CONDITIONING PROGRAMS FOR ADOLESCENTS

Little research is available regarding conditioning programs for adolescents, and the topic of strength training for adolescents has been controversial. In the past, it was believed that resistance training predisposed skeletally immature athletes to injury and that strength gains were minimal. Now it has been proven that resistance exercise, performed submaximally and with proper technique, does not increase the risk of musculoskeletal injury. (reference this) Also, it has been shown that adolescents can increase their strength. (reference this) Strength gains do not occur by muscle fibers becoming larger, instead, strength increases when the nervous system becomes more efficient at causing muscle fibers to contract.

PLYOMETRIC EXERCISE

Plyometric exercise can also be beneficial to adolescents, but this type of training needs to be monitored carefully. The quick stretch of the muscle, which helps increase muscle contraction, also places large stresses on tendons. Inflammatory conditions of the tendon or tendon insertion, such as Osgood-Schlatters disease are common in adolescents; therefore, plyometrics must be used with caution. If an athlete begins to complain of unusual musculoskeletal pain after starting plyometrics, these exercises should be taken out of the athlete’s conditioning program.