Why Strength Training Young Girls is Wildly Underrated
I didn’t touch a barbell until I was in college. Why is that do you think? Is it because I didn’t have the resources as a kid? Probably. Or because strength training for young girls was completely and totally unheard of? When I was in 5th or 6th grade I don’t think I really even knew the difference between a barbell and a dumbbell and the only gym I stepped foot in was at my condo complex I grew up in. Now, don’t get me wrong I think at this age playing outside and riding your bike fast until you completely gas out is so important for base strength and motor learning but that’s for a different blog.
I am talking about younger adolescent girls learning the basics of strength training and not waiting until they are in high school or in my case, college and being completely clueless. I teach younger girls ages 9-13 to lift weights and be comfortable in a gym setting. Lifting weights will not stunt their growth, as this was a myth when I was a kid and I believe is still being told out there somewhere. They will not look manly. They will not gain an obscene amount of muscle. They will NOT get hurt.
What they will gain…
They will gain confidence IN THE GYM. This one is huge for me. I honestly didn’t feel comfortable walking into the gym until I was in my early twenties. Mind you, I was a trainer at this time!! Wouldn’t it be so nice as a high school girl walk into any gym and know her way around? I can’t think of a more confident skill to have as an athlete.
These girls will have a stronger and more resilient base before they reach puberty. Strength training is proven to reduce injury. Strength coaches and physical therapists use it as ligament injury prevention and even as rehab for after surgery. I speak about this a ton with my good friend and colleague Dr. Steph Allen of Boston PT and Wellness. If you don’t already follow her work catch her on the socials @stephallen.dpt. She is doing big things in the rehab setting for young girls and women and she motivates me everyday to do the same. We agree, we won’t rest until we feel that young girls and women have better chance of getting stronger and getting less injuries in their everyday life and in sports.
They will learn more about their bodies and how they are way, way stronger than they thought they were. They will feel more connected with themselves (this took me years to feel). Grabbing the barbell and throwing 45s on it and grabbing dumbbells above 15 pounds won’t be so foreign when they get older. Wouldn’t this be so cool? I want to get rid of the mentality that little girls are fragile. It is this thinking that will hurt us in the end.
On a more personal note and I think every girl or women can agree that having a lack of confidence sucks. This can be magnified when you want to start lifting or getting better at your sport. I didn’t really have anyone to guide me as a young girl into the gym. I learned my own way. This isn’t good and or bad. I wasted a lot of time with trial and error but I also gained knowledge from the experience.
I wasn’t looking for this to be my calling. It found me. I want to grow this business of mine and I want to work with the younger population so I can teach them what I know, mainly because I wish I had this as a little girl. If you have a young daughter or a son this is a message I will repeat time and time again don’t sleep on power of strength. Any questions? Shoot me a message!