Strength Training Program for Kids: Safe, Fun & Effective

Strength training isn’t just for adults. Kids can build muscle and get stronger, too.

And no, lifting weights doesn’t stunt growth. That’s an old myth that should have been retired a long time ago (it actually has been, but it still lives on in too many places).

In fact, strength training is a fantastic way for kids to get a leg up in strength, bone health, coordination, and confidence, with recent research calling it “paramount” for children.¹ A couple of fun, supervised workouts per week go a long way.

StrengthLog’s Training Program for Children and Adolescents gives young beginners a safe and effective introduction to weights.

In this article, I’ll show you how the program works, when your child is ready to start, and how to help them get stronger without making things complicated.

What Is StrengthLog’s Training Program for Children and Adolescents?

StrengthLog’s Training Program for Children and Adolescents is a beginner-friendly, full-body strength training program for kids who want to start lifting weights.

The program consists of two different workouts, Workout A and Workout B.

Both train the entire body, but with different exercises.

The setup is nice and simple:

• Strength train 2–3 times per week.
• Alternate between Workout A and Workout B.
• Train all major muscle groups in each workout.
• Do mostly 1–2 sets of 10–12 reps per exercise.
• Start with light weights and learn the movements.
• Gradually increase the weights as your child gets stronger.
• Have a knowledgeable adult (hey – that’s you!) supervise.

The program combines bodyweight exercises, free weights, and machines. There are no complicated lifts or advanced training techniques to worry about.

Learn the exercises. Get a little stronger over time. Have fun.

That last part is more important than you might think.

A training program doesn’t do much good if your kid thinks it’s super boring and never wants to see a dumbbell again.

Why Strength Training Is Great for Kids

Children are naturally active. They run, jump, climb, wrestle, and do things that would leave you and me exhausted.

Stronger muscles help all kids move better, do physical things with confidence, and build the physical capacity they’ll use all through life.

We now have plenty of research showing that properly designed strength training can improve children’s health and fitness in many ways and increase the chances of staying strong and healthy into adulthood and old age.^{2 3 4 5}

• Children can get significantly stronger, and build some muscle, even before puberty.
• These are the best years to build stronger bones with weight-bearing exercise, when the skeleton is still developing.
• Strength training improves how kids control their movements and do all types of physical tasks.
• Stronger muscles give young athletes a big head start when it comes to running, jumping, and many other movements they need for sports.
• A well-designed training program prepares muscles and joints for sports and physical activity and can help reduce the risk of injury.
• Learning new exercises and seeing themselves improve can give kids a sense of accomplishment.

These benefits aren’t limited to kids who play organized sports.

A child who doesn’t particularly enjoy soccer, swimming, or other traditional sports can still have a great time in the gym. And they don’t have to be naturally athletic to benefit.

One of the nice things about strength training is that everyone can start at their own level.

Does Strength Training Stunt Growth?

No. Let’s get that question out of the way.

There is zero evidence that strength training stunts growth.^{6 7}

Authorities such as the UK Strength and Conditioning Association, endorsed by the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, even state that the stress on the growth plates kids get from weight training can be beneficial for bone growth.⁸

Plus, strength training has a lower overall risk of injury than many other sports.

Of course, it’s not completely risk-free. But neither is running around the playground or anything else involving living a normal life.

The injuries that occur are most often strains and sprains, which can happen at any age. And when they do happen, it’s usually when kids are horsing around in the gym unsupervised.

Overall, current research clearly states that proper strength training is “both safe and effective for children and adolescents aged 7 to 18 years”.⁹

Who Is This Program For?

This Training Program for Children and Adolescents is for children around 9–12 years old, but that’s a recommendation, not an age requirement.

There’s nothing magical about turning nine. Well, there is, but not in this particular instance.

Some kids are ready to learn gym exercises at six or seven. Others might not be interested or ready until they’re older.

What matters more than any number is whether your child can:

• Understand and follow instructions.
• Pay attention.
• Be responsible in the gym.
• Actually want to start training.

If your child can do those things, they’re ready to give strength training a go.

The program is also a swell option for young teens who want to join their parents in the gym.

Of course, teens don’t need a special training program. An older teenager can follow the same beginner programs as any adult.

For example, our Beginner Strength Training Program is a top-notch option.

But if your teenager has never trained before, there’s nothing wrong with starting here. Learning the basics has never been a waste of time.

