3 Benefits of Youth Resistance Training

When is the ideal moment for young people to start lifting weights? The answer is - the earlier, the better! Resistance training is not only a safe, fun, and effective way to boost performance in sports, CCA, and academics, but it also helps to prevent injuries. It's like hitting two birds with one stone!

Not only does it make kids and teenagers fitter, but it also enhances their fundamental movement skills, such as jumping, running, and throwing. Regardless of how old or experienced they are, resistance training is an essential component of any young person's exercise routine. So, why wait? Let's get those young muscles pumping!

Staying active is super important for keeping our bodies healthy and happy, no matter how old we are! Whether you're a kid or a teenager, it's crucial to get plenty of physical activity every day. Even if it's playing sports, dancing, going for a bike ride, or just running around in the backyard, make sure you're moving your body and having fun!

Unfortunately, many kids in Singapore aren't getting enough physical activity. A recent study found that 76% of Singaporean adolescents between the ages of 11 and 17 aren't getting at least an hour of moderate-to-vigorous activity every day. When kids don't have enough muscle strength, it can make it harder for them to do things like running, jumping, and throwing. Also, if they don't feel confident in their movement skills, it can lead to them being less active. Being less active can lead to being overweight or even obese, which is not ideal as it could lead to many health related issues.

3 Benefits of Resistance Training for Youths

1. Increase in Muscular Strength for Youth‘s Physical Development

Muscle strength is an important aspect of physical development for youths. As youths grow and develop, their muscles must be able to keep up with the demands placed on them. Adequate muscle strength is essential for a variety of activities, including playing sports, climbing stairs, carrying heavy bags, and even performing daily tasks like brushing their teeth or getting dressed.

Resistance training, such as weightlifting, is an effective way to improve muscle strength in youths. It is a safe and effective way for children and adolescents to increase their muscle mass, bone density, and overall fitness. Resistance training exercises can be tailored to the individual needs and abilities of the youth, and can include bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, or free weights.

In addition to the physical benefits, resistance training can also have positive effects on youth's mental and emotional well-being. It can increase self-esteem, promote self-confidence, and help with stress management.

However, it is important to note that resistance training should be supervised by a professional, to ensure that proper technique is used and to avoid injury. Moreover, resistance training should be incorporated as part of a well-rounded exercise program that includes cardiovascular exercise, flexibility, and proper nutrition.

One of our clients, Vinay, performing the Kettlebell Crossbody Wood-chop to enhance his Tennis performance!

2. Improvement in Fundamental Movement Skills

Research has shown that resistance training can have a positive effect on fundamental movement skills in youth. When kids and teens engage in resistance training, it helps to improve their muscle strength, power, and endurance, which in turn improves their ability to perform basic movement patterns. For example, children who engage in resistance training exercises that target the legs, such as squats and lunges, may find that they are able to jump higher and run faster. Similarly, Youth who engage in upper body resistance training exercises, such as pull-ups or push-ups, may find that they have improved throwing and catching abilities.

Additionally, resistance training can also improve youth's coordination, balance, and proprioception, which are all important for fundamental movement skills. There are a variety of resistance training exercises which helps improve functionality. Youth will learn to control and coordinate their movements in various planes under different situations. This will help to improve their overall physical performance and decrease the risk of injury.

Kai Hoe performing Deadlifts, which is one of the fundamental compound movements, with perfect form!

3. Injury Prevention

Resistance training helps to improve our neuromuscular system. Neuromuscular training focuses on improving the way the brain and muscles work together. It can help youth prevent injuries by teaching them how to use their muscles properly and move their bodies in a safe and efficient way.

Here are a few examples of how neuromuscular training can prevent injuries in youth:

• Improve their balance, reducing the risk of falls and other types of injuries.

• Build strength in their muscles and joints, which can make them less likely to get injured during physical activity.

• By learning the proper technique for different physical activities, reducing the risk of injuries

Overall, neuromuscular training can help youth stay healthy and active by teaching them how to move their bodies in a safe and efficient manner.

By performing the Kettlebell Press, it strengthen Max's shoulders joints, preventing any further injuries.

Overall, resistance Training should be integrated during all developmental stages to enhance muscular fitness and movement skill performance with the goal to promote physical development and lowering the rate of injuries in children and adolescents. Resistance Training for youths is safe when properly designed, administered, and supervised. However, if you are unsure about how to develop a resistance training program for youths, fret not! Our dedicated trainers are more than happy to help you customize a training program and provide you with the right advice to help youths improve their physical development ! So what are you waiting for? Drop us a WhatsApp message at +65 8812 0110 or book a personal training trial with one of our dedicated trainers to explore if personal training is the best choice for you!

Just a heads-up, it will probably be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made.

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About FITLUC

Looking for a Personal Trainer in Singapore? Look no further! At FITLUC, we specialise in In-Person and Online Personal Training, and we also offer house-call PT with a small additional fee. We currently base our Personal Training clients at a well-equipped gym just a stone's throw away from Outram Park MRT.

We are recognized as one of the Top 12 Best PT in Singapore and were featured on Mothership, The Straits Times, YES 93.3FM, Yahoo News, etc. Our Personal Trainers have worked with clients aged 13 – 84, from Celebrities to CEOs, working professionals and homemakers, with goals ranging from fat loss, weight loss, muscle gain to athletic performance and elderly training. Our celebrity clientele includes Tay Ping Hui, Maxi Lim, Hazelle Teo, Tayying, Lee Teng, Ze Tong, Benjamin Tan, Jaspers Lai and more.

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