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What do you guys think? Should young kids just use their bodyweight as resistance? Say in the age range of 6th grade or so. How about 7th-8th graders? I am not talking to become great weightlifters, but, to become great sports athletes.

i think young kids should do body weight exercises and make it fun and geared towards their sport…

no, kids shouldn’t necessarily be limited to bodyweight exercises. they are good exercises to use, but even kids small, not fully developed bodies can stand up under weighted resistance. granted, there is a limit to the amount of weight they can use, just like with any adult, but resistance training causes kids’ muslces to grow just like adults’. 

I don’t think i am against it for medical reason… i just don’t think kids should be lifting weights that young… they should be outside playing sports and doing fun plyos, push ups, pull ups, running ect…  
 
I don’t think i would feel comfortable having my kids lift heavy weights that young… just a personal thing… i don’t want them to get burned out when they are older and develop body image issues.. Kids should just understand the importance of health, exercise and nutrition but not obsess how much muscle they are gaining that young… just my opinion
 

Yes! I knew this would cause some good debates. We have 2 people on opposite sides already. I am under the belief that they should do SOME weightlifting, but, a majority of their exercise should come through standard bodyweight exercises, running, etc. That is primarily to develop their balance and coordination first. But, I also think weightlifting can help with that.

Yes it should be fun! We want children to develope a love for being active. If that involves weight training great if not there are many other ways to challenge the body. I love weight training and my kids have developed an enjoyment of it just from my wife and I modeling that behavior…life style. The benefits of weight training are obvious to anyone on this sight and body weight exercises can bring any man or woman to tears if done with proper for and added resistance, bands, straps, weight vest etc… as talked about in a previous article. While children are growing they should be exposed to as many functional skills as possible. Balance, agility, speed all great precursers to weight training.

Those are some tremendous points actually. I just want them to learn how to be healthy! Forget about performance and all that to begin with. I just want them to be able to enjoy a high quality of life once they are older!!

I think we all aspire for life long fitness.

These are all great comments!
 
Mike:
“That is primarily to develop their balance and coordination first. But, I also think weightlifting can help with that.”
 
“Musclegym”
Yes it should be fun! We want children to develop a love for being active. If that involves weight training great if not there are many other ways to challenge the body.
 
Balance, agility, speed all great precursers to weight training.
 
 
I think its great that your kids “enjoy” weightlifting and understand it is a healthy lifestyle rather then just physical appearance and competition with there classmates at that age… most important factor is that they are having fun!

llulko in your first comment you say kids should just have fun and do body weight.  But these days the bar is set so high for these kids, the compition is through the roof.  Kids are training younger and younger, running faster and faster, bigger and bigger.  If an 8th grader or younger is only training with body weight then they are way way behind other kids who are getting stronger and faster using weights.    dont you think? 

long term is the key…developing strength and balance through many different skills and mediums will out perform shear strength.

Jon i see what you are saying but like “musclegym” says.. Long term is key! 
 
I wouldn’t want to burn out my child to young.. i guess you have to give them balance and make sure they are having fun..
 
I know if you want to be an elite athlete you have to have the competition drive and mind set however i would be scared to push my child to those extremes at such a young ate,, kids should just have fun..
I am not saying my answer is right.. its just a personal choose.. if my child wanted to be in competition mode then i would be supportive but make sure they are still embracing their youth..
 

 
I would think that these are the best excercises for kids at a young age:
  - “Jumping Jacks”

Areas Effected: leg and arm muscles:

 - “Slalom Jump”
 
Effected Areas: leg muscles:

While standing straight up with your feet together, squat down about half way, leaning slightly forward. Put your left arm in front of you and your right arm in back (running position). Lean and jump to the right while swinging your arms in the opposite position and keeping your feet together.
You should now be to the right of your original starting position with your right arm in front of you, your left arm in back and your feet together with your knees bent in a crouched position.
Now lean and jump back to your original position while swinging your arms back to their original position. (when you become comfortable with these exercises, you may increase their effectiveness by adding ankle and wrist weights (1-3 lbs.) when performing them). Perform 2 sets of 15-20 reps.

