i started when i was a freshman so i would say start young athletes when they about 14 or 15

I found a good article below that helps give some guidelines, but there's a difference between intense weight lifting and simple strength training. The latter very beneficial for youth as young as 5 - mainly focusing on balancing and core exercises, which can be done using training devices like the BOSU balance trainer instead of weights.

http://www.youthfitnessmag.com/kids-strength-training

i say afterpuberty so that you dont stop your growth

As a general rule after the onset of puberty.

I agree with Gary, most pre-puberty players get plenty of excericise just being kids.

I agree with gary too

12-13

It depends on wat kind. For muscle strenghtening and weights start at thirteen fourteen and for like legs and thighs and calfs you can start wenever its just the lifting you need to watch out for!

Actually strength training can start as early as 10 if they understand the weight room is not a playground. The pediatrics association and 8 other youth and sports minded groups recommend strength training for kids if done correctly and with the right equipment. The primary reason fro strength training at that age should be about injury prevention and fitness not power. Look for muscle imbalances and work to create the correct balance through strength training. They generally should not workout more than twice a week, to keep them from getting burnt out, but also to see gains and teach consistency for gains. It is actually safer to have the child to bench press with a spotter, than push ups. Many kids cannot do a correct push up and stress their shoulders and back from improper form, but 20 pounds on a bench they can do for 10-15 reps with control. Yet, kids are expected to do 20 push ups whether their form is correct or not. For more answers visit www.strengthofamerica.us

8

I knew a guy that could bench 450 but couldn't do 50 push ups. His pecks kept his broken collar bone in place in the state finals (not a joke) but he couldn't run 5 miles. His opponent in the finals was out of shape too. In short, strength is depleted when you exert yourself. The real advantage to strength is the muscles that intimidates the inexperienced athlete, but that's about it. Give me the kid that's in shape any day. 100 real push ups non stop is plenty of strength for high school athletes. Funny thing is, most high school athletes can't do 100 real push ups. More important is the fact that most "strength training" programs in public schools is inadequate at best. It's a typical damaged tendons and ligaments factory.

Dan that's true that most high school strength programs are inadequate, because they only focus on mainly Bench, Squats and Power Cleans. To say "Strength is the muscle that intimidates the inexperienced athlete, but that's about it" means that strength programs are worthless. That is simply not true. A true strength program incorporates flexibility as well as the smaller muscles that keep an athlete playing sports. muscles such as the rotator cuff and ankle stabilizers. An athlete that can do 100 push ups, most likely has very tight pecs and rotator cuff. His upper back is probably also weak from not working those muscles equally with the chest. So proper strength program is the key, I agree that most kids spend way too much time on the bench press, which is another reason you see the round shoulder athletes. Balance is key to any strength training program. The main focus of any conditioning program, should be to help the longevity of their sport.
Questions
http://www.strengthofamerica.us

Thanks,
Bob

Well put Bob, in response to Dan.

http://articles.elitefts.com/training-articles/stronger-enough-part-1/

Brad

Dan, the key phrase is "supposed to". We know how many athletes are supposed to do a lot of things and how few coaches work with them on all components... When i talked strength, again the emphasis is on strength and flexibility of the joint not how much can you bench. The bench press is pretty useless in athletics, but is still done everywhere, because it has always been done. we do very little bench especially with my junior high and high school athletes. When you refer to your athletes on the mat, the bench is great if they are pinned and then they want to push the athlete off afterward.
In reference to "At a young age, there's is only disadvantage to weight training programs and plaguing a kid with tendon/ligament injuries for the rest of his life." Actually the pediatrics association, orthopaedics association and several top groups recommend strength training at an early age if done properly and with a qualified coach. That is the problem! Strength training far too often is how much can you lift not specific to injury prevention, which is the main reason to strength train, keeping the kids participating longer. If we teach our kids at a younger age, when they get to that junior high and high school weight room they will be prepared. I run Strength of America, which is the longest running kids only strength and conditioning program in the country. I started the program in 1989 here in Mesa Arizona. Before that was assistant strength and conditioning coach at the University of Nebraska from 1985-1989. The more we can encourage coaches to understand why strength training is important and how to properly train kids, we will move our profession ahead and keep many more athletes from having the same problems we have after years of improper training. So encourage strength training if they have help, but strength training can be done with body weight, exercise tubes as well as weights. Don't close the door to one type of training before we learn what it is someone is doing. This is a great forum keep talking and asking questions everyone!

Dan, Again I think you are missing the point. Strength training should not be the old school, see how much you can bench, that is ridiculous in todays athletics unless he is in a competition. We train our athletes for injury prevention and longevity in the sport, so the body can withstand the stresses of sports and quick growth spurts. The main exercises you talk about should be a part of all athletes workouts, but don't close the door to strength training for young athletes that have an opportunity to learn and prepare for the junior high and high school weight rooms. That you know don't have proper supervision and most have the kids do the wrong programs to start with. We all should keep educating our coaches, parents and kids about proper training! I don't have our junior high and high school athletes bench, because it is not very effective for athletes. Power, agility, speed and flexibility is more important than how much they bench. Great forum coaches, keep asking and looking for answers!

If you have that kind of program, you are fortunate. I do know the odds of injury in a calisthenics routine are greatly reduced. Like weight lifting, it still takes a daily discipline if it's going to be effective. As you already know, a self motivated kid is a rare entity. The average teen in a weight room needs a good trainer to help him/her reach their potential. An untrained, self proclaimed strength trainer does more harm than good. I'm sure a lot of potential walks in the front door only to walk out the back to never try again. God bless Coaches who really care. It's truly a calling. That's what is takes to produce Champions.

Bob, do you have a site that has info to start up a basic routine and evolves from there? I need something for the summer. When wrestling season starts, we want to stay on the mat as much as possible. Wrestlers tend to cramp up during matches if they hit the weights during season. Of course getting them to hydrate themselves correctly is a different story. If the parents aren't involved, you can't get the kids to not eat and drink the crap in the cupboard. Of course some cut weight of which I'm not a fan of at all.

Anyway, let me know. I'm certainly open.

Dan, my site primarily shows speed, power and agility drills. However, I do have some strength videos that will be added within the next 2 weeks. Look for those. www.youtube.com/strengthofamerica or www.strengthofamerica.us Our in season strength work with our wrestlers, primarily is 3 sets of 5 on squats, 3x5 on Shrug Pulls (like a power clean-without racking the weight on the chest), external rotations 3x15 and reverse flies 3x15 and plenty of flexibility work, 2 days each week. The rest of strength and conditioning work comes from regular practice and our 6 minutes of non stop work; inchworms, alligator push ups, abs, lunges, split squats-no stop, pull ups, to keep them focused on drive and not quitting as muscles burn... As far as their meals, I have all of my athletes fill out a three day food chart and research the calories, carbs, protein and fats content. We then go over that info so they understand the importance of eating right. We find that most of our kids eat less than 3% of their total diet in protein, they need 15-20 percent. Once they start eating more protein in each meal they have more energy, eat less bad carbs. It makes a big differnce when they understand what they are eating and why. Just talking to them doesn't do it, have them fill out a chart then send them to calorieking.com to fill it out. It will make your job easier. It helps our wrestlers keep their weight where it needs to be. Good luck and good talking this thing through. It's easy to miss what someone is trying to say through blogs, but great for others to read. thanks, Bob