A Quick Note for Parents Before You Start

There’s one big difference between gym training for adults and gym training for kids.

Children need supervision.

(Some adults, too, but that’s another story.)

Not just someone in the same building, but an adult who knows the exercises and knows how to teach them. And who supervises the training.

That might be a parent with lifting experience or a coach or someone else who knows strength training for children. That might be you.

And I’m not talking about standing next to them shouting, “ONE MORE REP!”

If you don’t know how to perform the exercises yourself, I really recommend getting help from someone who does.

The StrengthLog app has exercise instructions and videos, but it can’t replace an adult who can see what your child is doing and offer feedback.

Also, this program assumes your child is generally healthy and able to exercise. If they have a medical condition or another issue that affects whether they can or should exercise, get medical advice before starting.

And make sure your kid actually wants to train. Encouragement? Awesome. Pressure? Meh, not always ideal.

Strength Training Program for Children and Adolescents

Here’s the complete Training Program for Children and Adolescents.

I recommend two or three workouts per week. If your child has never done any strength training before, start with two.

For example:

Monday: Workout A
Thursday: Workout B

After a while, if they like training and want to do more, add a third session:

Monday: Workout A
Wednesday: Workout B
Friday: Workout A

The following week:

Monday: Workout B
Wednesday: Workout A
Friday: Workout B

And so on.

It doesn’t have to be these exact weekdays, but try to have at least one recovery day between strength workouts.

That doesn’t mean playing video games on the couch all day. Video games are awesome, but there’s a time for everything. Kids are supposed to move.

And if sports practice, school, or life gets busy?

Do two workouts that week. Or one. Nothing terrible happens. Just get back to it when you can.

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Here are the complete workouts.

Alternate between them every time you train.

Workout A

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Body Weight Lunge or Dumbbell Lunge	1–2	10–12
Box Jump	1–2	10–12
Dumbbell Chest Press	1–2	10–12
Lat Pulldown	1–2	10–12
Dumbbell Row	1–2	10–12
Back Extension	1–2	10–12
Triceps Pushdown	1–2	10–12
Dumbbell Curl	1–2	10–12
Lying Leg Raise	1–2	10–12
Plank	1	As long as you can

For the box jumps, use a low box. The goal here is to jump and land with control, not to see how high your kid can go.

And for the plank, stop the set when they can no longer hold a good position. There’s no need to turn it into a contest to see who can endure the burn the longest.

Workout B

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Goblet Squat	1–2	10–12
Step Up	1–2	10–12
Lying Leg Curl or Seated Leg Curl	1	10–12
Kneeling Push-Up or Push-Up	2–3	10–12
Inverted Row	2–3	10–12
Back Extension	1–2	10–12
Triceps Pushdown	1	10–12
Dumbbell Curl	1	10–12
Sit-Up	1	10–12
Oblique Sit-Up	1–2	10–12

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Ten exercises per workout might look like a lot, but remember, most exercises are only two sets, and some just one.

Also, your child doesn’t have to do every set from the first day. One set of each exercise is a perfectly good start.

Once that’s going well, work up to the prescribed number of sets. And it’s always best to do only one if that’s what keeps it fun.

If a younger child starts losing interest before the end, you can also cut the workout short. It’s better to do six exercises gung-ho and want to come back than to drag them through 10 because the app said so.

How to Warm Up Before a Workout

I recommend starting every workout with a 5–10-minute warm-up.

Nothing complicated; you just want to get the body moving, get the blood pumping, and prepare the muscles and joints for the workout.

An example:

Start with five minutes of easy jogging, jumping rope, rowing, or something similar and fun.

Then do a few dynamic movements. We’re talking:

• Bodyweight squats
• Small jumps
• Jumping jacks
• High knees
• Arm circles
• Wall slides

You don’t have to do all of them every workout. Pick a handful and spend a few minutes just moving around.

Then, before exercises like the chest press or squat, have your child do a few reps with very light weights.

And that’s it.

A warm-up should get your kid ready to gogogo, not tire them out before they’ve even started.

How Heavy Should Kids Lift?

When someone – child or not – is learning a new exercise, the weight should be light enough that they can focus on how to do it right.

That can mean starting with just bodyweight in some exercises and with light dumbbells, an empty bar, or the lightest setting on a machine in others.

But good technique and form always come before heavy weights.

Start with a weight your child can lift for at least 10 reps without struggling.

Watch how they do it.

