Resistance Training in the Adolescent Population

Overview

Resistance training in adolescents is often surrounded by outdated myths, safety concerns, and inconsistent clinical guidance. This Embodia course provides an evidence-informed, clinically practical framework for understanding how and when resistance training should be incorporated into youth physical activity, sport, and rehabilitation.

Led by physiotherapist Derek Miles, this course synthesizes current research on bone health, growth, injury risk, neuromuscular development, and training dosage, while directly challenging long-held misconceptions around growth plates, loading, and strength training safety. The presentation bridges scientific evidence with real-world clinical and sport scenarios, offering clear guidance clinicians can apply immediately.

While the course emphasizes active youth and adolescent athletes, it also equips clinicians with foundational principles relevant to safe loading, progression, and long-term athletic development, supporting better clinical decision-making across pediatric populations.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the safety and benefits of resistance training in the adolescent population

2. Address common myths related to growth plates, injury risk, and loading in youth

3. Apply evidence-based principles of training volume, intensity, and progression

4. Understand dose–response relationships for strength and power development in adolescents

5. Integrate resistance training within long-term athletic development models

6. Make informed programming decisions that balance performance, health, and injury risk

7. Communicate effectively with youth, parents, and caregivers regarding resistance training safety

Audience

This course is intended for:

• Physiotherapists and physical therapists

• Orthopaedic and sports rehabilitation clinicians

• Clinicians working with adolescent athletes

• Strength and conditioning professionals collaborating with rehab teams

• Healthcare providers seeking evidence-based guidance on youth resistance training

Note: While the course is most applicable to active adolescents and young athletes, clinicians working with broader pediatric populations will benefit from its foundational evidence and loading principles.

Why This Course Matters

Resistance training is increasingly recognized as a critical component of youth health, injury prevention, and long-term physical development — yet many clinicians and parents remain hesitant due to outdated or misleading information.

This course directly addresses:

• Persistent myths about resistance training and growth plate injury

• The consequences of early sport specialization and excessive training loads

• How improper loading, rather than resistance training itself, contributes to injury

• Why technique, progression, and dosage matter more than exercise selection alone

By grounding recommendations in current research and clinical reasoning, this course empowers clinicians to confidently prescribe resistance training that is safe, effective, and developmentally appropriate.

What Participants Are Saying

“Very useful and up to date knowledge and concepts regarding resistance training in youth. Many points challenged the way I currently treat.”

“I appreciated how the scientific research was merged with real-life scenarios. The delivery was candid, informative, and practical.”

“I was fearful of allowing my child to start weight training — this course clarified that there is no evidence of harm to growth plates.”

“Clear clarification around dosage, volume, and progression. Extremely helpful.”

About the Presenter

Derek Miles, PT, DPT

Derek is a residency-trained physical therapist currently based in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is a part of the rehabilitation team at Barbell Medicine working with the general population and high-level athletes on return to sport.

Prior he worked at Stanford Children’s Heal as the Advanced Clinical Specialist in the rehabilitation department. He also worked at the University of Florida for 10 years in sports medicine, treating a variety of athletic injuries from overuse to post-operative. He is involved in the peer-reviewed process for academic journals and has spoken at national-level conferences within the physical therapy profession on topics from the utilization of resistance training in the rehabilitation of endurance athletes to post-operative hip progressions.

His primary area of focus at this point is on encouraging youth to be active and dispelling myths around resistance training in this population.