Exercise and Kids: The difference between training children and adults!

by: Raymond Kelly
The greatest mistake a person can make when exercising with children is to treat them like little adults. Children are growing and developing rapidly. This means that certain physiological issues must be considered when they are exercising.Bone Injuries That Affect GrowthWhen most parents think of children and weight trainingtheir first concern is the possibility of it affectingtheir growth. Contrary to popular belief, weight trainingwill actually improve the bone and muscular systems. It iswhen children have a lack of qualified supervision that accidents occur. Actually, growth problems are extremely rare when children are given well-designed programs with qualified supervision. In fact, growth problems occur more frequently in dynamic sports such as Tennis, Swimming, and Baseball, than they do in weight training. Another misconception about growth related injuries is thatit will happen without you noticing it. It is actuallyquite painful because you are actually cracking the top ofthe bone. It will cease the growth in that bone only so ifyou get this injury in your upper left thigh (femur), onlyyour left femur will stop growing. Your right femur will continue to grow. Kids Have Higher Heart Rates and Lower Blood PressureA child has a smaller heart and less blood volume than anadult so the child’s heart compensates by beating moreoften (per minute). A child’s blood pressure is also lessthan an adult because this is directly proportional to body size. It reaches adult levels in their late teens.Children Don’t Perform Well Without Oxygen!Children have a limited ability to perform anaerobicactivities due to the limited production of the enzymes required for provide energy in the absence of oxygen.Keep Kids Cool In The HeatA child’s sweat glands are not yet fully developed so theyare less effective at cooling down through evaporation then adults. Make sure they drink lots of water and always exercise in light, cotton clothing.