12 y.o. weight training

My son started strengthening and conditioning at age 13. I let him join a local Athletic Enhancement program where a workout program was tailored specifically for him by a well known trainer. The exercise routine was somewhat like this:

Jump Rope/agility ladder
Sumo Squats
Dumbell pushups
Lunges
Rope pulldowns
A shoulder program (he's a pitcher)
Reverse curls
Calf raises
Incline crunches
wrist curls
lat pull downs
etc

All exercises used relatively light weights to begin with (25lb dumbells and under)and he progressed monthly with the some of the exercises changing monthly.

The results were very noticeable. FB MPH increased and his hitting power went way up as well. He led his team in most every offensive category and that was a huge change as he wasn't known for being a power hitter at all. Now bats cleanup. He even hit for the cycle in one game.

So, my advice from our experience is keep the weights relatively light and make sure he's using proper form when doing the exercises. Enlist the help of very knowledgable people and your son should benefit greatly. Focus on core strengthening especially if your son is a pitcher. He should be supervised at all times to insure he doesn't try to go heavier than he should (kids will do that) and that he's doing the exercises properly.

Good luck.

FWIW

My son will turn 12 in Feb., and I wondered about the whole weight training thing about a year or so ago. What? When? etc.

Whenever you pose a question about advancing development here, there is a common theme in the responses. Why?

Your son has a few years before things will start to matter much at all. The speed and agility training should do a fair bit to condition him if he is that limited. Under NORMAL conditions, the body will adapt to the situations it faces at a pace it can withstand.

Is he "on the bubble" with a team?

In our own experience, we have learned to "back off" things such as curve balls; weight training; sudden starts to spring training; etc. Our baseball schedule is full and I make periodic "burn-out" checks. It is my goal to make sure that a healthy son; with a lot of baseball training/experience; and desire to play; arrives at the 14-17 YO age period.

D

The kid's physical development age is more important than his chronological age when determining a workout routine for an athlete who hasn't passed through puberty. Developmentally kids can be +/- three years of their actual age.

I say that you shouldnt start weight training untill around 14. I didnt start untill this year, age 15.

You can get strong by doing old fashion push ups,diamond pushups, and can work different parts by how you do the pushups.

Sit-ups work your core and if you crunches and 6 inches will work you good.

Then do wall sits and squats and bear crawls up hills and calf raises.

That is all you need to do, take in mind that you have to do it alot. Id be safe so you dont end up messing up a kids future.

Thank you for the responses. They seem all over the place a bit.

My son is not on the bubble. He typically is the 3 batter with a little pop but not when compared to some of the kids on the elite teams. He can throw 57-59 all day(real radar gun) but we have already seen some kids throwing 70+ this fall. We have seen a lot of kids throwing 62-64.

We are just a year from the 90' diamond so we thought if he could benefit from a little weight training, with minimal risk, and he was willing to do the work, that we would go ahead.

Unfortunately, unless there is overwhelming talent from God things seem to go faster and start a lot earlier than when I was a kid. I never saw 11 and 12 yo boys hitting the ball 250-300 feet or turning natural 4-6-3, 6-4-3 double plays like the kids do today. My HS team was 4th in PA when I was growing up in the 70s.

Tonight will be his second workout.

Keep any thoughts and advice coming.

Thanks


Bill

Bill,
I agree with you. I am amazed when my son's 13U team make a routine double play look routine. They have skills that I never had until HS. On the weight lifting, if your son wants to do it, why not? As long as he has good trainers he won't get hurt and it will help. As long as he wants to do it. Our team is very good and they don't weight train. But I am totally amazed at the amount of stretching that they do. Our coaches are into flexibility with a capital F! It really has improved the pitching and fielding and most of the kids look much smoother than when we started this year.

We know we have to work on flexibilty too. It can make a huge difference like you say.

The speed and agilty should help with his flexibility too. He does speed and agility twice a week.

Next winter we may make overall flexibility more of a focus.

Bill

Bill L,

Balls go a lot further with today's bat and baseball technology. If your son has natural ability then he will be fine until the junior high coach puts him on a program. Baseball muscles need to be long and flexible.

You are right.

I have hime doing speed and agility tpe stuff and some pliometrics under supervision.

We are really focusing on core training for now.

Another really big focus is overall balance.

This should help him in all facets of the game. We have decided to shy away from weights since right now their are great ways to better use is own body weight to get stronger.