 - “Ski Jump”
 
Effected Areas: legs and arms:

From a standing position with your left leg and left arm in front of you and your right leg and right arm in the back, slightly bend your knees (running position). Jump up while swinging your arms and legs in the opposite direction before you land on the floor.
You should now have your left leg and arm in back of you and your right leg and arm in the front. Now, jump up again while swinging your arms and legs in the opposite direction before you land on the floor.
You should now have your left leg and left arm in front of you and your right leg and right arm in the back (original position). (when you become comfortable with these exercises, you may increase their effectiveness by adding ankle and wrist weights (1-3 lbs.) when performing them.) Perform 2 sets of 15-20 reps.

 - “Squat Thrust with Push”
 
Effected Areas: leg and arm muscles, chest and back:

Standing straight up with your feet about twelve inches apart and your hands down by your side. While keeping your back straight, crouch down by bending your knees until your hands touch the floor in front of your toes. This will be the “squat” position.
With your hands flat on the floor in front of your feet, kick your feet straight out in back of you. This will be the “push-up” position. While keeping your legs and back straight, bend your elbows and lower your body until your chest touches the floor.
Now straighten your elbows to raise your body back to the “push-up” position. Jump back to a “squat” position while keeping your hands on the floor. Now stand up straight to original “starting” position. Perform 2 sets of 10 reps.

 - “Alternate Toe Touch”
 
Effected Areas: legs, arms, back and shoulders:

From a standing position with your back straight and your feet about two feet apart, put your arms straight out beside you. While keeping your elbows and arms straight, bend forward and twist your body to touch your left toes with your right hand.
Your left arm will be straight above you. Now return to your original straight up position with your arms straight out beside you. Repeat this technique to touch your right toes with your left hand, then return to your original position. Perform 2 sets of 10-20 reps.

 - “Stair Climber”
 
Effected Areas: legs, ankles and feet:

 
Walk up the stairs with only the ball of your foot coming in contact with each stair. Try to step smoothly with little or no impact and noise. Walk down the stairs using the same technique.
Walk up the stairs using the same technique as step #1, but, skip every other stair. Walk down the stairs using the same technique as step #1, but, do NOT skip any stairs on the way down.
Walk up the stairs while placing your foot flat on each stair with your heal hanging over the edge and pushing yourself up with your toes to the next stair. Walk down the stairs using the same technique as step #1.

 
 
Perform 2 sets of 10-15 stairs/reps each way on all 3.

 - “Trunk Rotations”
 
Effected Areas: back, sides and hips:

From a straight standing position with your hands on your hips, rotate your upper body as far as possible in each direction. This exercise should be done with a smooth even motion. Do not rotate fast or jerk your body. Perform 2 sets of 15-20 reps.

 - “Shuttle Runs With Ball”
 
Effected areas: total body:

From a standing start, participants run a 10 meter shuttle, and perform any given ball skill (soccer ball shot, rugby pass, NFL catch, medicine ball throw etc). Perform 3 sets of 3min bouts

Those are some very good exercises for some kids. Just some very good general coordination should be priority #1. Coordination/flexibility. Heck, kids just need to MOVE!

all of the exercises are good but making them fun and creating a desire to do them is the tricky part. It should be fun and play! As an adult I would have to say ..although I love working out it is not what most consider fun and that is a huge draw back. I think as adults we lose the fun part of fitness. When is the last time you ran up the steepest hill you saw or climbed a tree, rope or what ever. When is the last time most of us WORKINGOUT funnedout? Finding ways to make being in shape fun should be a prioriety for everyone! I may have to try this concept myself…..easier said than done.

Musclegym!! So true… i don’t find doing the stair master, or sprinting on a treadmill FUN!!  I guess that is why many adults play sports or take classes such as zumba, spin class, boxing ect…
 
These types of “workouts” are motivating and usually done with a group of people… In my case i like to workout by myself and just get through it..
 
Kids DON’T “enjoy doing jumping jacks or doing pushups like you stated… however making a fun game/contest or playing fun sports, rock climbing and other group activities make it feel like its just a fun game rather then “exercising”.
 
Max… those body weight exercises are GREAT!! And something i would even incorporate into my routine however you can’t just expect kids to “enjoy” these body weight exercises unless you turn it into some kind of game, competition, or obstacle course…
 

Wow Musclegym - that is someof the best advice I Have heard in a while. The whole steepest hill/climbing a tree, etc…That really made me think for a minute. Good stuff.

Stuff I know I stuggle with myself. Glad you liked it. I know that sometimes we just get stuck in this routine of doing things and even though we count and choose exercises and programs I think we really miss the question as to what we enjoy about training other than the outcome.

Exactly. I completely agree. Kids need to have FUN. after all, they are kids!