Teen fitness is a very controversial issue. Many people have concerns surrounding whether or not adolescents should be involved in resistance training. Parents are frequently reluctant to allow their children to begin training because of perceived safety risks. Most of these risks however, can be minimized or eliminated with a few key points to remember during program design. An example of such is the safety concern of stunted growth being caused by a resistance training program. While there is a safety risk in regards to stunted growth for adolescents, this risk can be reduced when a proper warm ups are preformed, clients are well educated on techniques for each exercise and by avoiding certain exercises that most frequently cause this injury.
             Growth stunting is caused by damage to the growth cartilage. There are three locations where such injury may occur, the joint surface (epiphysis), the tendon insertion (apopyseal insertion), and most commonly the growth plate (epiphyseal cartilage). The cartilage acts as a cushion between bones to allow growth. After puberty hormonal changes cause the cartilage to ossify and prevent further growth. Prior to ossification, in early adulthood, the cartilage is prone to damage because the cartilage is not as strong as bone.
             If the growth cartilage is damaged, this will prevent further growth in that area. Common problems such as shin splints may cause damage to the growth cartilage. The epiphyseal plate is most frequently damaged through overhead lifts such as the overhead press and jerk. Overuse of one joint may also cause damage to the growth cartilage.
             All of these injuries can be prevented or minimized when the resistance training program is designed properly. To prevent muscle tightness and shin splints, the training program should include a warm up period at the beginning of every session. Warming up the muscles promotes flexibility, preventing damage to the apopyseal ins
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