Do you have a young child of 6 to 8 years of age who has asked you if he can work out and maybe even lift weights? If so, you are probably a bit confused as to what you should respond. Though some people think it is perfectly fine for children to exercise, some others think working out is definitely not for children.

There is nothing wrong with children exercising and even lifting weights if they enjoy it, however, it is important that you keep certain a few things in mind.

Since children are not just small adults, but are different emotionally, anatomically and physiologically, you can’t forget that their training needs to also be different.

The skeleton of children is not going to fully mature until the child is around 14 and 22 years of age. Girls, especially, must approach exercise in their younger years very carefully, or they take the chance of compromising the health of their bones for the rest of their lives.

Osgood Schlatter disease in only one of growth related overuse injuries that can occur. And since children have immature temperature control systems, and a surface area inferior to the muscle mass, they are more prone to injuries when not properly warmed up.

And since children sweat very little, their risk of suffering from a heat stroke or heat exhaustion is much higher than for adults. Also, children have little muscle mass and a hormone system which still needs to mature, so their strength and speed are going to be limited. Their breathing and heart response is also quite different than that of an adult, so they are likely to respond differently to exercises.

Children can certainly benefit from weight training, and they can become much stronger, but it is necessary to keep in mind that their increased strength is mostly due to neurological factors and not to muscle growth.

If you are thinking of letting your child work out, you should definitely consult your doctor first and ask for a full check up. When you create a program, it would be good to establish a repetition range of 8-12, and make sure you don’t overdo the workload.

The workout schedule should also be set to have 1 to 2 days in between workout sessions, to allow the child the time to rest. During the exercise, form is what the child should focus on, instead than the amount of weights lifted.

Ensure that there is a good amount of stretching done before weight training. Only allow your child to lift small loads in the beginning; those loads can be increased later on. Make sure you don’t schedule more than three workout sessions per week. And, make sure they get a good intake of water, before, during and after the workout. Drinking enough water is essential during any kind of workout routine, since it is easy to become dehydrated fast – in the case of children, dehydration can happen even more quickly.

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