Is Maximal Strength Testing Safe for Young Children?
Monday, March 03, 2003 Researchers at the University of Massachusetts in Boston investigated the practicality and safety of performing maximal strength testing in young children. There is a general sense in the strength and conditioning community that maximal strength testing in unsafe for adolescent and pre-adolescent children, as reflected in an NSCA survey in which 2043 of 2311 responders (88%) believed that 1RM (the maximal amount of weight that can be lifted one time) strength testing is inappropriate for children. The subjects in the present experiment were 96 children (32 girls and 64 boys) ranging between 6.2 and 12.3 years of age. None had any previous strength training experience and all were required to undergo an initial medical screening before testing. Subjects were required to per form one upper body exercise (standing chest press or seated chest press) and one lower body exercise (leg press or leg extension). All exercises were performed using weight machines designed f