Thanks. Bill

[QUOTE]Originally posted by CAVPRIDE_UKNOW:


Sit-ups work your core and if you crunches and 6 inches will work you good.

QUOTE]

I think my head will explode the next time I read someone write that sit-ups work the core.

Rectus abdominus is not part of the core. It has very little to do with lumbar spine stabilization.

http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/HQ/01010.html

quote:

Originally posted by Bill L.:
You are right.

I have hime doing speed and agility tpe stuff and some pliometrics under supervision.

We are really focusing on core training for now.

Another really big focus is overall balance.

This should help him in all facets of the game. We have decided to shy away from weights since right now their are great ways to better use is own body weight to get stronger.


Thanks. Bill

Bill,
FWIW, son did not begin until he was 15-16 with weights and then sparingly and IMO has remained in good health to this day, no back issues, no arm issues, no kneee issues.
There is a difference between strength training and weight training. Band work (resistance), sit ups, push ups, long toss, stretching, etc. should be first consideration before weight training, IMO. I just read that free weights should be a preference over machines for younger players.
As far as gain in velocity for young pitchers, I do beleive that a strong long toss program ( possibly year round) is the safest way to achieve added velocity. May not come as quickly as impatient parents and players want, but overall will reduce later injuries that seem to occur as the player gets older. One should never look for quick results, but think in terms of long term goals.

I think that you have chosen the right path for your young player.

JMO.

Gameth,
If abdominal muscles aren't part of the core muscles we hear so much about, what are?

My son added 8 mph to his fastball from the beginning of last year to the beginning of this year. Anyone want to know the secret?

He grew six inches to 5'10". Now after this baseball season, as he grows more and starts to fill out we'll look into weight, speed and agility training that goes beyond what he gets in offseason high school workouts.

From the experience of my oldest, the best time for this kind of training is waiting until after they grow. After early teen growth bursts many of them can use agility training.

when i was 14 in 8th grade i did this routine with 3lb dumbells 4 times a week and went from 60MPH to 70-72MPH on my fastball and i didnt gain a single pound

Curls- 3 x 50
Side Raise- 3 x 50
Front Raise- 3 x 50
tricep kickbacks- 3 x 50
shoulder press- 3 x 50

I dont know how or why it worked but it did.

Hand stands are great for youth strengthening. Especially since you can have dad spot you

LABall - I agree. My son just turned 13 and goes to a tumbling/ conditioning coach at a gymnastics center once a week where they focus on body control, strength and flexibility. Handstands, push ups, body curls, crunches, lunges - it's a work out and he's learning to do back handsprings and back tucks (AKA Ozzie Smith). Oh, and he hit 78mph on the gun at tryouts in August.

Since I started the thread I wanted to let everyone know how he is doing.

Keep in mind that he is a very young u13 player and misses playing u12 by about 5 weeks. He turns 13 next March.

We have been doing long toss, hitting basketballs off a tee, using a medicine ball and doing lunges. We will start up with speed and agility again once the fall season is over.

He has not really grown much but has gained at least 50-75 feet in hitting and while he is relatively small at 5', 100 lbs. he is throwing much harder. You can hear that ball a comin. They have him playing 3rd base on the big diamond.

Kinda fun when he went yard and the other team's first basemen says "no way". Then he does it again and he says "you gotta be kidding me." Now this was at 50/70 ball and now he is playing on the big diamond so it will likely be a very long time before, if ever, he hits it over the 300 foot fence

Thanks for all the advice. Hope he keeps working.


Bill

Keep up the good work. It is good to hear that it is paying off.

As the father of a big kid, I have to tell you, when a little guy drives one on him it really drives him nuts!

Bill,

At this age their growth plates are not fully set, however, no one knows your son like you do.

If you are making the decision to allow him to use weights and it appears you are, just go slowly, dont push and listen to his complaints regarding soreness. If you will monitor it closely and focus more on agility you may be fine.

I have had my son working lightly on legs, shoulders and core since he was 10 no weights just resistance and he is solid.

Good Luck

Eddie

Well we have really been focusing on speed and agility. There has been a very noticeable difference in his first step to the ball.

He does some weight training very carefully supervised. The boys in school have noticed since they arm wrestle during lunch.

He also performs the Jaeger resistance band exercises at least 3 times a week for his arm.