Training Youth Clients Based on NASM CPT Textbook & ACE CPT Textbook © 2018 NPTI Colorado  | Slide 1 | Revision 6 (6/25/18) DM

Lecture Objectives Students should be able to: Define and describe age considerations. Describe the characteristics of youth clients. Describe how to modify a program for youth clients

Exercise and Youth View: The Inactivity pandemic Youth fitness programs are one of the fastest growing segments of the health club industry. Youth refers to children and adolescents between the ages of 6- 20. American youth do not get the recommended amount of physical activity Exponential increase in overweight and obese children View: The Inactivity pandemic

Exercise and Youth Primary exercise activities for children and adolescents are: Aerobic conditioning Fun/recreational/competitive sports Muscle strengthening Structured (weight training) or unstructured (playing games) Bone strengthening (hopscotch, jump rope, and tennis) ACE

Exercise and Youth Youth negatively impacted by the decline in physical activity Behaviors established at a young age have a high probability of persisting into adulthood Substantial health benefits by doing moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity for periods of time that add up to 60 minutes or more each day ACE

Exercise and Youth Current recommendations for children and adolescents: 60-minutes or more of physical activity a day Aerobic, muscle-strengthening, and bone-strengthening activities are encouraged NASM

Exercise and Youth National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE): Accumulate at least 60 minutes, and up to several hours, of age-appropriate physical activity on all, or most days of the week. Participate in several bouts of physical activity lasting 15 minutes or more each day    Extended periods (periods of two hours or more) of inactivity are discouraged for children, especially during the daytime hours. 1. More info concerning youth guidelines from NASPE can be found here: http://www.aahperd.org/naspe/standards/nationalGuidelines/PA-Children-5-12.cfm

Exercise and Youth The risk of injuries to children participating in resistance training is low However, injuries can occur in any sport To minimize the risk of injury during resistance training, personal trainers should adhere to the following guidelines ACE

Exercise and Youth Obtain medical clearance or instructions regarding physical needs Children should be properly supervised and use proper exercise technique at all times Do not allow children to exercise unless facility is safe for them Never have children perform single maximal lifts or sudden explosive movements or to compete with other children ACE

Exercise and Youth Proper breathing during exercise movements Never allow children to use equipment that is broken or damaged, or that they don’t fit on correctly Rest for approximately 1-2 minutes between each exercise (longer if necessary) Drink plenty of fluids before, during and after exercise Remind youth to communicate with a coach, parent or teacher when they feel tired or fatigued, or when they have been injured ACE

Exercise and Youth Children exercising in extremely cold temps are at increased risk for dehydration and hypothermia Layer clothing Ensure proper hydration Children are at higher risk for heat-related illness than adults due to: Higher ratio of body surface area to mass Lower exercise economy Diminished exercising capacity Lower cardiac output at similar workload ACE

Exercise and Youth The following guidelines apply to children and adults alike: Reduce intensity of exercise in very hot, humid, or sunny environments Cancel activity or move indoors to air conditioned environment during periods of very hot and especially humid conditions Maintain hydration Encourage frequent breaks Lightweight, light-colored, loose fitting clothing; use sunscreen To prevent hyponatremia, replace both fluids and electrolytes ACE

General Guidelines for Training Youth Children / adolescents who DO NOT currently meet the recommended guidelines should slowly increase their activity level Children who DO meet the guidelines should continue being active on a daily basis and, if appropriate, become even more active. (Evidence shows that MORE THAN 60 min/day can show more health benefits Children who EXCEED guidelines should maintain their activity levels and vary the activities to prevent overtraining and injury ACE

Exercise and Youth Physiologic Differences Between Children & Adults: Children do not respond, adapt, or progress the same as adults Youth progress is specific to their physiologic capabilities  

Exercise and Youth Although a group of children or adolescents may be the same age, their responses to exercise can vary considerably: Growth Development Physical maturation Psychological maturation

Exercise and Youth 1. Spend some good time reviewing this table

Exercise and Youth Research has clearly demonstrated that resistance training is both safe, and effective, in children and adolescents. The most common injuries associated with resistance training in youth: Sprains Strains Define “sprain” and “strain”.

Exercise and Youth Research suggests that untrained children can improve their strength by an average of 30% to 40% after 8 weeks of progressive resistance training Neuromuscular adaptations Additional benefits associated with resistance training: Improved motor skills Improved strength and performance Improved body composition Improved bone mineral density

Exercise and Youth When designing programs for youth clients: Assess client for movement deficiencies Typically need to start with Stabilization Endurance program Progression into Phases 2 through 5 should be based on youth’s past performance and current abilities FUN! Click here for a Youth Exercise Routine example

Exercise and Youth 1. Review the guidelines found in Table

Get Certified! ACE Youth Specialist Certification 1. Review the guidelines found in Table

Any questions?