title: Olympic weightlifting and plyometric training with children provides similar or greater performance improvements than traditional resistance training.
abstract: A number of organizations recommend that advanced resistance training (RT) techniques can be implemented with children. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Olympic-style weightlifting (OWL), plyometrics, and traditional RT programs with children. Sixty-three children (10-12 years) were randomly allocated to a 12-week control OWL, plyometric, or traditional RT program. Pre- and post-training tests included body mass index (BMI), sum of skinfolds, countermovement jump (CMJ), horizontal jump, balance, 5- and 20-m sprint times, isokinetic force and power at 60 and 300° · s(-1). Magnitude-based inferences were used to analyze the likelihood of an effect having a standardized (Cohen's) effect size exceeding 0.20. All interventions were generally superior to the control group. Olympic weightlifting was >80% likely to provide substantially better improvements than plyometric training for CMJ, horizontal jump, and 5- and 20-m sprint times, whereas >75% likely to substantially exceed traditional RT for balance and isokinetic power at 300° · s(-1). Plyometric training was >78% likely to elicit substantially better training adaptations than traditional RT for balance, isokinetic force at 60 and 300° · s(-1), isokinetic power at 300° · s(-1), and 5- and 20-m sprints. Traditional RT only exceeded plyometric training for BMI and isokinetic power at 60° · s(-1). Hence, OWL and plyometrics can provide similar or greater performance adaptations for children. It is recommended that any of the 3 training modalities can be implemented under professional supervision with proper training progressions to enhance training adaptations in children.
authors.affiliation: 1Tunisian Research Laboratory "Sports Performance Optimization," National Center of Medicine and Science in Sports (CNMSS), Tunis, Tunisia; 2Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Research and Education Centre, Doha, Qatar; 3School of Human Movement Studies, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia; and 4School of Human Kinetics and Recreation, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada.
authors.forename: Anis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chaouachi
authors.forename: Raouf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hammami
authors.forename: Sofiene
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaabi
authors.forename: Karim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chamari
authors.forename: Eric J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Drinkwater
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Behm
mesh_terms: D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D059385:Plyometric Exercise; D004856:Postural Balance; D055070:Resistance Training; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D014891:Weight Lifting