Product Description
Age-specific sport, fitness, and health programs for kids 7 to 18
The benefits of strength training for youth are clearly documented. Yet teachers, fitness instructors, and youth coaches are often not sure how to proceed, and they end up watering down adult versions of strength-training programs.
That is definitely not the way to go. But authors Avery Faigenbaum and Wayne Westcott, with their 50 years of combined experience in teaching youth … More >>
Youth Strength Training:Programs for Health, Fitness and Sport
Tags: adult versions, benefits of strength training, fitness and health, fitness instructors, specific sport, sport product, strength training programs, wayne westcott, youth coaches, youth strength training
#1 by Safety Steve on July 1, 2010 - 12:19 am
I have most of the books from Wayne Westcott and agree with most of his recommendations. This particular title is just a bit different, although I don’t believe that the issue is with Wayne as much as it is with his co-author. Wayne has always promoted sensible and productive strength training based on the form of training commonly referred to as HIT or High Intensity Training. Safety is at the forefront of HIT and most of this book follows suit. However, there are a few sections of the book that promote methods that are somewhat questionable in regards to safety. This includes olympic lifts, plyometrics, and various medicine ball exercises. There is also a section on periodization which is an overly-complex philosophy that has little application to the average youth that needs to improve his or her fitness nor do I believe that it is applicable to youth athletes. Given the fact that Wayne has never promoted some of these methods before leads me to believe that it’s the work of Avery instead of Wayne. That being said, this is a pretty good overall book but it could have been better if Wayne had written it by himself.
I would recommend this title as a starting point for teaching kids how to effectively build strength. However, I would suggest avoiding the potentially unsafe exercises presented.
Rating: 4 / 5
#2 by Jeffrey E. Falkel on July 1, 2010 - 1:47 am
Youth Strength Training should be included as an integral book in the library of EVERY youth coach, physical education teacher and parent that wants to learn the RIGHT way to train our youth! Drs. Faigenbaum and Westcott have taken a lifetime of scientific based research and practical applications of the proper way to train our children and young athletes, and have provided a well conceived, appropriate and safe method of training for young people. By following the principles, practice and programs outlined in Youth Strength Training, the coach, teacher and/or parent can not only provide the correct way to improve the strength and condition of the young boy and girl, but give those young people a way to exercise that is fun and functional! Simply put – These programs WORK!!! This is one of the finest books I have ever seen on the unique and specialized strength and conditioning training for the young. The authors’ work with youth for their entire professional careers is brought together in this book that is practical, functional, and easy to follow and implement. I give Youth Strength Training: Programs for Health, Fitness and Sport my highest recommendation.
Rating: 5 / 5
#3 by A. Gilbert on July 1, 2010 - 2:48 am
Once again, Dr. Faigenbaum has succeeded with “Youth Strength Training” in proving why he is one of the most Prestigious & Well-Respected Experts on the topic of Youth Strength Training & Conditioning. The present generation of children are less active than ever before. This book stresses that children are not miniature adults and must not be trained as such. We must continue to bring the concept of “play” into the training of todays youth, as many kids lack the basic skills needed to run, skip, and jump. Without those skills and the pressure of the “early specialization” parent, transferable skills learned in playing multiple sports are lost & underconditioned youth are at a greater risk for injury & burnout.
As a Titleist Performance Institute Certified Golf Fitness Professional who specializes in Youth Performance training, I would highly recommend no other methods than the principles laid out in this book.The research and data based programs that Wescott & Faigenbaum bring in this book fully cover any underlying Myths & Misconceptions about Youth Strength Training. The authors provide easy to follow programs for any child, not just athletes.
I cannot stress enough how highly I recommend that any Parent or Strength Training coach have this book in their library
Rating: 5 / 5
#4 by John F. Graham on July 1, 2010 - 3:04 am
Dr. Faigenbaum & Dr. Wescott have once again provided exercise professionals with a scientifically and evidenced based resource manual for the strength training of youth and adolescents. This book offers easy to follow guidleines and recommendations for the design and implementation of strength training and fitness workouts for youth and adolescents 7 to 18 years of age. The book also provides 100 illustrated exercises with technique descriptions using various types of training equipment. It is a must read and resource manual and belongs on everyone’s book shelf who work with youth and adolescents in strength training and fitness programs.
Rating: 5 / 5
#5 by Henry on July 1, 2010 - 3:42 am
As a parent of 2 teenage boys I was looking for a book on youth strength training and I found it!The descriptions of sample programs are easy to understand and the photos of starting and finishing positions of every exercise are priceless. Highly recommended to parents who want to learn about safe and proper techniques for lifting weights.
Rating: 5 / 5