I know alot of members, as well as staff have children, and recently I responded to a members question about kids training on another board. So I thought I'd bring the information I gave him and post it up for all parents who may be in need of the same information and guidelines~
Strength training for kids? You bet! Done properly, strength training offers many bonuses to young athletes. Strength training is even a good idea for kids who simply want to look and feel better. In fact, strength training can put your child on a lifetime path to better health and fitness.
For kids, light resistance and controlled movements are best — with a special emphasis on proper technique and safety. Your child can do many strength training exercises with his or her own body weight or inexpensive resistance tubing. Free weights and machine weights are other options.

Don't confuse strength training with weightlifting, bodybuilding or powerlifting. These activities are largely driven by competition, with participants vying to lift heavier weights or build bigger muscles than those of other athletes. This can put too much strain on young muscles, tendons and areas of cartilage that haven't yet turned to bone (growth plates) — especially when proper technique is sacrificed in favor of lifting larger amounts of weight.

Done properly, strength training can:

Increase your child's muscle strength and endurance
Help protect your child's muscles and joints from injury
Improve your child's performance in nearly any sport, from dancing and figure skating to football and soccer
And strength training isn't only for athletes. Even if your child isn't interested in sports, strength training can:

Strengthen your child's bones
Help promote healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels
Boost your child's metabolism
Help your child maintain a healthy weight
Improve your child's self-esteem

When designing strength training programs for children it is important to remember that children are anatomically, physiologically, and psychologically immature. Adult strength training guidelines and training philosophies should not be used for kids. Although all participants should understand the risks and benefits of strength training, a young child should not be expected to comprehend the intricacies of muscle action. Focus on lifetime fitness and teach kids how to exercise properly. Above all, provide a stimulating program that develops in children amore positive attitude towards strength training and a healthy lifestyle. Generally speaking, if 7 and 8 year old children are ready for participation in organized sports or activities (e.g. little league baseball or gymnastics), then they are ready for some type of strength training.

Strength Training Guidelines for Kids:

An instructor to child ratio of at least 1 to 10 is recommended to provide adequate supervision and instruction. When children are learning exercises for the first time, closer supervision may be required.
Children learn best by doing. When teaching a new exercise to a child, have the child perform the exercise under your watchful eye.
Ensure that the training environment is free of hazards. Be aware of the exploratory nature of children and remove or disassemble any broken equipment from the exercise room before classes start.
The exercise room should be well lit and adequately ventilated. Since children are more prone to heat illness than adults, encouraged them to drink water even if they are not thirsty.
Perform calisthenics and stretches before and after every strength training class
Begin with 1 set of 10 to 15 repetitions on 6 to 8 exercises that focus on the major muscle groups of the upper and lower body. Start with a relatively light weight and high reps and increase the load and decrease the reps as strength improves. Beginning with relatively light loads will allow for appropriate adjustments to be made.
Maximal lifting is not recommended for general conditioning purposes.
Two to three training sessions per week on nonconsecutive days is sufficient.
Increase the weight gradually as strength improves. Generally a two to five pound increase in weight is consistent with a 5% to 10% increase in training intensity.
Progression can also be achieved by increasing the number of sets ( up to 3) or number of exercises.
Multijoint exercises such as squats may be introduced into the program based on individual needs and competencies
Treat children with respect and speak with them in a language they understand. Remember that children should feel comfortable with the program and should look forward to the next workout.
Strength training should be one part of a total fitness program. Keep the fun in fitness and promote lifetime health.



Hope the information I have supplied helps some of you parents with the same questions~



Stay Strong~~!!!
IPL