Summary
Doctors used to believe that weight training was unhealthy for children, but recent studies have disproved that. Sports medicine physicians now caution that improper training can be bad for childrens' health, but that a healthy regime is fine. Children don't need to bulk up, so limited repetitions with light weights are the recommended approach. Experts recommend finding a trainer who is certified and not focused on weight loss.
Original source:
http://www.news8austin.com/content/headlines/?ArID=130188&SecID=2
Details
There's been a shift in the sports medicine world.
Doctors used to believe that weight training at a young age was not a good idea and could be dangerous to a child's growth.
Nine-year-old Taylor works out with her personal trainer, Kari Pagenhardt.
The goal is to get Taylor excited about exercise.
Pagenhardt works with Taylor on a variety of strength training exercises.
But, is this safe at such a young age?
"In general, if done right, if done well, it can help tremendously, and the converse is also true.
If done wrong, it can do irreversible damage," sports medicine physician Dr. Eric E. Coris said.
Coris said for safe strength training with kids, focus on proper form, light weights and higher repetitions.
With kids, bulking up is not the goal of weight training, so 12 to 20 repetitions with light weights is all they need.
As for a trainer, find one who's certified, makes it fun, and doesn't focus on weight loss.
"You want to avoid the boot camp mentality.
Really, what you want to do is in still in your children a lifelong appreciation for exercise," Coris said.
While Taylor is trained, her mom, Debra Fry, works out too.
She said Taylor doesn't like physical activities, which has led to weight gain.
"My bigger fear is that if she's 15, if I hadn't done anything to help her, that she'd look at me and say, 'Mommy why did you not do anything for me?'" Fry said.
Her weight is down, her confidence up, and balance and strength are improved.
"When she first started, she couldn't do a leg lift or one crunch, and now she can really do it," Pagenhardt said.
About the author: Mike Adams is a natural health author and award-winning journalist with a mission to teach personal and planetary health to the public He is a prolific writer and has published thousands of articles, interviews, reports and consumer guides, and he has authored and published several downloadable personal preparedness courses including a downloadable course focused on safety and self defense. Adams is a trusted, independent journalist who receives no money or promotional fees whatsoever to write about other companies' products. In mid 2010, Adams produced TV.NaturalNews.com, a natural health video sharing website offering user-generated videos on nutrition, green living, fitness and more. He's also a noted technology pioneer and founded a software company in 1993 that developed the HTML email newsletter software currently powering the NaturalNews subscriptions. Adams also serves as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a non-profit consumer protection group, and pursues hobbies such as martial arts, Capoeira, nature macrophotography and organic gardening. He's also author a large number of health books offered by Truth Publishing and is the creator of numerous reference website including NaturalPedia.com and the free downloadable Honest Food Guide. His websites also include the free reference sites HerbReference.com and HealingFoodReference.com. Adams believes in free speech, free access to nutritional supplements and the innate healing ability of the human body. Known as the 'Health Ranger,' Adams' personal health statistics and mission statements are located at www.HealthRanger.org
Have comments on this article? Post them here:
people have commented on this article.
Friday, February 04, 2005
Email this article to a friend
Share
this article on: 
