the data suggest that strength training will not result in
training-induced muscle hypertrophy in preadolescents
because of inadequate levels of circulating androgens.
In adolescent females, muscular development is limited
by a lower level of sex hormones. It is possible that
other hormone and growth factors can contribute to
muscle development in females.
Health-related benefits
Children and adolescents should be encouraged to
participate in a variety of sports and recreational
activities to enhance their physical and psychological
development and establish good health habits at an
early age. Along with other types of physical activity,
youth strength training has shown to have a positive
influence on several measurable indices of health,
including cardio-respiratory fitness, body composition,
bone mineral density, blood lipids and selected
psychological measures.
One of the commonest misperceptions surrounding
youth strength training is the belief that it could stunt
the stature growth of children and adolescents. This
myth seems to have been fuelled by an earlier report
that suggested that children who performed heavy
labour experienced damage to epiphyseal plates,
which resulted in significant decrease in stature.
Other causative factors, however, such as poor
nutrition, were not accounted for in this study. Current
observations indicate no evidence of a decrease in
stature in children and adolescents who participate in
well-designed youth strength training programmes.
June/July 2014•
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