Working Out Young

Date: Monday, October 15, 2007
Time: 5:50 PM
Place: DeVry Lab

A question that came up in the groups is fitness for teens. I worked out as a teenager. And just playing sports is not always enough. Sports can be a great source of physical exercise. Soccer, for example, provides cardiovascular exercise. However, the fitness benefits gained from sports are often very narrow. A soccer player may have great cardiovascular endurance, but he probably will have very little muscular power, especially in the upper body. Also, the physical benefits of a sport can depend entirely on characteristics of the sport itself. For example, the soccer player who is constantly benched by his coach will not even benefit from cardiovascular exercise. For these reasons, I believe sports are a great addition to an exercise program, but not a complete program in and of themselves.
Lifting also takes a certain degree of mental maturity, which some teens may not get until they are 18 or 19. On the other hand, some teens have a degree of both physical and mental maturity at the age of 13.
I lifted really early because I was ready.
First, one should get the “OK” from his or her doctor. Once a teen has doctoral permission, he or she should find some type of qualified guidance, whether from a personal trainer or an experienced lifter in the family. I do know how to research myself, but believe me, a little advice from an experienced person goes a long way.