“There is strong evidential support for the application of appropriate, well designed strength programs, being a safe and effective method of improving health and sporting performance to both children and adolescents.”

This was the key message on Monday night from Angus McEntyre (chiropractor, and national sports coach who also coaches field athletics at Barker).

Angus presented the findings detailed in his recent Journal Article “Strength Training for Children and Adolescents: A progression to future health and performance” in the Journal of Australian Strength and Conditioning https://www.strengthandconditioning.org/jasc-26-5

The audience consisting of Barker and non-Barker students, parents, sports coaches and strength and conditioning trainers learned about the key factors for successful strength training in young people including:

  • Applying ‘Age Identification’ i.e. a combination of anatomical (from date of birth), biological (from physical development of the body) and athletic (from experience and knowledge in training) ages.
  • Understanding growth and puberty.
  • Defining benefits and motives of strength training.
  • Understanding and managing the risks of strength training.
  • Applying long term athletic development.
  • Designing individual age appropriate, safe and effective programs.
  • Ensuring high quality level of coaching and supervision

Attendees were quick to retrieve a copy of the full journal article to develop their own understanding and many stayed late into the evening to ask Angus questions.

For more information you can contact the Barker Institute, or Angus directly at angus@amhealthperformance.com

We look forward to hosting another event in collaboration with the College of Coaches. In Term 2 we will share recent developments in concussion prevention and management, particularly focussed on action regarding secondary concussions with sports medicine expert, Dr Corey Cunningham on April 13th.

Dr Matthew Hill

Dr Matthew Hill is the Director of The Barker Institute with a focus on professional learning, research, and innovation in the school.  He teaches Physics and the new Science Extension course at the School which introduces students to scientific academic research. Matthew's doctorate reflects his passion for science education focussing on Representational Fluency amongst physics students at school and university. He has published in leadership, education, and science journals and been involved in course development and teaching at The University of Sydney and The University of Western Sydney. He has also completed a Graduate Diploma in Divinity at Ridley College in Melbourne.