Youth athlete leaping between resistance and plyometric training islands.

Level Up Your Fitness: A Youth Training Guide That Goes Beyond the Gym

Avery Sinclair in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 4 min read.

"Unlock the secrets to building a strong and healthy foundation for life. Explore the effects of resistance and plyometric training tailored for young bodies."

For years, the impact of resistance and plyometric training on young individuals has sparked debates in exercise science. Concerns about potential harm versus potential benefits were central to these discussions. While older views often cautioned against these activities due to fears of skeletal immaturity and hormonal deficiencies, modern perspectives emphasize the importance of resistance and plyometric training as key components of a health-promoting lifestyle for the youth.

Now, research consistently highlights the advantages of incorporating these exercises into youth fitness routines. From enhancing muscular strength and power to improving bone mineral density, body composition, and motor performance skills, the benefits are wide-ranging. Even more so, muscular fitness is linked to increased self-esteem, underlining the holistic benefits of youth strength training.

Despite this evidence, questions remain about how factors like age, gender, and training specifics affect results. Previous studies have tried to answer this through meta-analyses, but the approach has its limitations. To address these gaps, a detailed examination of comparative intervention studies was carried out, assessing the effects of different training variables while keeping other factors constant. This article deciphers the results, providing insights into the best approaches for youth fitness.

Decoding Resistance and Plyometric Training: What the Studies Reveal

Youth athlete leaping between resistance and plyometric training islands.

A comprehensive review was conducted, analyzing 75 studies with over 5,000 participants to understand the impact of resistance and plyometric training. The findings provide a detailed picture of how these exercises affect physical fitness in young individuals, taking into account variables like age, gender, and maturity levels.

Here are some key takeaways:

Maturation Matters: Plyometric training shows greater benefits before peak height velocity (PHV), while resistance training is more effective around and after PHV.
Gender Nuances: Resistance training outcomes are similar for both genders (maximal strength and 10-repetition maximum), with plyometric training showing a slight advantage for boys around PHV.
Training Variety: Different resistance methods (body weight, free weights) effectively boost muscle strength in untrained youth. Plyometric training benefits largely depend on how closely exercises match desired outcomes.
Trained vs. Untrained: Most studies focus on untrained youth, but the few studies involving trained individuals show positive results in both maximum strength and vertical jump height.

These results emphasize the complexity of designing youth fitness programs. It's not just about picking exercises but tailoring them to individual development stages and capabilities. This is how we approach youth training:

Future Pathways: Addressing Research Gaps

While this review offers valuable insights, it also highlights areas needing further exploration. Key research gaps include detailed training descriptors and modern alternative training methods. By addressing these gaps, we can optimize resistance and plyometric training to ensure that youth fitness programs are safe, effective, and uniquely beneficial. This will help to provide a strong foundation for lifelong health and well-being.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205525, Alternate LINK

Title: A Systematic Review On The Effects Of Resistance And Plyometric Training On Physical Fitness In Youth- What Do Comparative Studies Tell Us?

Subject: Multidisciplinary

Journal: PLOS ONE

Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)

Authors: Matti Peitz, Michael Behringer, Urs Granacher

Published: 2018-10-10

Everything You Need To Know

What are the primary benefits of incorporating resistance and plyometric training into youth fitness programs?

Resistance and plyometric training offer a multitude of advantages for young individuals. These exercises enhance muscular strength and power, improve bone mineral density, optimize body composition, and boost motor performance skills. Moreover, these training methods are linked to increased self-esteem, contributing to the holistic development of youth. The integration of these exercises is key to building a strong foundation for lifelong health and well-being.

How does the timing of resistance and plyometric training relate to different stages of youth development, such as before and after peak height velocity (PHV)?

The timing of training significantly impacts results. Plyometric training shows greater benefits before peak height velocity (PHV). Resistance training is more effective around and after PHV. This implies that training programs should be tailored to the developmental stage of the youth. It is critical to consider these factors to maximize the effectiveness of youth fitness programs.

Are there any gender differences in the effectiveness of resistance and plyometric training, and if so, what are they?

While resistance training outcomes are similar for both genders, with both experiencing comparable improvements in maximal strength and 10-repetition maximum, subtle differences exist with plyometric training. Specifically, plyometric training shows a slight advantage for boys around peak height velocity (PHV). These nuances highlight the importance of considering gender when designing fitness programs for youth.

What different resistance training methods are effective for building muscle strength in untrained youth, according to research?

Various resistance training methods effectively boost muscle strength in untrained youth. Body weight exercises and free weights have been shown to be effective approaches. The effectiveness of plyometric training is largely dependent on how closely exercises match desired outcomes. This diversity offers flexibility in designing programs that cater to different preferences and resources.

What are some of the key research gaps in youth fitness training, particularly concerning resistance and plyometric exercises, and how can these be addressed?

Research gaps include detailed training descriptors and modern alternative training methods. Addressing these gaps is essential to optimize resistance and plyometric training. Further exploration in these areas will help to ensure that youth fitness programs are safe, effective, and uniquely beneficial. Detailed training descriptors and the study of modern alternative training methods will contribute to a better understanding of how to maximize the benefits of these exercises for the youth and provide a strong foundation for lifelong health and well-being.