Some Gyms Open Their Doors to a Younger Set

The journal Pediatrics reported last year that properly supervised strength training may improve sports performance and prevent injuries in children, and help any injuries heal faster. Frank Clark Holmes, director of sports medicine at Georgetown University Hospital, concurred: "It can teach the muscles and nerves to fire together better and help with coordination," he says.

Now that I think of it, Elise's nearly-six-inch growth spurt in the past year has slightly warped her balance on the basketball court. Her center of gravity is off. Training in the gym might help get her back on track.

Making Adjustments

Some health clubs are obviously aimed at an adult clientele: The Bally's Total Fitness and Fitness First chains, for example, set a flat minimum age of 18. But others are open to younger members, with some restrictions. Gold's Gym will let 10- to 16-year-olds work out if they're accompanied by a parent or guardian. Like all Gold's members, youths go through an orientation, and the adult accompanying them must be present for that as well. Washington area YMCAs will let kids younger than 16 use gym equipment if they're accompanied by a parent and only after they've been evaluated by a Y fitness trainer.

The Frederick County Y system recently lowered its age minimum to 11, but kids up to 14 have to go through an orientation session and must work out within sight of their parents at all times. Bethesda Sport and Health lets kids use the gym at age 12, but only after they've been certified by a personal trainer and have the wristband to prove it when they come to work out.

Every gym is different in its rules, but the common thread is clear: Kids need proper training and supervision. When those are in place, the pediatrics academy has found, injury rates in gym settings are lower than in youth sports or during school recess.

The experts offer other suggestions for keeping kids safe.

Tiffany Meyer, a pediatrician in Falls Church, suggests starting any exercise program with a physical. "We evaluate the child, go through the health history and see if there is any known heart disease in the family, or any history of sudden, unexplained death," she says. She tries to make sure there are no health issues that would pose a risk during exercise, such as asthma. But to the extent they can handle it, the gym is good for children with asthma: "Exercise keeps their lungs in shape and helps them stay fit," she explains.

Blee, the Inova physical therapist, warns about equipment that is sized for adult bodies. Most treadmills are fine for kids, he says. Stationary bikes need to have the seat adjusted for shorter legs. Elliptical cross trainers are okay only if the child's legs are comfortable with the non-adjustable stride length. I've found that kids love the rowing machines; Elise and her friend Natalie pretend to race.

The body is meant to take stress in certain positions, says Blee, so a trainer should show parents how their kids ought to adjust the machines and should teach parents how to demonstrate proper form for young exercisers. When using the seated biceps curl, for instance, the arms should extend parallel to the ground so the shoulders are relaxed. The arms should move at the elbow joint to lift the weight up and down, he explains. The child's feet should be flat on the floor.

Most gyms can provide printed forms that members can use to record the correct setting and weight for each piece of equipment the child uses. Any machine that can't be adjusted to a child's size should not be used. When our family goes to the gym, I stick close to Elise and use the weight machine next to hers. That way I can not only keep an eye on the settings, but we also can talk over her school day or anything else that comes to mind.

Strength-training equipment, such as leg extension or overhead press machines, should be started with extremely light weights. George Guevara, executive director of our Green Valley Y, says a child should begin by using a weight he can lift easily for 15 repetitions and increase it very gradually. Kids should avoid the squat bar and most barbells; some gyms, including ours, prohibit use of free weights by anyone younger than 16.