COACHES' CORNER:Systematic strength training has many benefits for young as well as mature and need not entail massive weights or building unwieldy muscle, insist Dr Liam Hennessyand Jim Kilty.

STRENGTH TRAINING is also called resistance training, and sometimes weight training. Weightlifting, on the other hand, is the competitive sport you see in the Olympics: the classical "clean and jerk" and "snatch".

We are not talking about the sport of weightlifting here; we are discussing strength training as a means to improve at all sports.

There are several misconceptions about strength training for young athletes. One is that it will stunt growth. This will not happen and there is no evidence to show it has happened.

In fact, leading researchers recommend strength training for young females because it may enhance bone density - very important for the female athlete.

Another misconception is that strength training will slow the athlete. Yet there is substantial evidence to show properly designed and supervised strength training will actually enhance speed of movement for the juvenile as well as the adult athlete and player.

It is often said strength training makes players "muscle bound". Of course muscle gain happens with certain types of strength training. But strength can be acquired without gain in body weight.

There is a further misconception that strength training increases the frequency of injury in young athletes. Yet there is convincing evidence properly supervised strength training actually reduces the risk of injury.

Further, properly designed and supervised strength training can improve posture at all ages.

So without doubt, strength training has many benefits to offer,health-related and sport-related.

A strength-training programme should be planned and supervised by a qualified coach. Too often athletes go to the muscle-building magazines for information on how to get stronger or build muscle.

Unfortunately, while body-building is in itself a worthwhile pursuit it does not enhance the other important qualities that athletes and game players require - namely power, speed and agility.

Now we have established that strength training is indeed beneficial to the young athlete, the question is at what age should it start.

A loaded bar or external resistance is not needed to strength train at the beginning, and in fact young athletes should learn how to manage bodyweight-only exercise early in their development.

Remember, walking or running up stairs is strength training. So too is doing a squat to sit down and to rise out of a chair. Taking a lunge or bending to pick a coin off the floor is a strength-training exercise. Even babies starting to crawl are strength training. Thus children have been doing strength training from the start. And formal strength training can start when they are as young as eight.

General strength training at this age is actually playing games, any activity that demands the body is supported or lifted. Just before the growth spurt (between 12 and 15 for boys and even younger for girls) a window of skill development exists. The skill of properly bending, moving, twisting, accelerating and decelerating and lifting one's own body weight is an ideal form of strength training.

We discussed in a previous article the benefits of circuit training. This is another form of strength training and can be started in the early teenage years. It can entail learning how to bend and lift light implements (such as medicine balls and bags) with correct posture and mechanics.

As athletes progress through the growth spurt it is time to ensure they are also stretching as they exercise.

After this growth spurt and somewhere about 16 years of age many young athletes are ready to start more serious strength training. Yes this may involve a loaded bar but the load used should be appropriate to the physical and emotional skill of the young athlete.

At this stage the youngster can make great strength gains. Strength training is now regarded as a lifelong physical activity by many of the leading health and exercise authorities and can contribute to better sport performance and provide lifelong health and fitness benefits.

These notes are contributed by Dr Liam Hennessy and Jim Kilty of Setanta College, the Institute of Strength and Conditioning Studies (www.setantacollege.com)