If your child is participating in a sport already, then he or she is definitely old enough to start a properly-designed and supervised resistance training program. Resistance training involves personalized guidance and performance of exercises in an attempt to make a child stronger and more powerful. Resistance training does not have to involve the use of maximal or near-maximal resistances. Resistance training may include the use of weights, elastic bands, medicine balls, isokinetics or simply body weight (i.e., push-ups or pull-ups) or anything else that can be safely thrown or lifted. Actually, most children perform some type of resistance training every day of their life. For example, hopscotch or giving a friend a piggyback ride or jumping from a tree branch are examples. During free play you will see children hopping, jumping and skipping. These are very important rudimentary skills that should be learned and are key to a child's physical and social development. When a child walks down stairs or jumps over a ditch he or she may encounter forces reaching up to 3 times body weight or more upon landing.

Most parents and coaches place too much emphasis on children learning sport skills before learning the very important rudimentary movement patterns mentioned above. There needs to be a greater emphasis placed on children learning proper body awareness and coordination as well as performing resistance training to strengthen their bodies to prepare themselves for the rigors of their sport. There is an old saying that one does not play sports to get in shape but rather one should first "get" in shape before playing sports. Many competitive sporting activities children participate in carry much greater risk of injury than resistance training. The National Strength and Conditioning Association, the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, and The American Academy of Pediatrics all concur that children can attain great strength and power gains as well as reduce the chance of injury during sport and recreational activities by participating in a properly-designed and supervised resistance training