Can they control the weight?

Can they do every rep with good form?

Do they understand what they’re supposed to be doing?

If so, great.

If not, reduce the weight or make the exercise easier.

Once your child knows the exercise, they can start using weights that require more effort (but still with control).

They don’t need to attempt a one-rep max to prove how strong they are. It’s fine to do so if they want, as long as you’re spotting, but there’s no need to.¹⁰

Do Children Need to Train to Failure?

Training to failure is when you do a set until you can’t complete another repetition. And kids don’t need it. Enjoying the experience is worth more than squeezing out one or two extra reps.

Failure can be useful for experienced lifters, but there’s no reason to use it in this beginner program.

In fact, I recommend against it.

Have your child finish their sets when they still have good form and could do a few more reps if they had to.

They’ll still get stronger, and they’ll have more energy to focus on learning the next exercise.

How to Progress and Get Stronger

Learning the exercises comes first, getting stronger comes next.

The body gets stronger when you place demands on it.

So, as your child gets stronger, you make the exercises a little more challenging.

That’s called progressive overload. Common ways to practice it include increasing the number of reps or using a heavier weight.

But for kids, you have another important form of progress: getting better at performing the exercises.

Improved balance, coordination, and control all mean that the training is working. That’s progress.

When your kid is just starting out, I recommend prioritizing those things over lifting more weight.

But before you both know it, they’ll be strong enough to lift heavier.

How Progression Works

Let’s say your child is doing dumbell goblet squats.

They start with a light dumbbell and do:

• Set 1: 10 reps
• Set 2: 10 reps

The repetitions look good, but your child is still learning how to squat. So, stick with those weights for a while.

Over the next few workouts, they learn the movement, and the control’s there.

Now it’s time to make it a little harder. You increase the reps to 11 or 12.

Once those look good, increase the weight a little. The reps might drop back down to 10, and that’s fine.

Then keep repeating this process.

And if the next dumbbell up the rack is too heavy, there’s nothing wrong with staying at the current weight for a while.

What If My Child Isn’t Getting Stronger Every Workout?

That’s normal. Progress doesn’t happen in a straight line for anyone, adults or children.

Don’t worry about it. Not every workout has to be the chance to beat last week’s numbers.

Over time, that’s the goal, but it doesn’t happen on an every-workout or even every-week basis.

How Long Should Children Rest Between Sets?

Children usually recover faster between sets than adults.¹¹

So, there’s probably no need to wait and rest as long as you or I might have to recover. I’ve found that 1–2 minutes between most exercises is a good starting point.

They can rest longer if they want or need to, but many kids’ attention starts to wander, or they find it boring if they just sit around on a bench.

When the weights start getting heavier, two or three minutes can be better than one.

The important thing is that your child feels ready for another set. No need to time anything down to the second.

About the Exercises

StrengthLog’s Training Program for Children and Adolescents features exercises that train the legs, chest, back, arms, and core. A mix of bodyweight exercises, free weights, machines, and jumping.

Combined, they train the major movement patterns and muscle groups in an easy-to-learn way.

Here’s why they are included.

Squats, Lunges, and Step-Ups

These exercises train the lower body, including the quads (thighs) and glutes (butt).

They’re also great for balance and coordination.

Your kid doesn’t have to start with heavy weights here to benefit. A bodyweight squat or lunge can be enough and allows them to learn the movement.

Start there if needed. Once the exercise becomes easy, increase the weights a little.

Box Jumps

The box jump builds explosive leg power and teaches kids to produce force quickly. And it’s fun to jump.

Use a low box and focus on taking off and landing. There’s no need to jump up onto anything high.

And if your child isn’t comfortable leaping onto a box, you can do small jumps and landings on the floor first.

Chest Press and Push-Ups

You can use dumbbells or a light barbell for the chest press. If you use a bar, make sure you’re standing behind, ready to step in.

Kneeling push-ups are great to begin with. You can also do incline push-ups with the hands on a weight bench – a perfect middle step if kneeling push-ups are too easy and regular push-ups are too hard.

Lat Pulldowns, Dumbbell Rows, and Inverted Rows

These exercises train the back and biceps.

On lat pulldowns, you pull the weight down from above, and on rows, you pull toward the body. Both are excellent for building a strong upper body.

Because they’re doing several back exercises, your kid gets the chance to practice controlling different variations of the movement.

