Strength & Conditioning Program for Kids & Adolescents
Do you want to reduce your child’s risk of injury on the sporting field or in their chosen activity?
Do you want to improve your child’s strength, balance and coordination?
Or do you want to help your child form healthy habits that carry on to adulthood?
If so, our 8-week strength and conditioning program for kids and adolescents is perfect for them!
Our child and adolescent Physiotherapists, Heyson and Dylan, run the program. They both have extensive experience and a particular interest in working with young people.
What are the benefits for your child?
We’re aiming to play our part in building strong and robust children and adolescents through this 8-week program and implementing research-based recommendations to achieve the following benefits:
- A 66% reduction in both overuse and acute sports-related injuries.
- Improved strength, speed and power
- Improved agility, balance and coordination
- Improved sporting and athletic performance
- Stronger bones and improved body composition
- Developing positive habits that track into adulthood
- Improved psychological measures
(Harries et al., 2012; Lesinski et al., 2016; Lauersen et al. 2014; Faigenbaum, Avery, 2000)
On average, over the first intakes, participants achieved the following results:
Strength:
Quadriceps -52% increase
Hamstrings – 60% increase
Gluteals – 41% increase
Lat pull down – 53.5% increase
Shoulder elevation – 82% increase
Core strength – 91% increase
Power:
Vertical jump height – 16.5% increase
This program presents a fantastic option for parents who want to improve their child’s strength, athletic performance, and resilience to the demands placed on their growing bodies.
Check out the program for yourself in the short video below.
Is it safe?
Yes! Many studies have examined whether resistance training is safe for children and adolescents, concluding that weight training has NO negative impact on skeletal growth/maturation.
One study in particular reported:
“Current research indicates that resistance training can be a safe, effective and worthwhile activity for children and adolescents” (Figenbaum and Myer, 2012)
If you’d like to read more about the safety of resistance training for children and adolescents, you can do so here.
Who can participate?
We’re accepting children and adolescents between the ages of 6 and 16, provided they are mature enough to follow clear instructions.
This mirrors the 2018 position stand on resistance training for children and youth by the Australian Strength and Conditioning Association:
“The youngest a child should commence resistance training is at 6 years of age provided they have the maturity to follow clear instructions and an appreciation of the dangers present when training” (ASCA 2018)
How does the program work?
Step 1️: A one-on-one initial consultation with a physiotherapist.
In this session, we’ll chat with you and your child (where appropriate) or your child individually to establish their training base and the demands of their sporting/activity regime and get to know them!
We’ll then conduct a physical assessment, including:
- A movement screen to examine your child’s motor skills, balance and coordination.
- A strength assessment to see where your child, in particular, may be lacking at their current stage of development and to guide our focus for the 8-week program.
This will be completed with our cutting-edge AxIT technology that allows us to objectively assess strength and performance measures with real-time feedback. Watch this short video HERE for more information.
Step 2: 2 x 30-minute 1:1 appointments with your child in our gym before entering the program, where we’ll make sure we’re targeting our resistance program at the right level, with the correct weights and ensure the exercises are performed safely.
Step 3: Your child will enroll in our ‘Child and Adolescent Strength & Conditioning Sessions’, which involve two sessions per week for 60 minutes for eight weeks.
Step 4: A final check-in to review progress and talk about the improvements made over the program. Again, we’ll utilize AxIT technology to give you tangible data on your improvements.
Step 5: You have the option to continue on a pay-as-you-go program to maintain and pursue further improvements or to prescribe a gym or home program for your child to complete in their own time.
The assessment prior to joining the group classes involves measuring strength, endurance and power using functional tests and our AxIT force-measuring technology. This ensures we know the areas that need the most attention, can tailor the program accordingly, and measure their progress over the eight weeks.
When does it start?
The exercise sessions for the term 2, 8-week program commence on Wednesday, the 1st of May (week 1 of term 2).
The program’s spaces are limited to 4 individuals, allowing us to run classes exclusive to children and adolescents. The sessions over the 8-week program will run at the following times.**
- Wednesday at 4 pm
- Saturday at 12 noon
**However, there is some flexibility in the session times. If these don’t suit, your child can attend any of our general population exercise sessions.
What you’ll get:
- A summary of our findings in the initial consultation
- A summary of the improvements made over the 8-week program, including tangible data compared to that from the initial consultation
- Piece of mind that your child’s program is tailored, specific, and safe for someone of this age demographic and overseen by trained health professionals.
Each group session contains exercises that focus on key areas such as core strength, upper and lower body strength, coordination, balance and explosiveness.
What does it cost?
Option 1: Pay upfront $1303* (you’ll get some of this back via private health fund claiming)
A saving of 15% ($200) compared to if you were to complete the program as a ‘pay as you go’ client.
To secure your child’s spot in the program, we require a deposit of 20%, with the remainder to be paid within 14 days after securing your position.
Option 2: Pay as you go $1503* (you’ll get some of this back via private health fund claiming)
Comprising:
- A 60-minute initial consultation: $179
- 2 x 30-minute one on one consultations: $105 x 2 = $210
- 16 x ‘Child and Adolescent’ supervised exercise sessions: 16 x $57 = $912
- 1x 60-minute final review & future planning session: $202
*If you have physio extras, you’ll receive a portion of this rebated to you from your health fund. All sessions in the program are health-fund rebatable. To claim, you can receive invoices either upon completion of each session or at the completion of your program in order to claim your health fund benefits. For the exact rebate amount you’ll receive on each session, please consult with your health fund.
How to book?
Call one of our friendly team at the clinic on 8490 0777 or click the button below to book your ‘initial consultation’ with one of our child and adolescent experts, Heyson and Dylan.
If you have any questions or would like to know more, please don’t hesitate to call us or email us at admin@thrivephysioplus.com.au.