Lifestyle
Updated: March 5, 2021
Originally Published: April 25, 2018
Research: Children’s Muscles Resist Fatigue Like Endurance Athletes
If you’ve ever wondered why your children seem to have boundless energy, even after hours of play, science offers some insights: kids’ muscles are remarkably similar to those of elite endurance athletes. According to a recent study, children display remarkable resistance to fatigue and recover from intense physical activity much faster than adults.
Due to their smaller size and different movement mechanics, children may tire sooner than adults during certain tasks. Lead researcher Dr. Nathan Grant, an Associate Professor of Exercise Physiology at the University of Lyon, France, explains, “While kids might appear to tire more quickly because of their limited cardiovascular capacity and less efficient movement patterns, our research indicates that their muscles have adapted to be more fatigue-resistant and recover swiftly from exertion.”
To explore this phenomenon, researchers divided participants into three groups: boys aged 8 to 12, untrained adults, and elite endurance athletes who compete in triathlons and long-distance cycling. The study, published in the journal Frontiers, revealed that children outperformed the untrained adults in both muscle fatigue and recovery.
“Our findings suggest that children utilize a greater proportion of their aerobic metabolism, making them less fatigued during high-intensity activities,” Dr. Grant stated. “They also exhibit faster heart-rate recovery than well-trained adult endurance athletes, which explains why they can play relentlessly while adults quickly tire.”
So, if kids can bounce back from exertion quicker than seasoned athletes, how can parents keep up? It seems nearly impossible to wear them out!
For parents of young athletes, Dr. Grant and his colleague, Professor Lisa Roberts from the University of Queensland, offer valuable advice. “Many parents inquire about optimizing their child’s athletic abilities,” they noted. “Our study suggests that since kids naturally have good muscle endurance, it might be more beneficial to concentrate on enhancing other aspects of fitness, such as sports technique, speed, or strength.”
In essence, rather than attempting to exhaust children through sports, coaches and parents should focus on developing their skills—like improving their rebounding in basketball or their sliding into home plate. Professor Roberts added, “This approach can help maximize physical training for children, improving both their performance and enjoyment of sports.”
If traditional sports don’t tire them out, at least we can ensure they have fun while playing!
For parents considering ways to expand their family, you might find our post on at-home insemination kits useful, which can be found here. It’s also worth noting that for additional insights on the topic, you can check out this resource on intrauterine insemination.
In summary, kids today are remarkably fit, resembling endurance athletes in their capacity to resist fatigue and recover quickly, leaving parents feeling worn out. To support their athletic development, focus on enhancing their skills and techniques rather than solely trying to tire them out.