For decades, resistance training in adolescents raised skepticism and concern. Negative effects on growth, injuries to growth plates, and an increased risk of musculoskeletal trauma were frequently cited. Today, however, the scientific literature allows us to approach the issue with far greater nuance and clarity. The data accumulated over the past twenty years converge toward a consistent conclusion:
Resistance training is safe and beneficial for youth when it is properly supervised and adapted to their level of maturity¹–⁴.
Does Resistance Training Affect Growth?
The belief that weight training stunts growth remains one of the most persistent myths. Yet longitudinal studies show no negative effects on height or bone maturation when programs are appropriately structured. In his evidence-based review, Malina² reported that gains in height and body weight observed in youth participating in resistance training programs were comparable to those of control groups. The work of Ramsay et al.⁵ and Faigenbaum et al.⁶ also demonstrates that resistance training does not impair linear growth in children and adolescents.
Growth plate injuries, often cited as an argument against resistance training, are rare and primarily associated with unsupervised settings or excessive loads used without proper guidance¹,⁴. No well-controlled prospective study has documented damage to growth cartilage in supervised training programs.
Thus, current evidence clearly indicates that resistance training, when supervised by qualified professionals, does not compromise growth.
Physiological Adaptations: Primarily Neural Before Puberty
In preadolescents, strength gains are primarily attributed to neural adaptations rather than marked muscular hypertrophy. The work of Ramsay et al.⁵ and Ozmun et al.⁷ demonstrates improved motor unit recruitment, better intermuscular coordination, and reduced antagonist activation. In other words, youth become more efficient at using their existing muscle mass.
Myers et al.³ emphasize that these neural adaptations explain why strength can increase significantly without substantial changes in muscle cross-sectional area. With the onset of puberty and the rise in anabolic hormones—particularly testosterone and growth hormone—the potential for hypertrophy increases, especially in boys².
It is therefore essential to understand that responses to training vary according to biological maturation stage, not simply chronological age—an important principle emphasized in the International Consensus on Youth Resistance Training⁸.
Bone Health and Musculoskeletal Development
Adolescence represents a critical period for acquiring peak bone mass. The mechanical loading imposed by resistance training provides an effective osteogenic stimulus. Burrows et al.⁹ and Ishikawa et al.¹⁰ have shown that weight-bearing exercise promotes increases in bone mineral density in children and adolescents. Myers et al.³ also report improvements in bone strength index in young athletes engaged in structured programs.
Beyond bone density, resistance training contributes to strengthening tendons and supportive structures, which may reduce injury risk during sports participation¹.
Body Composition and Metabolic Health
In overweight or obese adolescents, resistance training is particularly relevant. McGuigan et al.¹¹ demonstrated that eight weeks of training can significantly improve body composition in youth with excess weight. The HEARTY program¹²,¹³ showed that resistance training—alone or combined with aerobic training—improves cardiometabolic markers and reduces fat mass.
The review by Benson et al.¹⁴ highlights that when integrated into a comprehensive approach including nutritional education, resistance training can positively affect metabolic parameters, particularly lipid profile and insulin sensitivity.
Prevention of Sports Injuries
One of the major contributions of recent literature concerns injury prevention. Faigenbaum and Myer¹ indicate that programs integrating strength exercises and neuromuscular control reduce the incidence of sports injuries in adolescents. The work of Sugimoto et al.¹⁵ and Myer et al.³ demonstrates a significant reduction in anterior cruciate ligament injury risk in young female athletes when neuromuscular programs including resistance training are implemented.
Lauersen et al.¹⁶ concluded that strength training is one of the most effective and safest strategies for preventing acute and overuse injuries.
What Is the Reality of Injuries in Resistance Training?
Injury rates reported in supervised prospective studies are low. Faigenbaum and Myer¹ reported rates ranging from 0.053 to 0.176 injuries per 100 participant-hours, which is lower than in several popular sports.
Data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) must be interpreted cautiously. Stricker et al.⁴ note that most reported injuries occur in unsupervised settings, often at home, and involve inappropriate behavior or improper equipment handling.
Consistently, the primary risk factor identified is the absence of qualified supervision¹.
Current Recommendations
Major scientific organizations—including the National Strength and Conditioning Association¹⁷, the International Consensus on Youth Resistance Training⁸, and the American Academy of Pediatrics⁴—now recognize the legitimacy and safety of resistance training for youth.
