JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?(R”~u)08~œ)1ҀR )YsI #3Y) qڱ-ֲX2⓼n.@@c*P07EzI+Δ\C>Κ 8tAӆA?:hڜ ;Aӆ}H)Km$` ."@GS֦ڝOs?qWt&Ƹ'R\== xZ~ڮ  z"+ AbsZ7Wi+SO=J/  Gr!1:rkV`J}eLɹ+ڴtPO[0E&sސ֢PkT\*SU2ePcJ5F@ttSW<98qp:zTFAL\׉tQwdnhpַ ˂zt&tՙlRU.G-z5NS9$:(Zrڝ"arڶ[J:N}b+M Vme*yDJ CJp+lGǏ3ay|6 3;Px8X6wt 3R~dJ jmV M(:-HJ: 禜 _FDCs}(`r *~ VۋTlar35YZж YWmx׋g9YKpq"VL_~*^[q]&g# a9RqG[879M.Ѯ"[8;VŔ o:* l3zV=wn5-0Z᪦Ye#9 2h,g;AN=Et[yR*o -Am,ITi;*" R@+J⬢kzqq8r'pE@CCKj; ݚݢF4ΛqqH_>]2E8ߗJg̵gfI;R˜Ҕ7Ҁ$()w}((5 ImnY vY@gˣCH}$SGcamYGieEkU}"4zniçjpQNR—?ɦKFE<QRjMtp۔`fRFw4SMKOxW"q\\m:2=c訷i#մ63\wVntwUf8o'ܡSZ(B]a}ʱ8InDCm6KvƷ2 B96YYwSH Q!=3P[voON'mRU+ ]oW "3qYwLT7NQ{I: ~s@iuR8r,T@87<aʎ*fh,Vkd8^O+N20b+;Mujw>gړ/_ʨ_R9R~])GRFAN=7S~TRŠB)RN)׵:)ߕ()G^~TߕVӡB$Qu"ғJJ̸NPw9 -ڳ%l܌W\t^>K`g$t~ў@ wA2 GG1{W<;p&Ҳ7dԙڱ?}sYTuiZ$*TAM[^\WLr?ή \BJ7#P—Z-Ȇf%c94Q;xy)XI *PuVᔟ0,V}bhh2U ;o6'͍^vei?< ypqpj#MK% d1ZCǚdD<88Te-75D[Se*r G\rk: 6@"p:"iڝ0{ H3ZEk d1՜XzS⬎V15H;#E?1\ -/3k&#῕c*g;jj gjpRA8ST `(4NIҊ@;q);(W>8j(H 8`(RgҐ–S@8ڂwP:LGK{+lIkYi! !>]E1t7D\']7(rI۞j%vN{ҏj/@ӱ@)j;{R3׵!Nhǽ7񢟎:@Ӂ<i(>QgϿjLҎځKϲL_G`Cknq:[fC*X'z9'9^}YNjTyP3|cӊVNKyV)*4ZP\nIn\7~isu!A5ct0Yz $Vg3~P[2ij^\+( mu Lty2LVU8 t8sıQψgnI㩭˫GIw%t1R?:!!4G fMo[Cc Ym>#= m/Ķgl $jJw rZ4-1p4MMn96o^>v#5ved!vkZ6cVr \$`z.:Z'˛DN8l<{!4)SW;//ߕ'KzQ֗Z\1GQzQ@ ?RvE* p+0jՠj(5G,kO][#; /ƝۭemcYΔkcyv bI1#Aow8OvoGOqE=6*iƚ5i6 />8; Zs,j61Q=;\}&vuyO`qҷmYĿhI- Y#-$ehT ҦԵ :zCN(񀫿';aV5}nG o1IR̀q,Ku8{++ 5:s70VR^ZM`ږ";SVs𿉵%-V{FTIxƚUzOEg:JrAvoʲ$kMQ]ˠ*wP}Uk֗>-{-Llӿi~m='Ͻ(:[n}k?t?EAh7 @ni: r1I B"֞2h,})2{FzW}Q֞1`4֐?ҨhC0UG>@'&d"*FY)JYPDCP;JaM*̞7'5#rt?j8SbS}g"IWYY$S!Gz 枥Z7'vĒJ/I(^:.MM!zP):zӲ=M;53VP XBONdPLKh`;4!< ;&'ւOƓ'փ֔i^) 3XQWSsn?ܮiyx1MTMBO$FƵ9NJ!QDp?:=? =AlgJNiO?U/Z]i;0AO4=M!CRSB Թ @Iފ 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 thousand foot strikes in which the reaction force imposed on the body can easily exceed 4 times bodyweight with every stride. Now let another child do a typical average weight training session with 3-5 sets of squats (say, with 10 reps, 8, 6 and 4 reps), with bodyweight or more for the last set. That bodyweight is divided between the two legs, so that, even taking acceleration into account, the loading per leg is bodyweight or a little more, while the spine is subjected to the full load on the bar. In other words, the legs and spine in controlled squatting are exposed to significantly less force than in running and jumping. Normally, exercises such as squatting will be done no more than twice a week for a total of about 60 repetitions, while the running child will run every day and subject the body to those many thousands of impulsive foot strikes. <br> It does not require much scientific knowledge or computational genius to see that the cumulative loading imposed by simple running activities on the lower extremities and the spine is far greater than the cumulative load of two or three times a week of weight training. Does this now mean that we are justified in recommending that children not be allowed to run, jump, throw or catch because biomechanical research definitely shows that such activities can produce very large forces on many parts of the growing body? <br>It should be obvious then that there is nothing wrong with running and other normal activities of childhood, and therefore no reason to disallow activities of lesser impact, such as carefully structured programs of weight training.<br>Siff also notes that bone density scans have proven that youngsters who do competitive weightlifting (i.e., the snatch and the clean and jerk) have higher bon