Body Basics: Teenage Weight Training

For many teens, it’s a rite of passage to start working out at a gym or lifting weights at home. You can easily spot them as they nervously wander through the weight room, trying to blend in despite the self-consciousness that often accompanies adolescence. You can better prepare your older kids for success in the gym by teaching them the most fundamental component of weight training: Proper Form.

Proper body alignment, the precursor to weight training, prevents injuries and produces results. Another benefit often not mentioned is the confidence gained by knowing you’re doing the exercises correctly. How can you tell if your child is ready to learn proper form? First, it’s important to assess if your child has the body awareness and emotional maturity to understand the importance of proper form. The age in which this happens varies, but typically, it’s around 12 years old. Kids have to be able to recognize, and match, the slight nuances in body positions. If their hips are askew or elbows hyperextended, for example, they need to be able to notice and correct themselves. The emotional maturity comes into play by understanding that the goal is to lift a reasonable amount of weight correctly, not strain to lift the most weight possible.

After these two prerequisites are covered, you’re ready to get to the basics of proper form. Consider this a tutorial for yourself as well, if needed. The following is a breakdown of proper form for exercises in a standing position:

• Feet are shoulder width apart, toes facing forward
• Knees are slightly bent, over toes
• Pelvis is slightly tucked
• Abs are tight
• Shoulders are back, pressed down
• Neck is in a neutral position

Turn sideways facing a mirror. Imagine a straight line traveling from your ear, through your shoulders, and hips, skipping down to your heels. The challenge is to maintain this form while adding weight and movement. For example, when performing bicep curls with dumbbells, the only movement should be at the elbow joint as you raise the weights towards your shoulders. If proper form is not followed or the weight is too heavy, the tendency is to use the momentum of the hip and lower back area to initiate the movement. You’ve seen those guys in the gym—thrusting overly heavy weights while  grunting and turning red. Not only are they risking injury, they’re not reaping the benefits that they would by isolating the bicep muscle without momentum.

A few other tips on proper form:

• Exhale on the “work” segment of each movement
• Avoid hyperextending joints. Stop the movement just before fully locking elbows or knees.
• All weight training exercises should be slow and controlled. Faster is not better!
• When in a sitting or supine position (lying on back), keep knees bent and spine flat against the seat or mat.
• When performing upper body exercises, take special notice of the wrist joint. Make sure it’s not out of alignment, taking the brunt of the weight.

Of special concern for older kids and teens:
Even if your kids have mastered proper form, I highly recommend booking a session with a trainer before being set loose in a gym environment. Many gyms offer this service at no fee. Kids often pass this opportunity up because, well, they know everything, right? But completing an introductory session with a trainer will leave them feeling more comfortable and confident on the gym floor. A quality trainer will also teach a little gym etiquette, which is always appreciated by the adults working out nearby.

For a list of the benefits of youth strength training, click here. Upcoming: specific weight-training exercises for older kids. Have little ones? Read my column on muscle building games for young children.