Why strength training does make sense in youth football

Young athletes can make remarkable gains when they start at an early age with strength training. Despite muscle strength increasing naturally during growth, evidence shows research that children and adolescents can often get up to 30-40% stronger in as little as 8 to 20 weeks with a properly constructed exercise programme. In young children, these gains arise mainly from improved muscle activation, coordination and motor control, not from muscle growth. Only later in puberty, especially in boys, do we see that strength can also increase simply through increased muscle mass. The focus in youthful athletes should ideally be on strengthening functional strength and movement control, rather than muscle building. In sport, what counts most is how strong you are in relation to your body weight. Some extra muscle mass can be functional, but unnecessary weight inhibits performance. Strength training is an important basis for motor skills such as jumping, sprinting and agility. Several studies show that even primary school children show marked improvements in these performances after simple strength training. This underlines the importance of early and systematic training precisely because the nervous system is exceptionally teachable at this stage of life.

At a young age, it is not necessary to train with a lot of extra weight. Not because it is necessarily unsafe, but precisely because physical ability and movement quality are still developing. Focusing on external load too early can come at the expense of technique, coordination and motor learning ability. So it is not harmful but rather sub-optimal. In reality, strength training is actually starting to become familiar with movement patterns. The emphasis is on controlled movements, light resistance with a few basic exercises. It is important to choose exercises that suit the player's level and to always keep an eye on technique and progression. Once these basics are in place, players can be systematically guided in their development along the power-speed curve: from slow controlled power to fast explosive movements. By varying resistance, speed and complexity in different training phases, a complete profile combining power, speed and control is created.

And for those still in doubt, strength training is really not modern hype. It was known in the time of the ancient Greeks, long before any bodybuilder ever walked the earth. In Italian, the gym is still called palestra, and also the word gymnasium has its origins in ancient Greece, These were places where not only the body but also the mind was worked on. Physical training was also seen precisely to become stronger and more resilient with a purpose. Exactly as happens now in sports and rehabilitation. Strength training is certainly not a threat to performance, it is an opportunity to rise above yourself. Those who learn to move well at a young age lay a foundation for higher peak performance later in life. And that foundation is therefore not just muscle mass, but above all efficient movement.

Research shows that well-constructed neuromuscular training can significantly reduce the risk of injury in young athletes. However, it is important to stress that this is never a guarantee. Injuries are always multifactorial and never completely preventable. What we do see is that early exposure to physical training teaches the body to react faster, move more efficiently and cope better with unexpected situations. It develops a safety net, so to speak, that can be switched on in challenging moments during sports, such as a misstep, a duel or unfortunate landing. Starting strength training at a young age creates a better-tuned neuromuscular system: stronger, more stable and in control. This in particular makes the player less likely to be injured and more resilient in the long term.

Strength training is safe and effective for children and young people, if properly structured and supervised. The focus is not therefore on maximum load, but on developing technical skills and motor control. Bodyweight, elastic resistance, free weights and machines are all suitable forms, as long as the exercise suits the child's level.

Good technique is always key. Young athletes with little training experience should start with simple, controlled movements in low volumes and at light to moderate intensity (≤60% 1RM), before gradually increasing the load. For technical exercises like squats, for example, it is better to do fewer repetitions with immediate feedback than long sets with reduced quality.

Only when technique is well mastered can the programme be extended to higher loads with fewer repetitions. Here, it is important that trainers and coaches pay attention to fatigue and decline in technique within the session or even exercise. The training volume should be well matched to the child's age, training experience and other sports load.

In terms of frequency, 2-3 sessions per week on non-consecutive days are recommended. During the competitive season, resistance training can be retained just fine, as long as it is tailored to the overall sporting load and, if necessary, serves as an alternative to another workout or competition.

The emphasis in the early stages is on controlled speed, but as training experience progresses, training is also explosive movements and high movement speeds essential for the development of motor control and power transfer. Those who start on time with well-built strength training lay a foundation that not only helps prevent injuries, but also makes a difference on the pitch. Not to impress in the gym, but to be sharp, strong and ready match after match. That's what physical development is all about. That's PWR.

Physio Fitaal - PWR A practical and informed guide for trainers, parents and young players who want to build beyond talent alone. PWR stands for Performance. Work. Resilience. A content series on physical development in young footballers. Focused on strength, speed, coordination and recovery. The goal? Getting young players truly match-ready. Train smart. Work hard. PWR your game.