Resistance Training Research Paper

Both children and adolescents can do resistance training and plyometrics so long as they are appropriately prescribed and supervised (Faigenbaum, 2009). Plyometric exercises, coupled with a complete resistance training program have been found to enhance movement biomechanics, improve functional abilities, and decrease the number of sports-related injuries in young athletes (Faigenbaum et al., 2009). Up to 50% of preadolescent sports injury could be prevented when children are involved in strength and conditioning programs (ACSM, 1993). There are numerous proposed benefits of resistance training. It helps to increase muscle strength and endurance and minimze risk of injury in sports as ligaments/tendons around muscles are strengthened. It helps

For instance, as part of an Amazing Race activity, children are required to do a series of physical activities such as sit-ups, leg raises etc. before they are handed their next clue. This helps to promote a general athletic development. With a resistance training program that is more general in nature, it reduces the risk of burnout in children. When children grow into adolescents, their patterns of physical activity change (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). They are more likely to be engaged in structured activities such as lifting weights, working with resistance band etc. With that, resistance training prescribed for adolescence can be more structured in nature (e.g. adhering to the training frequency, choice of exercise, order of exercise, amount of rest time, number of sets, number of repetitions etc. in resistance training programs). Nevertheless, youth resistance training programs must be competently supervised, properly instructed and appropriately designed (Faigenbaum, n.d) to minimize the risk of injuries. They should not lift at too heavy a weight or else they will risk fracturing the epiphyseal plates, which may result in stunted growth. Instead, they should be lifting with a lighter weight and a higher number of repetitions to help tone their muscles first. Only after puberty should they start to concentrate on adding muscle bulk because it is when the amount of testosterone, a

For instance, they can be introduced to hopscotch that we can commonly find in playgrounds because such activities are usually of interest to people of this age group. As such, plyometric training will be more effective. For adolescence, it plyometric training should be more structured in nature. For example, they can perform 1-3 sets of 6-10 repetitions on one upper body exercise (e.g. medicine ball chest pass with 1kg ball) and one lower body exercise (double leg hops) 2 times a week on non-consecutive days (Faigenbaum, n.d.). There should be a gradual progression in the exercises that is prescribed (e.g. for children, they should be able to complete 1 whole course of hopscotch before we can ask them to complete 5 continuous rounds of hopscotch; for adolescents, they should do double-leg tuck jumps before progressing to depth jumps). The chances of suffering from an injury/illness increases when training volume, frequency or intensity exceeds the capabilities of the participants. For instance, it was reported that a 12 year old boy developed exertional rhabodomyolysis after he did more than 250 repetitive squat jumps in his physical education class (Faigenbaum, 2009). Therefore, children and adolescents must be provided with specific information with regards to proper exercise technique, rate of progression and safe training procedures (e.g. include warm-ups and cool-downs pre and post exercise respectively)