All-Star Your Daughter Won't Fly Forever

[HappyGirls]

I don't generally weigh in, as I don't have a cheer background. However, I read a couple times in this thread that it is unsafe for young children to weight train. That is incorrect--according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, it is safe for children as young as 7 or 8 to weight train. It is not recommended to do power lifting, single repetition "max weight" type lifting. Here is a link to the AAP's statement:

Strength Training by Children and Adolescents | FROM THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS | Pediatrics

I was a child athlete who competed at elite levels in my sport, and I went on to compete at an NCAA Division 1 college. I began weight training at age 8, and never suffered ill effects from it. In fact, an overuse injury I had was corrected by adding certain weight training exercises.

My CP's are 7 and 9 and have just started weight training. The purpose is mainly to prevent injury. We did a consult with physical therapy and have a list of exercises to reduce risk for common injuries like ACL tears. An example is doing squats on a balance ball--squats strengthen both large muscle groups, like hams and quads and adding the balance ball helps strengthen the small muscles that support the knee joint. ACL injuries are rarely seen in younger kids, but the risk spikes at puberty for girls, so it is best to have the muscle development that reduces risk of injury in place beforehand. Hope some find this info helpful for their CP's.

 

[cheer25mom]

I don't generally weigh in, as I don't have a cheer background. However, I read a couple times in this thread that it is unsafe for young children to weight train. That is incorrect--according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, it is safe for children as young as 7 or 8 to weight train. It is not recommended to do power lifting, single repetition "max weight" type lifting. Here is a link to the AAP's statement:

Strength Training by Children and Adolescents | FROM THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS | Pediatrics

I was a child athlete who competed at elite levels in my sport, and I went on to compete at an NCAA Division 1 college. I began weight training at age 8, and never suffered ill effects from it. In fact, an overuse injury I had was corrected by adding certain weight training exercises.

My CP's are 7 and 9 and have just started weight training. The purpose is mainly to prevent injury. We did a consult with physical therapy and have a list of exercises to reduce risk for common injuries like ACL tears. An example is doing squats on a balance ball--squats strengthen both large muscle groups, like hams and quads and adding the balance ball helps strengthen the small muscles that support the knee joint. ACL injuries are rarely seen in younger kids, but the risk spikes at puberty for girls, so it is best to have the muscle development that reduces risk of injury in place beforehand. Hope some find this info helpful for their CP's.

Strength training and weight training are 2 different things. Strength training uses light weights to improve strength to prevent injury. Weight training is essentially weightlifting to build muscle. Strength training is good for kids, with proper supervision, weight training with heavy weights is not, per CP's doctor, and the sports medicine doctor we consult with on occasion.


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[HappyGirls]

Strength training and weight training are 2 different things. Strength training uses light weights to improve strength to prevent injury. Weight training is essentially weightlifting to build muscle.

Weight training is any exercise that adds weight beyond one's own body weight. And AAP does not say to use "light" weights. A child may use the weight they can handle for 8 repetitions...for some kids this is significant weight. One of mine can bench press her body weight for 8 reps and and squat more than body weight for 8 reps...

 

[_MRB]

And add to this: How about gyms actually invest some time and teach young flyers to base so that when the inevitable happens, they are physically and mentally prepared to take on a new role.

Love this.

 

[_MRB]

It's incredibly common on IOC5 teams.

Not the IOC5 teams I pay attention to. Then again I only pay attention to LIOC lol

 

[omgitssydthekid]

I don't generally weigh in, as I don't have a cheer background. However, I read a couple times in this thread that it is unsafe for young children to weight train. That is incorrect--according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, it is safe for children as young as 7 or 8 to weight train. It is not recommended to do power lifting, single repetition "max weight" type lifting. Here is a link to the AAP's statement:

Strength Training by Children and Adolescents | FROM THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS | Pediatrics

I was a child athlete who competed at elite levels in my sport, and I went on to compete at an NCAA Division 1 college. I began weight training at age 8, and never suffered ill effects from it. In fact, an overuse injury I had was corrected by adding certain weight training exercises.

