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What sort of training is suitable for a 10-year old?
Russ Brinkworth, Australia: "I would like to know what sort of training on an Indoor Rower would be ideal for my 10 year old son. He is into surf lifesaving and will be starting the board this coming year. Any training ideas would be greatly appreciated."
Terry O'Neill: For a 10 year old, the most important thing is that they enjoy and look forward to the training regime. In your country a seven year old recorded a time of 3 hours 30 minutes for a marathon while a 13 year old did 2 hours 55 minutes in the same race. Even with these outstanding performances it would be wrong to think of children as little adults.
Children have to be protected from themselves because their perception of a given work load is that it is easier than an adult exercising at an equivalent level.
Thirst is never a good indicator of dehydration, but this is even more true with children and regular drink stops must be an integral part of any programme. Children have a greater body surface area/body mass, which leads to greater heat absorption in the sun, adding to the risk of dehydration. The greater surface area/body mass will also mean greater heat loss in cold water.
Still it's not all bad; what would be the most productive use of time is not to let him cut corners and to develop good technique in all areas. Then, once he has passed puberty and starts to develop muscle mass, with an already established sound technique you can maximise strength development.
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