Young superstar athletes have dispelled long-standing misconceptions that strength development should start in the late teens. But much discussion has continued regarding what type of training is most beneficial. Strength Training for Young Athletes provides all the answers as the authoritative guide to strength development for 7- to 18-year-old athletes. World-renowned strength and conditioning experts William Kraemer and Steven Fleck present the latest facts on the effects of strength training on growth, development, and performance. The authors then make recommendations relative to starting age, choice of exercises, frequency of training, rate of progression, and philosophical aspects of program design. Learn how to individualize the age-appropriate sample training programs provided based on the athlete's physical, psychological, and emotional maturity as well as the demands of the sport. Such carefully designed programs not only improve athletic performance and prepare young athletes for higher competitive levels, but they also help to decrease the incidence of injury along the way. Strength Training for Young Athletes is the most complete and credible resource for developing the muscular foundation for athletic success.

Author Biography

William J. Kraemer is a professor in the department of kinesiology working in the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Connecticut at Storrs. He also is a professor in the department of physiology and neurobiology and a professor of medicine at the University of Connecticut Health Center. Dr. Kraemer held multiple appointments at Pennsylvania State University, where he was professor of applied physiology, director of research in the Center for Sports Medicine, associate director of the Center for Cell Research, and faculty member in the kinesiology department and the Noll Physiological Research Center. Kraemer had served on the Sports Medicine Committee for the United States Weightlifting Federation and on the Sport Science and Technology Committee for the United States Olympic Committee. He received the National Strength and Conditioning Association Lifetime Achievement Award for bringing science into the development of strength and conditioning programs. He is editor in chief of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, an associate editor of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, and an editorial board member of the Journal of Applied Physiology. A former junior high and college coach, Kraemer has coauthored many books and articles on strength training for athletes. Steven J. Fleck is chair of the sport science department at Colorado College in Colorado Springs. Previously, he headed the physical conditioning program of the U.S. Olympic Committee; served as strength coach for the German Volleyball Association; and coached high school track, basketball, and football. An internationally known expert on strength and anaerobic training, Fleck was a vice president of basic and applied research for the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). He is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). He was honored in 1991 as the NSCA Sport Scientist of the Year. Fleck has authored many books and numerous articles on strength training and physical conditioning. He is also a columnist for Muscular Development.