Strength Training Improves Academic Performance in Kids

Authors of a new meta-analysis published in the journal Sports Medicine reviewed 43 studies examining the impact of strength training on academic performance in school-aged kids (ages 5-18). This paper represents a significant breakthrough in our understanding of the non-fitness benefits of strength training for kids.

The researchers concluded, “Our results suggest that including resistance training may help to improve cognition and academic achievement in school-aged youth.” The researchers added that a higher level of muscular fitness was associated with greater performance in tests of cognition and academic achievement. Interestingly, the researchers also discovered that strength training alone was more effective for improving academic performance than a combination of aerobic exercise and strength training.

Take Home Message: Strength training should no longer be relegated primarily to athletes, and should not be viewed in the realm of sports performance (and thus, should not fall under the purview of a school’s athletic director). The most important strength training occurring in our elementary, middle school, and high schools is strength training geared for all students (not student-athletes) as a means for driving academic and cognitive performance.

You can read the entire article online HERE.