Homeschool Weight Training: How to Get Started
A Homeschool Parent’s Guide to Strength Training for Kids and Teens: From Push Ups to Dumbbells
Recently, on this blog, I discussed the many benefits of regular weight training for young people. The benefits of incorporating weight training into your homeschool are quite impressive: improved body composition, increased bone mineral density, stronger muscles, faster metabolism, improved cardiovascular health, decreased prevalence of depression, and a boost in self-esteem. What an excellent payoff for just moving some weights around a few times per week!
In today’s follow-up post, we will look at some practical ways to get started with weight training as a family.
Is My Child Old Enough to Start Weight Training?
With proper supervision and age-appropriate methods, children as young as 7 or 8 can start strength-building exercises. At this stage, the focus should be on both having fun and developing good habits. You can work with them on building endurance through bodyweight exercises (such as push-ups and squats), resistance bands, or very light weights.
As children grow into the 9–13 age range, they can begin adding slightly more resistance and working on a wider range of movements. For preteens, stick to lighter weights and aim for higher reps to build endurance and control. Save heavier lifting and strength-based goals for after puberty, when bones and muscles are more developed.
By the time teens reach around age 14 and have entered or completed puberty, many are ready for more structured programs that include heavier weights and more traditional lifting. Regardless of age, good technique and close supervision are key for safety and long-term success.
Training at Home or In a Gym?
Weight training is generally associated with going to the gym to lift weights, but that doesn’t mean you have to leave home to do it. It can be performed just as well at home. You can get started with either commercially available weights, available at Walmart, or with calisthenics (bodyweight exercises). Let’s look at the pros and cons of using a gym versus exercising at home.
If you’re on a tight budget, working out at home may be the best option. You can still achieve great results with a few sets of weights and some instructional videos. Instead of paying monthly for a gym family membership, you’ll have just the upfront cost of weights and your time to learn the exercises. Working out at home also saves you the hassle of travel, time at the gym, and loading kids into the car.
That being said, while the initial investment for home workouts may be low, it can grow over time. For example, you might dish out $50 on a set of 15-pound dumbbells, but after two months of training, find that your kids are moving the 15-pounders with ease and need to move up to a heavier weight. So you are back at the store to spend another $50 on 20-pound weights. Then do it again in three months when they are ready for 25-pounders, and so on. Expenses can add up.
You may also find that the same weight is not suitable for every exercise. For example, the 20-pound weight that is perfect for a dumbbell curl is far too heavy for a lateral raise and far too light for a chest press. This is one benefit of going to the gym—you don’t need to accumulate equipment, and you’ll never outgrow the gym’s accommodations.
Note that when you pay for a membership, you are more likely to stick to your routine in order to “get your money’s worth.” In contrast, at-home workout plans have a much lower rate of follow-through. Weights can end up stuffed in the closet. So, be sure to commit to “Homeschool PE” and include it in your planner as part of your curriculum. (Weight training does have a place on your teen’s transcript.)
Ultimately, it comes down to your own preferences. Make your decision based on finances, time commitment, access to organized classes, and goals. (Bear in mind that commercial gyms typically require children under a certain age to be accompanied by an adult and undergo a brief orientation on equipment before they are allowed to work out.)
Choosing Exercises
Selecting the right exercises is a crucial component of a weight training regimen. For most kids, one workout per muscle group per week is sufficient (but two is great also if they really get into it). Ideally, you work muscle groups sequentially throughout the week so that while one muscle group is being worked, another is resting. For example, if legs are being worked on Monday, the back is worked on Tuesday, so that the legs get a rest while the back muscles are being worked.
