Will Weights Make Your Child Too Bulky?

As a parent, you want the best for your child's athletic development. And today, I want to address one of the most common concerns I hear from parents:

"Will strength training make my child too bulky or slow them down?"

This concern is completely understandable. When most people hear "strength training," they immediately picture bodybuilders or powerlifters who've specialized their training for maximum muscle size or single-rep strength.

But here's what you need to understand:

Strength training for young athletes is fundamentally different in its application and goals.

Think of it this way – if you gave the exact same piece of chicken to a chef at a five-star restaurant and a chef at a fast-food chain, would they prepare it the same way? Of course not.

Each chef would tailor their approach to create an entirely different end result.

The same principle applies to strength training.

For young athletes, our goals are specific and purpose-driven:

- Improving movement quality and body control

- Developing power to jump higher and run faster

- Building resilience to reduce injury risk

- Creating a foundation for long-term athletic development

We use many of the same tools (weights, bodyweight exercises, etc.) but apply them with completely different methodologies and progressions that are appropriate for young, developing bodies.

The truth is, without dedicated strength work, many young athletes hit performance plateaus or develop movement compensations that can lead to injuries down the road.

Rather than creating "mini bodybuilders," proper youth strength training creates more capable, resilient athletes who can express their skills more effectively in their sport.

If you have questions about how strength training might benefit your young athlete specifically, reply to this email with your biggest concern, and I'll address it in a future newsletter.

Have a great day, 

Liam.

If you’re interested in learning more about youth athletic developement you can check out my podcast below!