RSP34 Q&A: Training kids / 1RM for high school athletes / Measures of strength

It's my son's first day of school. Like every parent says, it doesn't seem real that he's old enough to go to school. He's super excited, so I'm excited. He has his Spiderman backpack and new Nikes ready to roll when he wakes up.

I remember on our first day of school, my mom always had us dress up. I had the brand new Fossil watch, a fresh pair of shoes, cargo shorts and a probably an Abercrombie and Fitch or Hollister shirt on. One year I even had one of those shell necklaces. I felt like a stud that first day.

Mac usually comes over to the gym during our morning sessions at the Strength Shed. He loves to hop in on the workouts with his mini bar. He will knock out some deadlifts, push ups, squats, planks and sprints. Which leads me to a question I received from an Instagram follower..

How young should I start weight training with my son?

There is no set and stone age. If they are interested and can take some coaching then have them train! Of course, make sure they are doing it right and light. And, make it fun. Don't train kids like adults.

Some other questions we knocked out on the podcast..

What are other ways to measure strength other than adding weight to the bar?

This is a big misconception with strength training.. you don't always have to be adding weight to the bar to build and measure strength. Can you do more reps at the same weight? Stronger. Can you handle the same weight with better depth and technique? Stronger. Can you move the same weight faster than before? Stronger.

Should high school athletes do 1 rep max testing?

True 1 rep max testing requires experience and skill. If the kids can do it well, then okay. That's a BIG if. Most college freshmen I coach do not have the skill and experience to execute a 1 rep max safely. Be careful to not let testing turn into shallow reps and crappy technique just to chase a number.

Check out the podcast for the answers in detail. I'm going to go prepare myself to cry as I watch my son grow up.