As children enter puberty there is a natural increase in strength and work capacity. As such, the volume of
strength training for players in the adolescent age groups can be moderately higher than that used for pre-
pubescent players. The intensity must still remain low however. Start with 4 exercises, 2 sets per exercise,
once or twice per week and then slowly increase the number of exercises and sets to 5 or 6 and 2 to 3
respectively. Players in this age group must also start with beginner exercises, but strength gains will
occur more rapidly and therefore you may progress the level of difficulty to an intermediate level. One
consideration is that, during the growth spurt that accompanies puberty, muscle imbalances around a joint
may make a child more susceptible to injury. As such, coaches may need to adjust the strength training
program during these periods by reducing the load in training and placing more emphasis on flexibility.
As long as a child is ready to participate in a soccer program then they are ready to partake in a strength
training program. However, it is essential that they are properly supervised, and the exercises chosen must
be appropriate for their age.