Exercise and Kids: The difference between training children and adults!

 Copyright 2005 Raymond Kelly

The greatest mistake a person can make when exercising with
children is to treat them like little adults. Children are
growing and developing rapidly. This means that certain
physiological issues must be considered when they are exercising.

Bone Injuries That Affect Growth When most parents think of
children and weight training their first concern is the
possibility of it affecting their growth. Contrary to popular
belief, weight training will actually improve the bone and
muscular systems. It is when children have a lack of qualified
supervision that accidents occur. Actually, growth problems are
extremely rare when children are given well-designed programs
with qualified supervision. In fact, growth problems occur more
frequently in dynamic sports such as Tennis, Swimming, and
Baseball, than they do in weight training. Another misconception
about growth related injuries is that it will happen without you
noticing it. It is actually quite painful because you are
actually cracking the top of the bone. It will cease the growth
in that bone only so if you get this injury in your upper left
thigh (femur), only your left femur will stop growing. Your
right femur will continue to grow. 

Kids Have Higher Heart Rates and Lower Blood Pressure A child
has a smaller heart and less blood volume than an adult so the
child’s heart compensates by beating more often (per minute). A
child’s blood pressure is also less than an adult because this
is directly proportional to body size. It reaches adult levels
in their late teens.

Children Don’t Perform Well Without Oxygen! Children have a
limited ability to perform anaerobic activities due to the
limited production of the enzymes required for provide energy in
the absence of oxygen.

Keep Kids Cool In The Heat A child’s sweat glands are not yet
fully developed so they are less effective at cooling down
through evaporation then adults. Make sure they drink lots of
water and always exercise in light, cotton clothing.