My CP's are 7 and 9 and have just started weight training. The purpose is mainly to prevent injury. We did a consult with physical therapy and have a list of exercises to reduce risk for common injuries like ACL tears. An example is doing squats on a balance ball--squats strengthen both large muscle groups, like hams and quads and adding the balance ball helps strengthen the small muscles that support the knee joint. ACL injuries are rarely seen in younger kids, but the risk spikes at puberty for girls, so it is best to have the muscle development that reduces risk of injury in place beforehand. Hope some find this info helpful for their CP's.

I've been reading though all these posts with the same mindset as you. I'm not saying that bases need to weight train so they can lift heavier flyers, but weight training is great for all the reasons you mentioned. I did weight training in middle school, high school, and college as a gymnast and a cheerleader, and believe me, I am far from bulky. All throughout those years, I had very lean muscle. I was a flyer, but I was very strong. In eighth and ninth grade, I could almost bench my body weight (which was a whopping 75 pounds). In college, we did crossfit twice a week and regular weights twice a week, FOR CHEERLEADING! So many colleges require cheerleaders to do weight training, just like any other athlete. And it is to make our bodies strong enough to prevent injury. Not to make them massively muscular.


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[cheer25mom]

Weight training is any exercise that adds weight beyond one's own body weight. And AAP does not say to use "light" weights. A child may use the weight they can handle for 8 repetitions...for some kids this is significant weight. One of mine can bench press her body weight for 8 reps and and squat more than body weight for 8 reps...

Our pediatrician disagrees. She feels heavy weight training at a young age is detrimental until the growth plates have completed or nearly completed ossification. I trust her judgement, and based on what I have read, I agree with her. All of my dance training has always taught the same thing, and she is an experienced doctor who treats a lot of young athletes and keeps up with research on this and other subjects related to children in sport. I will leave it at that.


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[HappyGirls]

Our pediatrician disagrees. She feels heavy weight training at a young age is detrimental until the growth plates have completed or nearly completed ossification. I trust her judgement, and based on what I have read, I agree with her. All of my dance training has always taught the same thing, and she is an experienced doctor who treats a lot of young athletes and keeps up with research on this and other subjects related to children in sport. I will leave it at that.

Each must certainly do what they are comfortable with for their child. I am comfortable with the 8 repetition guideline because the AAP is very specific in regard to the amount of weight/number of repetitions that are reasonable for a child to handle, and the study data to support that recommendation is more than adequate (see footnotes). If you read their article they don't condone "heavy" i.e. single repetition lifting because there is not sufficient study data to prove it is safe. Interesting to note though, that the data they do have shows low injury rates for thof type of competition or "power" lifting...growth plate injury due to weight lifting is rare. However, I see little upside to single repetition lifting, so safer to avoid it in the absence of adequate supporting data. AAP is known for being *extremely* conservative, so none of their recommendations are going to be cutting edge...

 

[cheer25mom]

It isn't so much acute injury to the growth plate, but long term wear and tear leading to changes in the ossification patterns and problems later in life that is the concern.


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[HappyGirls]

It isn't so much acute injury to the growth plate, but long term wear and tear leading to changes in the ossification patterns and problems later in life that is the concern.

Do you have a study to support this statement? Weight lifting does not affect bone anywhere near as much as impact does

 

[HappyGirls]

It isn't so much acute injury to the growth plate, but long term wear and tear leading to changes in the ossification patterns and problems later in life that is the concern.


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@cheer25mom...I want to explain that I'm not being argumentative, but when someone, especially a doctor, is recommending something different than the mainstream appropriate medical association, I want to know what scholarly data supports that point of view. Sometimes the answer is simply "personal experience"...and while that's valid as an expert opinion, I don't personally find that as compelling as a controlled, statistically significant study with an adequate sample size. Just didn't want you to think I was being snarky in asking what your doctor's recommendation is based on..that's not my intent..

