Written by Nate Winkler
At Juggernaut Training Systems we often receive questions from parents about our unique training methods and how they impact their children’s safety and performance. These are the five most common questions we get at Juggernaut concerning our female athletes:
“Will Lifting Weights ‘Stunt’ Her Growth?”
This is often a concern with many parents as soon as they see the weights, barbells, kettlebells, and chains when they begin training with Juggernaut. The effect of resistance training on linear growth has been a huge area of focus and research over the last two decades. The major aspect being studied here is the epiphyseal plate, know as the ‘growth plate’ to many. This plate is located at the ends of long bones in adolescents and allows for linear growth throughout the pubertal years. It has become popular belief that load bearing while these plates are still ‘open’ will retard the growth process from happening and should therefore be avoided. Numerous recent studies have concluded that this assertion is not only false, but that adolescents that underwent resistance training had greater linear growth in long bones that those who did not.1-2 Load bearing, when appropriate, has no adverse effects on the joints or maturation process of the adolescent body 3-5, it increases bone density, it invites a host on hormonal responses in the body that are advantageous to improved athletic performance, 1, 6-9 and over all emotional well being.1,3,10
“Is That Safe, She’s Not Going To Get Injured Is She?”
Risk of injury when resistance training is a major area of concern for parents of adolescent athletes. Many times parents would prefer to sacrifice improved performance in order to reduce the risk of injury. Injuries reported in resistance training does not occur more frequently in adolescents than in adults.3,11,12 Studies have shown that the occurrence of injury in sporting events were far higher than resistance training in children and adolescents,1,3 and that resistance training accounted for less than 1% of all injuries.3,12 Resistance training has been proven to increase muscular strength over time,1,2,13-15 and should therefore be viewed as injury preventative as the muscles surrounding soft tissue and joints are strengthened. As a result, when an athlete moves and jumps, stronger muscles absorb the force rather than joints and vertebrae. The benefits of resistance training far outweigh the risk of injury,3,16,17 and it is now accepted knowledge that children and adolescents should take part in a resistance training program. This is encouraged by groups such as the American College of Sports Medicine, the National Strength and Conditioning Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.18-21
“Isn’t That Going To Make Her Bulky, I Want Her To Be Fit and Tone?”
Gaining weight and size is mainly influenced by genetics and nutrition habits not lifting weights. During adolescence, males have an increase in muscle size and growth rates when compared to females.1,22 This is mainly due to the increased rates of testosterone in males compared to females.23 Because of this lowered testosterone level and growth rate potential, resistance training causes an increase in muscle density rather than size in females.22,24,25 Resistance training therefore can only develop lean muscle in women not ‘bulky’ mass, body composition goals are met through proper nutrition. Muscle tone is a buzz word in the fitness community, but all it refers to is the amount of fat overlaying a muscle. Strength training increases metabolic rate and will help an athlete burn fat, thus making all their muscles more ‘toned’.
“Isn’t Bodyweight and Low Weight/Hi Rep training the best way to improve a female’s athletic ability?”
Muscles are the only part of the body that causes movement to occur. The stronger these muscles are, the greater force an athlete will be able to generate through a single muscle contraction. While body weight training alone will yield results for a time, an athlete must train with external resistance to derive the greatest performance benefits. Numerous studies have shown that adolescents using relatively heavy weights were 20- 30% stronger than those using only body weight.1,2,13-15 Because there is no major muscle mass gain in adolescents when lifting weights, strength gains are mainly due to the improved muscular coordination resistance training causes.1 Lifting relatively heavy weights, when the athlete is prepared, is the best way to improve force development and intramuscular coordination, making each effort (jump, spike, dig, etc) more forceful, and therefore better.1,13,26 Athletic performance has been shown to improve most under a program that follows the Progressive Overload Method.3,10,27-29 Simply put, when the athlete can safely and effectively complete a movement, we incrementally increase the amount of resistance and performance continues to improve. 29
“What Can We Expect From Your Program?”
First and foremost, RESULTS. Juggernaut’s first concern is the General Physical Preparation (GPP) of the athlete. We take special care to teach proper technique for all training methods and safely progress you/your daughter from body weight exercises to movements using external resistance. Juggernaut uses a progression that is appropriate for the individual athletes’ level and has a program oriented around proper intensity, safety, exercise order and coaching.3,10,27,28 We will offer three different program levels for athletes to participate in. These three programs and goals of each are detailed below:
Each level will produce results and improve performance, the level chosen should be based on age, parental preference, and level of initial relative strength of the athlete. Greatest improvements will occur in Level 3, as discussed above, as muscle strength is progressively increased, so is performance. Juggernaut Training Systems bases every training method on scientific research, personal practice, and proven results. Juggernaut is not a place for those wanting to be average, but for those who want to maximize every aspect of their potential to become great. When will you begin preparing to “Overwhelm Your Opposition”?
[info_box]REFERENCES:
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