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Strength training has always had a stigma attached to it, especially for young athletes under 18. Thoughts of becoming “too big”, “losing flexibility”, or “feeling stiff” and “slow” commonly run through many young athletes’ heads when this topic is discussed. All of these are valid concerns, particularly if they’re looking to play sports where speed, agility, and coordination play a larger role than physical size.
Fortunately, techniques of strength training for young athletes have developed over the years to be more performance-oriented rather than purely aesthetic. When programmed correctly, strength qualities develop without changing an athlete’s body type.
Here’s how:
Gain strength without bulk starts in your nervous system
Let’s talk about neuromuscular adaptation. This is the most important thing for any young athlete to understand about strength training. Early stages of strength development have little to do with muscle hypertrophy. What happens is that your nervous system becomes more efficient at recruiting the muscle fibres you already have. It fires them faster, with better coordination, and in more organised movement patterns.
Strength becomes a skill that your body can master without adding mass. You can jump higher, sprint faster, change direction more efficiently and feel more powerful without “getting big”.
The nervous system is learning how to time contractions and relaxations. It understands the sequencing of movement patterns and learns to control multiple muscles simultaneously.
These types of adaptations are even MORE profound when they occur during youth athletic development.
Kids & teens have the unique ability to form new neural pathways rapidly. When you train strength with proper technique, your body learns to use the muscles you already have more efficiently.
Bodyweight training is real strength training
When it comes to developing functional strength, bodyweight movements should always be your foundation. Learning how to control your body through space is one of the best exercises you can perform, whether it’s squats, lunges, push-ups, planks or crawling patterns. Not only do these movements build strength, but they also transfer over to sports.
Unlike isolation movements commonly used in bodybuilding-type programs, bodyweight training forces your body to engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously. It teaches you balance, joint control, coordination, and reinforces proper movement mechanics all at once.
Instead of getting “big”, athletes learn to stabilise their hips, protect their knees, and create force through the ground.
Develop speed by applying more force
You might be thinking that ‘speed’ means ‘fast’? Partially yes. But allowing your body to apply force as quickly as possible is where athletic speed comes from.
Through exercises like short sprints, jumps, hops, bounding, and medicine ball throws, athletes can learn to tap into that explosive energy without overusing heavy loads.
These types of exercises require fast muscle activation and minimal ground contact time. This is a key factor in being “fast”.
When programmed with enough rest, young athletes can develop power without adding muscle mass.
Improved coordination with technique-based strength training
Moving better equals becoming more coordinated. How? By performing strength exercises with an emphasis on technique instead of loading heavy weights.
Slower, controlled movements allow your body to learn joint positioning, stabilisation, and awareness. Hip hinges teach you how to protect your lower back while improving your overall sprinting technique. Single-leg exercises performed slowly help improve balance and agility while reducing your risk of injury. This enhanced level of body awareness carries over into sport.
Your joints feel stronger, and your movements feel smoother, so you’re not restricted or feeling tight.
Better flexibility through strength
Does strength training make you inflexible? No! If you’re training with a full range of motion, strength can actually help you become more flexible. By strengthening your muscles throughout their range, you can make your joints more stable AND flexible.
Athletes who move better tend to be less stiff, which allows them to flow with whatever athletic event they’re participating in.
How do teen athletes put on size?
For most athletes, gaining excess muscle mass is highly unlikely. There are a few requirements that need to be met for hypertrophy to occur:
- Training Volume (Too many heavy workouts per week)
- Heavy external loading
- Caloric Surplus
- Hormonal changes that don’t occur until you’re fully developed
Most children & teenage strength programs have none of this. Programs are designed with a focus on movement quality, posture, coordination and motor learning. Strength becomes a byproduct of proper training versus the goal. Athletes get stronger, but it doesn’t necessarily change their body composition.
In fact, most athletes experience the opposite. Most feel lighter, quicker and more agile on their feet. Training kids to be better athletes has benefits that span way beyond sport performance. Training young athletes allows us to teach them lifelong movement skills.
Strength training teaches kids how their bodies move, builds discipline, and creates mental toughness. All while drastically reducing their chance of burnout and overuse injuries.
Help your child find the right program
If you’re concerned that your child will become too bulky from strength training, look no further than most gyms that offer kids’ programming. Make sure they focus on age-appropriate training and responsible movement. Find a quality gym in Dromana that prioritises movement quality and technique.
