How Much Of Increase In Training Is Safe?

Posted by Golden on August 14th, 2010

Increasing the frequency, duration, or intensity of training too quickly is one of the main causes of injury. To prevent injuries caused by too rapid increase in training, follow the ?ten-percent rule.? This rule refers to the amount of training that can be increased every week without risking injury to a young athlete. In other words, a young athlete running 20 minutes four times a week can probably run safely for 22 minutes four times the second week ? an increase of ten percent per week. Keep safe by not increasing too much too soon.

Just how hard should a young athlete train? When young athletes are training the emphasis should be on developing athletic technique. Although power or speed are important qualities in sport, stressing them at the expense of technique can lead to injuries. Once good technique is mastered, power and speed can be introduced.

It is important for you to safe guard your young ones against being over trained. The danger of this happening is especially serious if he is engaged in a very competitive sports environment. Perhaps the most effective measure is to make sure his coach is certified. Another is to look out for signs of over training, as described previously, as well as the early signs of injuries themselves.

In many cases athletes drop out of sports because of low grade pain that is actually the early stage of an overuse injury. The pain is never diagnosed as early stage of overuse injury because the athlete simply quits the program. What this may do is put him off physical activity and exercise for life.

Hence, over training young athletes has the opposite effect of what we want, which is to instill in our young people the love of exercise that will stay with them through life, and inspire them to stay fit and healthy long after their young sports days are gone.