Leg Curls and Back Extensions

Leg curls train the hamstrings, and back extensions work the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings.

Together with the squats, lunges, and step-ups, they give your kid complete lower-body training.

I recommend a full but comfortable range of motion and using light weights (no added weight for the back extensions) when learning the exercises.

Biceps Curls and Triceps Pushdowns

Biceps curls work the biceps, and triceps pushdowns train the triceps. Who’d have guessed?

Anyway, are arm exercises the most important part of a strength training program for children?

Nah. Pressing and pulling involve the arm muscles plenty already, but direct arm exercises are easy to learn, and (many) kids enjoy them. And that’s a perfectly good reason to include some.

Besides, the biceps and triceps may be small muscles, but they’re very functional. Just think of how often you use them in daily life and sports.

Planks, Sit-Ups, and Leg Raises

These are all exercises that strengthen the abs and other core muscles that keep the torso stable.

For planks, holding a good position is more important than holding it for as long as possible at any cost to form.

For sit-ups and leg raises, use slow and controlled movements, no rushed reps.

A strong core is super useful for just about every physical activity, whether we’re talking sports or climbing trees.

What If an Exercise Doesn’t Fit?

Change it. Simple as that.

None of the exercises I’ve included in this program is sacred.

A machine could be too large for your child, or an exercise might feel uncomfortable.

Your gym might not have the necessary equipment (or you might train at home).

Or the child might hate a certain exercise.

That’s all fine. Use a similar exercise that trains the same muscles instead.

A few examples:

• Leg press instead of squat.
• Push-up instead of bench press.
• Machine row instead of dumbbell row.
• Seated cable rows instead of an inverted row.

The StrengthLog app can also suggest exercises.

When it comes to strength training for kids, I’ve always said that the program should adapt to the child, not the other way around.

What About Teenagers?

The recommended ages for when to start the Training Program for Children and Adolescents are 9–12, but just as younger kids can give it a go if you know they’re ready, teenagers can absolutely use it, too.

For a 13-, 14-, or 15-year-old who has never lifted weights, it’s a very good introduction to the gym.

However, there comes a point where a teenager doesn’t need a “kids’ program” at all.

A 16-year-old who has trained for two years is probably much more experienced and ready to lift hard than a 35-year-old entering a gym for the first time.

Once they:

• Understand the basic exercises
• Have decent technique
• Want to take their training further

…they can follow any adult program (suitable for their experience level, of course).

For example, our Beginner Barbell Program is a natural next step for a teenager interested in barbell training. Our Upper/Lower Split is also fantastic, if they want and can train four days a week.

The StrengthLog app is overflowing with training programs to choose from.

What Should Your Child Do After Completing the Program?

StrengthLog’s Training Program for Children and Adolescents is an open-ended program. It doesn’t have X weeks of training, then you’re done.

Keep going if they’re enjoying it. The exercises don’t stop working.

As long as your child is having fun and getting stronger, there’s no reason to jump on a new program just for the sake of it.

You can keep alternating Workout A and Workout B, increasing the weights or reps as you go.

Sure, an older teenager will probably want to move on to a more advanced program. But for a kid, I wouldn’t be in a hurry.

There’s no real benefit to rushing through beginner training just to get to something more complicated. Not if the beginner training is working and fun.

Frequently Asked Questions About Strength Training for Children

I’m sure you’ve got questions. I’ll do my best to predict what they are and answer them here.

Follow the Strength Training Program for Children in StrengthLog

You can follow the complete program in our free workout tracker app, StrengthLog.

The app includes both Workout A and Workout B, with the exercises, sets, and repetitions already programmed for you.

You can also see how to perform each exercise and keep a training log to track progress over time.

The Training Program for Children and Adolescents is completely free to follow in StrengthLog.

Final Rep

Strength training isn’t something you have to wait until you’re an adult to discover. And it doesn’t have to be complicated.

Two or three workouts per week with a handful of the right exercises are all kids need to get started.

As a parent, your job is to help your child learn and make sure everything is by the book. Sounds like parenting in general!

Don’t worry too much about how much weight they’re lifting or how quickly they’re progressing.

They’re not training for the Olympics.

Unless they are, of course. But that’s a different kind of training program.

For now, let them move, learn, get stronger, and have fun.

And if strength training becomes something they enjoy for years to come, that’s a pretty great bonus.

Thanks for reading, and good luck with the training.

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Last reviewed: 2026-10-16

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