Summary
• Strength training is safe and recommended for kids – Modern research and health bodies confirm strength training is safe and beneficial for children when done correctly. Myths about stunted growth or bulking are outdated.
• There are a number of physical benefits as it builds strong muscles, bones and tendons, which helps to lower the risk of injury and disease.
• There are cognitive and emotional benefits which boosts confidence, brain development, memory & problem-solving.
• Encourages more play and physical activity beyond workouts.
• Sets foundations for lifelong health & fitness in an increasingly sedentary world.
29th September 2025
Strength, or resistance training, refers to any form of exercise that uses resistance—whether it’s your own body weight, free weights, machines, or resistance bands—to develop and strengthen muscles. There are also many benefits of strength training, which not only include making you physically fitter but there are also a number of mental health benefits.
But while we once may not have given strength training for youngsters much thought, today it is becoming the norm. Adults are increasingly working out in a more structured way and kids routinely see their parents heading off to the gym or completing a workout at home.
So, these days, resistance training is widely viewed as a safe, important part of youth fitness – supported by a growing body of research indicating that more young people are taking part in this type of activity.
Strength training has ben endorsed by a number of major sports and health bodies globally. So the notions that training could adversely affect bone growth or cause injuries or excessive ‘bulking up’ are outdated. It’s equally outdated, for example, to think that a young girl should go to dance class rather than pick up a weight or kettlebell.
The right strength training can set a young person up for life by increasing musclespan – or the length of life that’s lived with healthy, strong skeletal muscle. It also lays the foundations for strong tendons, boosts bone health and growth potential while minimising the risk of metabolic disease.
At the same time, resistance training enhances muscle strength and power, plus endurance, bone mineral density, blood lipid profiles and insulin sensitivity in children who are overweight. Far from causing injury, it increases resistance – while also enhancing young people’s mental and emotional health by giving them confidence in their strength and the way they feel about their bodies and boosting brain and fine motor skill development. Kids who do strength training are also more likely to play spontaneously or do other types of physical activity.
The idea that strength training impedes growth by affecting the soft cartilage near the ends of bones is another myth, which probably stems from a few reported cases from decades ago involving a minority of kids lifting excessive weights or training in the wrong way. (It goes without saying that strength work always needs to be done safely.)
In summary, resistance training actively sets children up to avoid injury in their daily lives or other sporting activities. And showing our young people the value of fitness at an early stage of life is the perfect counterbalance to today’s increasingly sedentary and screen-bound way of living.
What’s more, all this is backed up by research published earlier this year which found that preschoolers who jump, run and play are more likely to develop stronger memory and problem-solving abilities, underscoring the key importance of movement to future cognitive skills at an early stage in life.
If you’re wondering how your child, or the young people in your school or other community can get into strength training, think about an outdoor gym. This combines all the benefits of exercise with the advantages of working out in the fresh air.
We are a leading outdoor gym supplier and we’ve installed children’s outdoor exercise equipment UK-wide. We have one of the widest ranges of products for primary school children in the country. We’ll work with your school from consultation and funding support through to design, delivery, installation and aftercare, while also providing full support and detailed instructions for using the pieces.
Our line-up includes monkey bars, seated leg press, children’s fitness rig and more, all excellent for strength development. View our full range for Key Stages 1 and 2 and do get in touch if you have any queries.
We also cater for secondary schools, and their range can be found here.
Back to all blog posts