 

[meetmeat_themat]

Hi all I just wanted to chip in and say I learned a LOT from this discussion which I can hopefully take on into my coaching. I just wanted to add that I am by no means trying to say that flyers are the 'most important' or 'best'. I would without a doubt say that bases and backs do far more work than flyers in keeping the stunt in the air in my own experience. Flyer's jobs are to be flexible and stable and the rest comes to the ground crew. I have so much respect for bases. I just wondered what everyone's opinion was on a flyer being told to lose weight to stay on the team. With the rise of eating disorders I'm not sure I can effectively coach until my own understanding and thoughts on the topic are secure. While I would NEVER recommend a flyer diets, I know how cruel kids can be.

 

[cheer25mom]

@cheer25mom...I want to explain that I'm not being argumentative, but when someone, especially a doctor, is recommending something different than the mainstream appropriate medical association, I want to know what scholarly data supports that point of view. Sometimes the answer is simply "personal experience"...and while that's valid as an expert opinion, I don't personally find that as compelling as a controlled, statistically significant study with an adequate sample size. Just didn't want you to think I was being snarky in asking what your doctor's recommendation is based on..that's not my intent..

She is a long time doctor to child athletes. She has treated it. My husband actually has growth plate damage in his wrists from improper lifting in his early teens as well. He is going to need another surgery for it in the near future. So I guess you could say we have personal experience with it. Best way I can describe it is that it causes micro fractures in the growth plate that aren't detectable at the time, by cause long term changes in the way the growth plate develops. The bones in my husbands wrists are shaped a bit differently as a result, causing carpal tunnel among other things.
ETA:
A quick google turned up this mayo clinic article that mentions the damage I'm talking about I will look for an actual study. It talks about the different between strength training and weightlifting.
Strength training: OK for kids? - Mayo Clinic

ETA, again:
here is a link to a summary of s study that alks about growth plate damage
Strength Training for Children,a review of research literature
It talks about maximal lifts being the biggest issue, but according to my pediatrician there is some evidence that excessive weight, even when the child can lift it more than 2-3 times, can cause these injuries. I am having trouble getting studies about it online that are not behind a pay wall.
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[mecheermom]

Hi all I just wanted to chip in and say I learned a LOT from this discussion which I can hopefully take on into my coaching. I just wanted to add that I am by no means trying to say that flyers are the 'most important' or 'best'. I would without a doubt say that bases and backs do far more work than flyers in keeping the stunt in the air in my own experience. Flyer's jobs are to be flexible and stable and the rest comes to the ground crew. I have so much respect for bases. I just wondered what everyone's opinion was on a flyer being told to lose weight to stay on the team. With the rise of eating disorders I'm not sure I can effectively coach until my own understanding and thoughts on the topic are secure. While I would NEVER recommend a flyer diets, I know how cruel kids can be.

IMO a flyer should never be told to lose weight to remain on a team. The best way to approach things like this is to speak to the team as a whole about healthy eating habits-- even have a sports nutritionist come in and talk to them-- but never address it with the individuals. I think every kid could use a lesson in healthy choices, and athletes need it even more.


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[catlady]

Per Mayo Clinic, strength training is okay and can be beneficial for young athletes (the article even mentions as young as 7-8):
Strength training: OK for kids? - Mayo Clinic

With that said, for everyone that wants to keep adding additional workouts and cross training:

The Dangers of Overdoing It

The problem was put into focus three years ago by the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness. In a report in the academy’s journal, Pediatrics, Dr. Joel S. Brenner wrote, “Overuse injuries, overtraining and burnout among child and adolescent athletes are a growing problem in the United States.”

Kids don't all have the same body types, health, or schedule. What we do know is, cheer should not only be competitive, it should be enjoyable. Kids should not have to pop Ibuprofen like Skittles, use Icy Hot for body lotion, or use braces and KT tape as magical devices to get them back in the game earlier. If we are truly concerned about injuries and concussions, then realize and admit these kids have physical limitations at any given point in their training. Additional teams for cross training should be something your child wants to do. It should not be forced by parents or used by gyms to get them to commit to lower level teams to participate in the higher levels or done "just in case they grow". My only suggestion is let your kids, coaches, and PT's determine what would be beneficial and just enjoy cheering them on.