This is the first in an occasional summer series featuring local fitness and nutrition experts.
Featured Fitness Professional: Adam Lieb, Chester County Training
Adam Lieb is the owner of Chester County Training, who has been a personal trainer for 20 years. He has his bachelor’s degree from East Stroudsburg University in kinesiology, and a master’s from West Chester University in exercise physiology. He is also a certified strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
What do you recommend as good ways for children to get physical activity over the summer beyond playgrounds and swimming?
Lieb: With the kids home for summer, sometimes it is difficult for parents to figure out how to keep them active. During the school year and over the summer, my kids have built into their lives a morning workout routine that we typically do together. It’s a great way to start your day and helps them tremendously with being able to stay focused. It is also important to set a positive example for your kids. If you make physical activity a priority, they will too.
Do you train children regularly at Chester County Training?
Lieb: Youth strength training has grown tremendously over the last decade. The majority of our evening is now spent working with kids between the ages of 8 and 18. The summer months are a great opportunity to take advantage of the free time and get them involved with learning how to become healthy. It should be done through the whole family and will greatly increase their chances of developing a healthy lifestyle themselves.
What are the goals most youth have when training with you?
Lieb: We have youth come to us for all different types of goals. Some are for athletics, physical health, mental health, injury prevention, recovery from an injury, and also just learning how to work out properly, so when on their own, they will know what to do. Most of the sessions are one hour for individuals, but sometimes we have groups of kids that come together.
What do your children enjoy doing during the summertime to keep physically active?
Lieb: Obviously, the summer brings outdoor activities such as biking, kayaking, camping, hiking, etc., but even on days that it is too hot we have a family routine of working out almost every morning that is probably our favorite part of the whole day.
How do you see strength training impacting youth performance in school sports?
Lieb: We have youth come to us who participate in almost every type of sport. Historically, kids might be involved with speed and agility. I explained to parents that if their child becomes strong first, they will get ten times the results with speed and agility training. With so many kids specializing in sports these days, strength training is often the differentiator between high levels. Many kids can learn how to execute the skills, but without the strength and power, they will not be able to reach their full potential. The sooner a child starts strength training, the stronger they will get. It is similar to a retirement account; the earlier you invest, the greater your return. To become very strong, it takes years. I work with kids who could not do a single pull-up and now can do over 30, three years later. If a kid sees that type of result, they’re bought in for life.
You mentioned that strength training is becoming increasingly popular with children … what do you credit that trend to?
Lieb: Until 20 years ago, there was a common misunderstanding that strength training could injure children and possibly stunt their growth. There was also the belief that it could injure their growth plates. It is now understood that strength training actually does the opposite. In 2020, the American Pediatric Association came out with a strong stance that strength training is not only healthy for children, but also helps to prevent injury and recover from it.
It not only strengthens bones, ligaments, and tendons but also decreases the chances of injury. It also sets up a child for future success with health by decreasing their likelihood of obesity, heart disease, anxiety, and depression. When a child becomes strong, they feel good about themselves and learn a skill that can be used throughout their life to deal with stress and improve their quality of life.
How does a child get started with strength training, and how often should they do it?
Lieb: When we start with children, they will learn how to move their bodies first through body weight exercises and the movement of ropes, balls, and sleds. After a child starts to become stronger, you can start to introduce external loads through barbells and dumbbells. I will often work with a kid who cannot do push-ups or pull-ups. Then, within a few months, pull-ups and push-ups become easy. This gives them a great feeling of accomplishment and the ability to improve their health. It also exposes them to something difficult in a safe environment, which is one of the most important things achieved through strength training. Many things in life are now easy for kids, but working hard and seeing changes is something that will stick with them throughout their lives.
What are the things parents should look out for to ensure their child stays away from getting injured when beginning a strength training program?
Lieb: It’s extremely important that when starting a strength training program for anybody at any age, it is done with a professional. Research a person‘s credentials and make sure that they have gone to college in a related field and have a quality personal training certification. Learning how to weightlift properly is a skill set that can be used throughout life. Strength is not limited by any age, athleticism, or gender. Becoming strong is cool and enables you to do what you want to do as long as possible.
Chester County Training works with youth, adults, and seniors for a variety of individual goals. For more information, visit www.chestercountytraining.com, or you can follow them on Facebook or Instagram.
Brought to you by the Pottstown Regional Community Foundation, formerly the Pottstown Health & Wellness Foundation
