Pioneer Valley Youth Sports and Fitness Institute

the source for sound athletic advice

Youth Fitness: Machines Versus Function

As a performance coach that works with kids of all age’s, abilities, athletes and non-athletes I struggle sometimes watching kids enter a fitness facility then to be showed how to use the resistance weight stack machines. These machines are fairly easy to use; allow one to understand how to breathe when lifting weights, and altogether providing no real danger when under the proper supervision. However, is this the best place for kids to begin there fitness livelihood?

When I refer to kids, I mean ages 6-18. There are different developmental considerations with the various ages (see WMSJ September 2008) when considering resistance training, Kids produce strength output from the moment they can stand on two feet as a baby, as they continue to grow, they use body weight resistance all the time, and only when the child wants to start working out do we become concerned. Enter weighted stack machines as a safe approach, may be, but let’s think about this.

The daily movements we perform everyday can be put into 4 pillars or 6 pillars as referred by Juan Carlos Santana or Paul Chek, respectively. We push/pull things everyday, our hips changes levels, our trunks rotate, and we do things in a locomotive state or on one leg such as walk or run. Much of our entire body is working to assist, synergize, stabilize, the prime muscle movers of these pillars of movements. Brian Grasso, founder of the International Youth Conditioning Association, preaches the fact that machines provide support, but doesn’t allow for stability in 3 planes of movement; machines are pre-set for resistance, which enhance biomechanical dysfunction; machines are pre-guided, which movement in sport and life are not. As also stated by youth fitness guru Brian Grasso, machines make it very difficult to train the body unilateral, one side at a time. In addition, machines don’t allow for rotation, most of our core musculature (85%) is oriented diagonal or horizontal.

Some basic suggestions put forth by esteemed professional such as Brian Grasso and Paul Check that I incorporate as part of my youth fitness progressions

• Don't engage kids in exercises that promote external stability or useless force production. The key to working with young athletes in any sport is to promote mobility, stability and balance in conjunction with force. Paul Check progressions are as follows: flexibility before stability - stability before strength - strength before power.
  

• Incorporate unilateral strengthening activities (one leg at a time, for example). Most force production in sport is unilaterally based. This strategy also assists in training balance and avoiding unilateral overuse injuries.
  

• Add dynamic flexibility activities into workouts on a regular basis.
  

• Don't underestimate the importance and value of basic 'games' such as tag, tug of war and single leg tug of war.
  

When training members of the youth population a functional approach, how we move everyday, is most beneficial. This approach allows for the body to really understand how to work as a large unit versus isolate which is what happens with machines. Various ranges of motion in various planes of movement can be worked, better techniques to reduce the potential for injury are made available, and the list goes on and on. Under the appropriate supervision kids who participate in fitness programs will benefit far greater from a functional progression approach versus using weight stack machines.

To discuss youth resistance training and health/fitness programs please contact Len Haggerty at len@strideshpi.net.  Len Haggerty, MA, CSCS, YFS –Level 1 is a Sports Performance Coach operating STRIDES Performance & Wellness, Inc. in Northampton MA. They provide an experience for youths, athletes, and adults of all ages and abilities to discover their potential.