Literature available on resistance training for ages 9-14?
Former Member
Does anyone know of any literature available that discourages resistant training in younger age groups? Two of my sons are swimming for a local club and the coach wants my 10 year old to use a drag suit and paddles. Before I confront the coach on this issue I need some literature that suggests resistant training in pre-puberty individuals is misquided. Does anyone know of any articles suggesting younger age groups should use more technique related drills instead of power driven sets? I need evidence against this practice to show the coach and other parents. My opinion isn't enough. I have a couple of Go Swim articles and articles off of the USA Swimming site, but I feel I need more.
Thanks for any response.
Parents
Former Member
Hey Brian,
Based on your 1500 time...with the torture tube...you must have been one heck of distance swimmer (Brian Goodell initially came to mind...but he may have been a little faster). That said...you probably know all too well about shoulder strain.
When I started swimming again in my early forties, I became a paddle junkey...until something went wrong...and it was excruciating to even reach over and scratch my back. Thankfully it was caught early, and they haven't been used since.
Being a purist (no buoys, no paddles) gets a little boring. But older swimmers shouldn't take the risk if they want to continue training year after year. Kids on the other hand may not have a choice in saying no to the training toys, and should really be kept safe from injury when possible. Not all of them will have a shoulder breakdown...but since I began coaching age groupers these past few years...it was surprising to hear of the numbers from other clubs who wound up getting sidelined before the age of 18.
Hey Brian,
Based on your 1500 time...with the torture tube...you must have been one heck of distance swimmer (Brian Goodell initially came to mind...but he may have been a little faster). That said...you probably know all too well about shoulder strain.
When I started swimming again in my early forties, I became a paddle junkey...until something went wrong...and it was excruciating to even reach over and scratch my back. Thankfully it was caught early, and they haven't been used since.
Being a purist (no buoys, no paddles) gets a little boring. But older swimmers shouldn't take the risk if they want to continue training year after year. Kids on the other hand may not have a choice in saying no to the training toys, and should really be kept safe from injury when possible. Not all of them will have a shoulder breakdown...but since I began coaching age groupers these past few years...it was surprising to hear of the numbers from other clubs who wound up getting sidelined before the age of 18.
