I am often asked by parents, “Should my son/daughter be doing personal training?” and “What is a safe age for them to start working out?” When it comes to investing in the future for your kids, making the decision to send them to a professional trainer can pay off big dividends down the road.  In addition to limiting potential injuries and improving body mechanics, having a positive and fun relationship with fitness is paramount for keeping your kids healthy.

A good age for kids to start working with a trainer, is when they are old enough, or decide to participate in athletics, which can be as early as age 6.  While many people think personal training is only about lifting weights, a good trainer will have them working on things such as balance, coordination, footwork, and how to move while keeping it fun and engaging for the young athlete.   This strategy helps keep your kids ahead of the curve, allowing them to focus on their sport, instead of basic skills such as how to run properly and changing directions.  As they get older, they should be introduced to more traditional weight lifting exercises with little to no weights, until they are comfortable doing the moves properly once they start a strength training program.

It’s no secret that kids are getting serious injuries such as torn knee ligaments (ACL, MCL), torn rotator cuffs, and back injuries while competing in sports.  Many of these injuries can be prevented with a solid fitness program.  Some injuries are due to overuse as kids may be playing too many sports, or doing too many repetitive motions.  As much as everyone wants their kids to excel, sometimes talking to a professional can give you a different perspective on how to achieve that goal. Other injuries occur from poor body mechanics like poor posture, poor muscle recruitment/coordination, or overall weakness. All of these contribute to excess stress on joints and ligaments, eventually one gives way and a serious injury is the result.

Getting into the habit or exercise is not only a great way to keep kids active, but also to combat against a lot of the health problems in our society. Developing a healthy lifestyle and positive association with exercise can help against Obesity, Type II Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Depression as they get older.  In addition to the physical benefits, those that exercise regularly typically have higher self-confidence and a higher sense of self-worth.

Overall, I feel like it should not be a question of “If” someone should invest in youth training, but “When” should they as this is an investment that will pay dividends for the rest of their life.