JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================q" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?V/j2wH{FV1YB9YBdԓD:xUZS_H}0QH ,}ՕFb??AV(bLcIU/2O 3e V:Ah*x1pOjʨ5mroWš?_p?*E{!Xs(@ujGf2`Ҫiw>z pOTłh<"[dQZ J(V44?gS +GEb| cZ"ƽOYϮYjVW0$X\dJ V+?@k=te>Xx5mؕ͹"g-HTUVƸHQB#ʳN?ՑqH♒{>qTu@U;qqU-~`a1s*ޡ Y_6XD}\%#*'U@Oƨ]: |*WMZvOڴ`seS1ai,VW~ f8o28|tBs.^I#{~q\S4uUq#ի>p?*/Z\Bm2a3(}NJc J#>H$܊g{ YaӥAf?)m,NP>h E[Ï`ƊblU†S Ozc2_Āl|Vݻ#zmB 7s\aW#kO8STS5T3Yh㸎Qdg=*62C+G$c#}s.n-v,pA~J"q|E m@1' IcwGgE)&5Si|sz?c2%^;Qla=Ͱ ?g#5cLmdIPvņpAa둌V&pv0H{7b͍։1E!@Q9խf[KV[B .G\Kѳ޽kaUԙ1*1vw8Z!Ow5NmԌ!S媼qQj^׵{֞@Ns+6~h4PQk.WZ۳60niǧg^Dd$2r 1W<&#k[ci 1 ӱgO,Ra zWhZi^A#eV,-Ҥ#,3E3S̩֧r?0i66unޒW<77>-lj;?ΰ`?968A+\"̊d sXpN4IB6Wt$L:GD$zkCXOVp޽x`cOldU5|$R@֤x2M"ƃY7ګ^8GYI3tjFi?MulIq 1sŗ8靂\doCd %䘮q"0ڛkP/u%LrCaxϠ/ qF䔨jy~%æ.8-1# c!Dt 4hYSE?AU"4 3rcp#}_SS$XI1b NO'!<A5sh܄ +td7O"ĜmPe7^LK kmY >cwN<0d-H! 6)<~"\qt\lD@>FGFf8"Fh?/ NTE٢uG  ?;Qۊݯx?qZ SC+F-./Xm!XF V_Nr\~x$74%Й>MoKxy?]/AVu.tG`"h6ue Ԗ$Z|cHhm!-pzѼ'*d8x]قud/!W(tlskZ+Vɖ\ǧZ@9#BHpɮv{9`qB@srH{8#Ԗ Dq+SCPrtkIynQe$9+lm;Hϔ+1'=i$Tb:鬖 5ycG0FF[{DP.v=ُ5Y)"F q1NB+:HLROomQO$e#o8foZLf]M4,\m8ŗs+pp%ߊ(GcddSA:LB Î[-R{_FɌ=JtbAIyegbSlM}>o28rFr4˹//y+D?S8j pJ,}=Xl]#=Mj7]mPn{aszmf'[Q$۲+ ?:O*;$ky9x Pj11qLSB/ר4\75]P}qܖ*^v*'(0e7sW3i1a2|knƫ_Mq!i^Wl|5<اQKV6l4|ߩuq]wuh4uWW K/,웺l׍:4ؖ$jU-nuU|D22QWM1dՁn7] $&LHdD٣"PIAED]l@B@=*2C\1r}*R:t͊AIϾm/C=hڴ5pI\ksA袲$z8@w |QSO04QZ§??J(GC"ɬBAw(EUP8 0(N<br>The Bigger They Are . . .<br><br>One of the major - and unfounded - concerns about weight training for young athletes is that it could cause damage to the epiphysial (growth) plates. <br>Although injury to the epiphysial plates may cause bone deformity, there is little risk of this occurring with weight training compared to most sports. As for the risk of weight training stunting growth, premature closing of the epiphysial plates is related primarily to hormonal influences, not injury. Addressing this subject is Mel Siff, Ph.D., an exercise scientist whose doctorate thesis examined the biomechanics of soft tissues. <br> It has never been shown scientifically or clinically that the periodic imposition of large forces by weight training on the growing body causes damage to the epiphysial plates, says Siff, in his book Facts and Fallacies of Fitness.  It is extremely misleading to focus on the alleged risks of weight training on children when biomechanical research shows that simple daily activities such as running, jumping, striking or catching can impose far greater forces on the musculoskeletal system than very heavy weight training. <br>To illustrate his point, Siff compared the stress of squatting with running.  Suppose that one child runs a few hundred meters a day in some sporting or recreational activities. This can easily involve several tho