These organizations emphasize progression based on technical competence, referred to as “resistance training skill competency” (RTSC), rather than chronological age. Exercises should be mastered at low loads before gradual increases are introduced. Supervision by a trained professional remains the cornerstone of safety.
It is also recommended that resistance training be integrated into an overall training plan to avoid cumulative overload, particularly in young athletes already engaged in high volumes of sport practice¹,⁴.
Conclusion
Scientific advances have profoundly transformed perceptions of resistance training in adolescents. Far from being dangerous or harmful to growth, it is now recognized as an effective tool for improving strength, bone health, body composition, injury prevention, and even psychological factors such as self-esteem³,¹⁸.
In a context marked by declining physical fitness among youth¹⁹, the structured and supervised integration of resistance training represents a relevant long-term health promotion strategy.
The question is therefore no longer whether resistance training is safe for adolescents, but rather how to implement it intelligently, progressively, and professionally in order to maximize its benefits.
References
1. Faigenbaum, A.D. & Myer, G.D. Resistance training among young athletes: safety, efficacy and injury prevention effects. British Journal of Sports Medicine 44, 56–63 (2010).
2. Malina, R.M. Weight Training in Youth-Growth, Maturation, and Safety: An Evidence-Based Review. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine 16, 478–487 (2006).
3. Myers, A.M., Beam, N.W. & Fakhoury, J.D. Resistance training for children and adolescents. Transl Pediatr 6, 137–143 (2017).
4. Stricker, P.R., et al. Resistance Training for Children and Adolescents. Pediatrics 145, e20201011 (2020).
5. RAMSAY, J.A., et al. Strength training effects in prepubescent boys. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 22, 605–614 (1990).
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8. Lloyd, R.S., et al. Position statement on youth resistance training: the 2014 International Consensus. British journal of sports medicine 48, 498–505 (2014).
9. Burrows, M. Exercise and bone mineral accrual in children and adolescents. Journal of sports science & medicine 6, 305 (2007).
10. Ishikawa, S., Kim, Y., Kang, M. & Morgan, D.W. Effects of weight-bearing exercise on bone health in girls: a meta-analysis. Sports Medicine 43, 875–892 (2013).
11. McGuigan, M.R., Tatasciore, M., Newton, R.U. & Pettigrew, S. Eight weeks of resistance training can significantly alter body composition in children who are overweight or obese. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research 23, 80–85 (2009).
12. Sigal, R.J., et al. Effects of aerobic training, resistance training, or both on percentage body fat and cardiometabolic risk markers in obese adolescents: the healthy eating aerobic and resistance training in youth randomized clinical trial. JAMA pediatrics 168, 1006–1014 (2014).
13. Alberga, A., et al. Effects of aerobic and resistance training on abdominal fat, apolipoproteins and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in adolescents with obesity: the HEARTY randomized clinical trial. International journal of obesity 39, 1494–1500 (2015).
14. Benson, A.C., Torode, M.E. & Fiatarone Singh, M.A. Effects of resistance training on metabolic fitness in children and adolescents: a systematic review. Obesity Reviews 9, 43–66 (2008).
15. Sugimoto, D., Myer, G.D., Foss, K.D.B. & Hewett, T.E. Specific exercise effects of preventive neuromuscular training intervention on anterior cruciate ligament injury risk reduction in young females: meta-analysis and subgroup analysis. British journal of sports medicine 49, 282–289 (2015).
16. Lauersen, J.B., Andersen, T.E. & Andersen, L.B. Strength training as superior, dose-dependent and safe prevention of acute and overuse sports injuries: a systematic review, qualitative analysis and meta-analysis. British journal of sports medicine 52, 1557–1563 (2018).
17. Faigenbaum, A.D., et al. Youth resistance training: position statement paper and literature review: position statement. Strength & Conditioning Journal 18, 62–76 (1996).
18. Sadres, E., Eliakim, A., Constantini, N., Lidor, R. & Falk, B. The effect of long-term resistance training on anthropometric measures, muscle strength, and self concept in pre-pubertal boys. Pediatric exercise science 13, 357–372 (2001).
19. Laurson, K.R., Saint-Maurice, P.F., Welk, G.J. & Eisenmann, J.C. Reference curves for field tests of musculoskeletal fitness in US children and adolescents: The 2012 NHANES National Youth Fitness Survey. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research 31, 2075–2082 (2017).