There are many ways to split up exercises throughout the week. Some people dedicate a day to specific muscle groups, while others divide up exercises into pushing vs. pulling movements. Many people also like to incorporate a cardio day, which is a day dedicated to aerobic exercises (e.g., running, biking, jump rope). Here are some samples of how a routine could be structured:
Sample 1: One Day Per Muscle Group/Three Rest Days and Cardio
Sunday: REST DAY (no exercise)
Monday: Back and Chest
Tuesday: REST DAY
Wednesday: Legs
Thursday: REST DAY
Friday: Arms and Shoulders
Saturday: Cardio Day
Sample 2: Push/Pull/Legs With Three Rest Days and Cardio
Sunday: REST DAY (no exercise)
Monday: Full-body pushing exercises
Tuesday: REST DAY
Wednesday: Full-body pulling exercises
Thursday: REST DAY
Friday: Legs
Saturday: Cardio Day
Individual Exercises
The choice of particular exercises is entirely up to you and dependent upon your own preferences. The following is a list of exercises that can be performed at home with dumbbells for each muscle group. Each is linked to a video or articles explaining proper technique. You may have to modify some of these instructions for home, for example, using a chair or coffee table instead of a fitness bench:
Back: Bent over dumbbell rows, dumbbell pullovers, deadlifts
Chest: Incline dumbbell press, flat dumbbell press, dumbbell chest fly
Arms: Bicep curls, farmer’s carry, forearm wrist curl, hammer curls, tricep extensions
Shoulders: Shoulder press, lateral raises, standing dumbbell upright row
Legs: Romanian deadlift (RDL), lunges, squats (or split squats), box step-ups, calf raises
Please note, it is not necessary to perform all the above exercises (although you certainly can if you wish). Feel free to mix and match as you see fit! A good length of time for an exercise session is 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how many kids you are working with and what you hope to get accomplished.
Proper Form for Safety
As with any exercise, it is essential to ensure you understand the purpose of the exercise and are clear on how to execute the movement. Many people hold back from weight training because they are afraid of getting hurt. In actuality, the likelihood of getting injured weight training is relatively low, so long as exercises are done in proper form at reasonable weight levels.
Form refers to the technique of an exercise. Muscles are meant to be worked, and so long as you are performing an exercise with the proper technique, weight training is quite safe. Before performing an exercise, conduct some research by watching instructional videos or reading articles on proper form. I have linked some above in the previous section, but there are thousands of such tutorials online. Once you understand the form, practice the movements a few times with no weights to understand the mechanics of the exercise before adding weight.
What is the appropriate weight to start with? A good working set of any exercise should consist of between 8 and 12 repetitions of the movement. If you or your child can only perform the movement 2 times, for example, the weight is likely too heavy. Conversely, if you can easily perform the movement 18 times, you need a heavier weight.
Principles of Muscle Growth
To work out effectively, several key principles of muscle growth should be kept in mind: duration, intensity, progressive overload, and proper nutrition. Let’s consider each briefly.
Duration (Sets and Reps)
Duration refers to the number of sets (groups of exercises) and reps (repetitions of a movement) you do in a workout. Beginners may start with 2–3 sets of 8–12 repetitions per exercise, allowing the muscles to adapt without overexertion. Resting 30–60 seconds between sets helps maintain energy and form.
Intensity
Intensity is how hard you push during a workout, typically measured by the weight lifted or effort level. For teens, using a weight that feels challenging but allows proper form for 8–12 reps is ideal. Focus on technique over heavy weights to stay safe and build strength effectively. It is important to note that muscle growth is stimulated by stress on the muscle. This means that for weightlifting to be effective, the movement must be repeated until the weight can no longer be lifted. Many people stop their set once it gets difficult. This is incorrect; the set should continue on until the weight cannot be lifted any further in proper form. It is this stress on the muscle that triggers hypertrophy (muscle growth).
Progressive Overload
This refers to gradually increasing the intensity of your workouts to build strength and muscle. For teens, this could involve adding a little more weight, doing a few more reps, or increasing workout frequency over time. Start small and increase slowly to avoid injury while encouraging steady progress. It is helpful to track workouts for this purpose. For example, if your teen records that he was able to shoulder press 10 repetitions at 20 pounds one week, if he is able to do 11 repetitions the following week, he can see demonstrable progress in the numbers. It is much more difficult to track progress without recording the number of sets and reps done each week.
Nutrition
Ultimately, muscle growth relies on a solid nutritional foundation. Ensure your kids are getting plenty of protein (the building blocks of muscle) and are following a healthy sleep schedule. They should also aim for an adequate caloric intake to fuel their workouts. If they are looking to really build muscle, eating a little bit above their caloric maintenance level is ideal. Working out without adequate caloric intake will yield disappointing results, as the body will lack the necessary nutrients to build new muscle.
Building a Healthier Lifestyle
Weight training offers teens a fantastic opportunity to build strength, boost confidence, and improve overall health, all while fostering family bonding through shared workouts. Whether you choose to train at home or in a gym, the key is to start with proper form, select exercises that suit your goals, and apply principles like progressive overload, appropriate duration, and intensity. By combining these with good nutrition and consistency, teens can safely achieve impressive results. Embrace the journey, track progress, and enjoy the rewards of a stronger, healthier lifestyle together!
What are your thoughts on this topic? Join me and other homeschooling parents in the Homeschool Connections Facebook Group or in the HSC Community to continue the conversation.
