If you’ve ever coached a youth athlete or parented one, you’ve probably heard questions like:
“Won’t lifting weights stunt their growth?”
“Aren’t they too young to be in the gym?”
“Shouldn’t they just play more sport?”
Totally fair questions, especially with all the outdated myths floating around. But here’s the truth: when it’s done properly, strength and conditioning (S&C) is one of the best things a young athlete can do. Not just for performance, but for injury prevention, confidence, and long-term development.
As a coach, there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing young athletes develop good habits early, build strong movement foundations, and carry those lessons forward into their sport and beyond.
First Things First: It’s Not Just About Lifting Weights
When we talk about S&C for youth athletes, we’re not talking about throwing them under a barbell and chasing max reps. It’s about movement literacy, coordination, body awareness, and building physical confidence. Strength is part of that. But it’s only one piece of the puzzle.
Why Start Early?
Youth is the golden window. Their brains and bodies are like sponges, adapting fast to new movement patterns and learning coordination way more efficiently than adults. Plus, we can shape good habits before bad ones creep in.
Some benefits of a well-run youth S&C program:
- Improved movement mechanics (running, jumping, landing, cutting)
- Reduced injury risk, especially in high-volume sports like football, gymnastics, or netball
- Better performance, not just strength and speed, but agility, balance, and reaction time
- Confidence, both in and out of sport
- Long-term development, avoiding burnout or the early developer trap
What Should Youth S&C Actually Look Like?
It depends on age, maturity, training history, and sport demands. But here are the key principles I stick to when working with kids and teens.
1. Master the Basics
Think:
- Squat (bodyweight, goblet, split)
- Hinge (hip bridges, kettlebell deadlifts)
- Push (push-ups, landmine press)
- Pull (rows, banded pull-aparts)
- Carry (farmer walks, sandbag holds)
- Core (planks, deadbugs, anti-rotation work)
Add in lots of jumping, landing, crawling, skipping, and sprinting. Movement should be fun and varied, not a rigid gym routine.
2. Use Games and Challenges
Young athletes learn best when they’re engaged. Games, relay races, obstacle courses, balance challenges, all of these build athleticism without them even realising they’re training.
Make it competitive, creative, and playful. The gym should feel like an extension of sport, not a punishment.
3. Quality Over Load
Technique first. Young athletes need to learn how to move before we add resistance. If a 14-year-old can’t hold a single-leg squat with control, they don’t need a weighted barbell on their back.
Introduce external load gradually using dumbbells, kettlebells, or resistance bands, but only after movement looks clean and consistent.
4. Respect Growth Spurts
Puberty can be messy. One month they’re flying, the next they’re tripping over their own feet. This is normal.
During big growth phases, focus more on control, coordination and mobility. Don’t chase PBs during an accelerated period of growth.
5. Communicate With Parents and Coaches
Half the job is education. Parents need to know this isn’t about building bodybuilders. Coaches need to understand what’s happening off the field. Everyone should be on the same page when it comes to training load, rest, and recovery.
Keep it simple. Be transparent. And explain the why behind what you’re doing.
What About Weight Lifting and Gym Use?
Once technique is solid and they’ve got the maturity to focus and follow instruction, there’s nothing wrong with young athletes learning basic lifting patterns. Olympic lifts? Eventually, yes. But start with progressions. Stick to safe loads, proper supervision, and high movement standards.
Strength training doesn’t stunt growth. That myth has been buried by research again and again. When done right, it supports growth and helps protect developing joints.
