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CLINICAL REVIEW
Paediatric Resistance Training: Benefits, Concerns, and Program Design Considerations. Avery D. Faigenbaum and Gregory D.Myer Current Sports Medicine Reports Vol.9 No.3, pp.161-168, 2010
By Pip Sail A growing number of young athletes are involved in
resistance training program (44,65,67).
resistance training in schools, fitness centre and sports-training facilities(13,61). As more children and
Bone Health
adolescents get involved it is important to establish
Childhood and adolescence may be the opportune
safe and effective guidelines by which resistance
time to for the bone-modelling and remodelling
exercise can improve the health, fitness and sports
process to respond to tensile forces associated with
performance of younger populations.
weight-bearing
The term resistance training refers to a method of
resistance training guidelines are followed along with
conditioning that involves the progressive use of a
proper nutrition, resistance exercise can play a
wide range of resistive loads, different velocities and
critical role in bone mass acquisition during the
a variety of training modalities
paediatric years (73). The mechanical stress from
activities
(3,73).
If
age-specific
this type of training may act synergistically with
Resistance training can offer unique benefits for
growth-related increases in bone mass (3,73).
children when properly supervised and appropriately prescribed:
Sports-Related Injuries
a) enhanced muscle strength/power
Owing to the apparent decline in free time physical
b) enhanced motor skill performance
activities among children and adolescents (57,59), it
c) facilitate weight control
seems that the musculoskeletal system in some
d) increase bone mineral density
young athletes may not be prepared for the demands
e) increase resistance to sports related injury
of sports practice and competition.
f) increase local muscle endurance
Appropriately designed and sensibly progressed
g) improve insulin sensitivity
resistance training programs may help to reduce the
h) improve blood lipid profile
likelihood of sports related injuries in young athletes.
i) enhance attitude toward lifetime physical activity
While there is not one combination of exercises, sets and repetitions that has proven to optimise training
Body Composition
adaptations, these data indicate that multifaceted
Although the treatment of paediatric obesity is
programs that increase muscle strength, enhance
complex, exposure to resistance training along with
movement mechanics and improve functional abilities
counselling and nutrition advice may provide a safe
appear to be the most effective for reducing sports
pathway for obese youth to initiate exercise. Several
related injuries in children.
studies have reported favourable change in body composition in children and adolescents who were obese
following
participation
in
a
progressive
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