Youth Athletes and Weight Lifting: What Parents Need to Know

At Earn the Edge Performance, one of the most common questions we get from parents is:

"Is weight lifting safe for my young athlete?"

The short answer? Yes—with the right approach. The long answer? Not all strength training is created equal—and it should never be one-size-fits-all.

Strength Training ≠ Weight Lifting

First, let’s make something clear: strength training for youth does not have to—and often should not—look like adult-style weight lifting. For young athletes, especially those in developmental stages, “strength training” might mean:

• Mastering bodyweight movements

• Developing postural and core control

• Learning to stabilize joints through full ranges of motion

• Coordinating movement patterns that transfer to sport and life

We use evidence-based progressions, grounded in motor learning principles, to ensure each athlete earns the right to load a movement. That means we don't slap a barbell on a young athlete's back just because they're strong on the field—we build them up from the inside out.

The Risks of Lifting Too Soon

Yes, strength training has proven benefits for youth: increased muscular fitness, injury

prevention, improved motor skills, and even better bone density (Faigenbaum et al., 2009).But those benefits only come when strength training is:

• Properly supervised

• Progressively designed

• Tailored to the athlete's developmental stage

When young athletes lift weights before they’ve developed proper movement competency, core control, and neuromuscular coordination, the risk of injury increases. Studies show that many youth resistance training injuries occur during unsupervised, with poor technique, inappropriate loading, or inappropriate use of equipment (DiFiori et al., 2014).

And we see it in our gym all the time: young athletes who dominate on the field but struggle to perform a quality overhead lunge or side plank under control. That’s not a weakness—it’s a normal part of development. And it’s why we meet each athlete exactly where they are.

Youth Are Not Just Small Adults

We train athletes, not bodybuilders or powerlifters. And we don’t treat youth athletes like

mini versions of adult clients. Why?

Because they aren’t. Youth athletes are still undergoing:

• Musculoskeletal growth: Bones often grow faster than muscles and tendons, creating temporary strength and coordination deficits as well as changing risks for injury.

• Neurological development: Their brains and nervous systems are still wiring the complex motor patterns needed for both sport and gym.

• Hormonal changes: Which affect strength, energy levels, and recovery.

According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), youth training should prioritize movement competency, motor skill development, and age-appropriate progressions—not loading for the sake of lifting numbers (Lloyd et al., 2016).

Our Philosophy: Earn Before You Load

At Earn the Edge, we don’t chase maxes—we build better movers.

We believe:

• Core control is non-negotiable

• Stability precedes strength

• Movement quality always beats movement quantity

Every athlete in our program progresses through a structured system designed to meet them at their current level and prepare them to perform—not just in the gym, but in life and sport.

They don’t “earn the right to load” until they can prove mastery of the movement. And when they do? That’s when the real gains—safe, strong, sustainable ones—happen.

So What Does Training Look Like?

It might surprise you to walk into one of our youth sessions and see:

✅ Crawling

✅ Balancing

✅ Anti-rotation core training

✅ Single-leg control

✅ Medicine balls, bands, sleds

✅ Low-load, high-control movements

✅ FUN—because movement should still be joyful

Only once we’ve developed solid movement mechanics and postural awareness, do we begin introducing external resistance, and even then, it’s based on individual readiness—not age or peer comparison.

📣 Curious Where Your Athlete Stands?

Before loading up

weight, your athlete should demonstrate movement quality, control, and strength readiness—and we can help you find out exactly where they are.

🔎 Apply now for a complimentary Athlete Rating Evaluation on our homepage!

Our team of certified performance professionals will assess:

• Movement competency

• Core control

• Mobility and stability

• Functional strength

• Age-appropriate performance benchmarks

Your athlete will leave with a clear understanding of their current ability—and a personalized plan to help them train smarter, move better, and compete stronger.

👉 Visit www.EarnTheEdgePerformance.com to schedule their Athlete Rating Evaluation today and see what it takes to Earn the Edge.

Final Word: It's Not About Maxing Out—It's About Leveling Up

We’re not in a rush to stack plates. We’re here to build athletes with strong foundations, resilient bodies, and elite movement quality—skills that translate to sport, prevent injuries, and support long-term athletic success.

When it comes to youth athletes and strength training, remember this: It’s not about lifting weights. It’s about learning how to move—then move well—then move strong.

📚 Cited Research

• Faigenbaum, A. D., et al. (2009). "Youth Resistance Training: Updated Position Statement Paper." Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Link

• DiFiori, J. P., et al. (2014). "Overuse Injuries and Burnout in Youth Sports." Pediatrics. Link

• Lloyd, R. S., et al. (2016). "National Strength and Conditioning Association Position Statement on Long-Term Athletic Development." Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Link