THIS week’s query is interesting and deserves greater attention, so I gave precedence to reader Gary N., who wrote:

Hi Coach Eric,

My 13-year-old daughter, an incoming high-school freshman, was invited to train with her school’s varsity team. They practice four times a week this summer, mostly physical strengthening and basketball fundamentals, which is great.

I am concerned, however, about their weight-training program. At her young age, is it all right to lift weights? Will it not hamper her growth and physical development? If okay, what is the maximum weight that can be lifted vis-à-vis body weight? What specific weight-training exercise/s is/are helpful for adolescent basketball players?

My daughter, Kitkat, started playing basketball only last year. She has been into taekwondo and was a gold medalist at the Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association the previous year. She is, of course, exposed to basketball as we are what may be called a basketball-loving family.

We always watch Ateneo in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, also her cousin Miguel, who plays for the Ateneo grade-school team. Watching Miguel play last summer probably enthused her into playing basketball as she tried out for the (name of school omitted) team when school opened. She was taken in and became a member of their FBL champion team (at the same time, continued as team captain of their taekwondo varsity). And before the school year ended, she was invited to train with their high-school team.

High-school basketball is very much different from grade school, as Kitkat has now discovered. It’s much faster and more physical. This summer, their training focuses on building stamina and individual skills. They work out four times a week, from 8:30 a.m. to past 1 p.m., starting with weights then basketball drills and the occasional scrimmage. She’s good with drills but got overwhelmed at first with the rigors of longer training hours, and especially with weight training.

Let me emphasize that their weight training is not just perfunctory lifting but the whole gamut. They are made to go from one station (i.e., bench press) to another. My main concern is that everybody lifts the same weight, meaning a 13-year-old newcomer weighing roughly 100 lb is made to lift the same weight (i.e., 40 lb barbell) as a 17-year-old, 120 lb veteran. We sent their coach a short, but general, note on this (Kitkat doesn’t want us to talk to her coach!) but have yet to follow up. Knowing your views on these matters will certainly help.

*****

Dear Gary,

I do understand your concern. Here are the things we should consider with regard to weight training for preteens:

§ Is it essential?

§ What particular body muscles does training focus on?

§ Is there a carefully made and safe strength-training program? Is there a capable instructor handling the training?

I could think of the benefits, like increase of muscle strength and endurance along with protection of joints and muscles from injury. A rigid weight-training program, besides building up strength alone, is also to prepare the muscles for the tasks involved in the sport. Strength training for kids should not be confused with weightlifting, bodybuilding or powerlifting.

Strength training should be a carefully designed program of exercise to increase muscle strength and endurance. The focus isn’t about lifting heavy weights, instead it’s about lighter and controlled movements, with a special emphasis on proper technique and safety.

So my next point is what particular muscles does training focus on? Your child may need to build her upper-body strength or add muscles to her legs. Please be reminded that basketball is a physical sport so strength training, when done properly, could help her.

My third point is with regard to technique and form. Are the players supervised by a trained professional who would be quick to adjust a program based on a person’s individual capacity or particular problem areas rather than treating the whole team as a whole? Is there a gradual increase in weight being lifted by a player based on careful monitoring of her progress? Does the program focus on lifting larger amounts of weight rather than light weights with controlled repetitions? Is there enough rest in between workouts and warming up and cooling down?

These are the questions you might want to ask your daughter’s coach for a clearer picture on what is going on with her weight training. Strength training is okay when done correctly. But other alternatives are using resistance bands or own body weight.

I am a father of two boys who are playing basketball and I would allow strength or weight training for them if all those things mentioned above are carefully considered.

Coach E

(Original Article was published last May 16, 2007 at the Business Mirror Sports Section in the column Ask Coach E.)