described it quite accurately

There is one key study on this by Lesinski and his colleagues in 2016. They took a bunch of research aimed at young athletes between the ages of 6 and 18 to see what type of strength training works best. It turned out that the kids made the biggest leaps forward in muscle strength and in jumping. There was also a positive effect on sprint speed and overall agility, although the effect there was not as marked. Most interestingly, the study also described the ideal 'recipe': the best results were achieved by those who trained for more than 23 weeks with higher loads (around 80-89% of the maximum), in 5 sets of 6-8 reps with longer rest breaks between sets, i.e. 3 to 4 minutes.

Properly conducted training is not only safe for children, but also very effective for improving performance.

Classic strength or explosiveness? Science shows which fits better

It is often debated whether classic strength training or more dynamic, explosive exercises are better for kids. A large 2017 analysis of studies by Behm and his team shone a light on exactly that. They found that both make sense, but each is suited to something slightly different. If you mainly want to develop explosiveness and improve jumps in kids, so-called power training with plyometric exercises is clearly better. But if the goal is mainly brute muscle strength and sprinting speed, traditional strength training comes out a bit better from this comparison.

The best results are achieved by combining both approaches - first building core strength and then adding dynamic, explosive exercises.

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Does strength training affect the growth of children?

No, it does not slow down growth. Scientific studies (including the ones we've discussed) clearly confirm that properly conducted training does not negatively affect cartilage growth or growth velocity in children and adolescents. On the contrary, it can strengthen bones, improve bone density and promote healthy development overall.

Where does the myth that dumbbells stop growth come from?

There are several reasons why this belief has taken root:

• Older unsupervised injuries - there have been cases in the past where young athletes have injured their growing cartilage with poor technique and without professional guidance. However, this was not a problem of the training itself, but rather a lack of supervision.
• Comparison to hard physical work - people often confuse systematic strength training with hard manual labour (for example in the mines or in the fields), which may indeed have affected growth in children in the past.
• Lack of information - for a long time there were no modern studies to confirm safety, and so the myth was passed on.
• Parental concerns - because growth is a sensitive topic, parents tend to be naturally cautious and often see strength training as a potential risk.

What does strength training bring to children

Properly conducted strength training gives children a lot. It strengthens their bones, greatly improves coordination and acts as a great injury prevention. Thanks to this, they can then improve in any sport and, most importantly, build a positive relationship with movement from a young age.