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Here at The Barn we’re passionate about supporting women of ALL ages and ALL life stages. And that includes girls from an early age.
There’s abundant research demonstrating that teens need regular physical activity more than ever in today's sedentary lifestyle (Sluijs et al., 2021). But sometimes, they don’t have the right access or the right support to reach their personal goals (Cowley et al., 2021; Sherry & Rowe, 2020).
Strength training is an integral part of overall health, especially for women. However, the lack of education and opportunity has meant that women tend to start weight training later in life.
Research has indicated that women face unique challenges in accessing and feeling comfortable in weight training environments (Sommi et al., 2018). For example, women often report feeling uncomfortable and intimidated in weight sections of gyms. This discomfort can stem from a lack of familiarity with equipment, feeling out of place, low levels of education about the benefits and techniques of strength training, perceived health risks or unsolicited advice. All of which may dissuade them from participating in strength training (Vasudevan & Ford, 2022).
Whilst it’s never too late, we believe it’s never too early to overcome these barriers and create a lifelong relationship with strength training! Hence the creation of Girls UpLifted at The Barn KT9.
Let’s face it, puberty can be a rollercoaster!
We all remember those awkward years, of not quite knowing who you are, feeling self conscious and wanting to hide in the changing room during swim lessons.
Youth Sport Trust note that “64% of girls want to be more active in school but there are barriers that stop them taking part such as not being confident, having their period, being watched by others and worrying about how they look.”
Women in Sport found that 68% of girls say a fear of feeling judged by others is the main barrier to doing sport and that deep-rooted negative attitudes are affecting girls’ enjoyment of sport. 78% say they avoid sport when they have their period while 73% don’t like others watching them take part in activity.
Puberty is a time of both physical and mental change that can be pretty tough to navigate. Expectations, social pressure, social media, exam stress can all contribute to exercise being overlooked.
When, in fact, exercise might just be the thing to boost your mood and help you journey through puberty…
Exercise can be UpLifting
Self-esteem and Confidence: Engaging in regular physical activity can significantly boost self-confidence and self-image among teenage girls, helping them feel more capable and empowered in their daily lives (Liu et al., 2015).
Mood Enhancement: Exercise is a powerful mood lifter and can help alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression, which are increasingly common during adolescence (Dale et al., 2019).
Feel strong inside and out
Improved Sleep: Regular physical activity can help regulate sleep patterns, which is especially important during the teenage years when many experience shifts in their sleep schedule (Mendelson et al., 2016).
Bone and Muscle Health: Strength training enhances bone density and muscle growth,which is critical during the teenage developmental years (Berro et al., 2024; Han et al., 2021; Paillard et al., 2022)
Enhanced Athletic Performance: Strength training not only improves general health and movement skills, but also significantly enhances athletic performance in adolescent girls, as evidenced by faster sprint times and better performance in various physical assessments (Sommerfield et al., 2022).
Exercising young can prepare you for the future
“Girls who play sport become women who lead”
According to Her Sport, girls who regularly exercise and engage in sports see success in their careers later in life. They reported that:
94% of women in executive managerial positions have a background in sports
88% of women in leadership roles say the skills they learned through sport can be easily transferred to the boardroom
They also note that sport and movement can provide girls with confidence, communication, team work, leadership, self belief and resilience
What is Girls UpLifted?
Girls UpLifted is a class designed to educate and empower girls through movement, play and strength training.
The classes and the 4 week foundations course are carefully designed by Neha, one of our amazing coaches. She is passionate about creating a safe space and positive community for young girls to start lifting and building confidence, not only in the gym but in everyday life too!
This class is suitable for girls aged 9-15 years old, although please ensure you’ve joined the Foundations course before booking the ongoing weekly classes.
Looking to try the class before signing up to the course?
We’re running 2 taster sessions over half term on Saturday 26th October at 10am and Saturday 2nd November at 10am. Spaces are limited so book now!
References:
Berro, A. J., El Hawly, W., El Khoury, G., El Hage, Z., Jayavel, A., Saeidi, A., Laher, I., Pinti, A., Bassim, Y., Hackney, A. C., Granacher, U., Zouhal, H., & El Hage, R. (2024). Effects of the Type of Exercise Training on Bone Health Parameters in Adolescent Girls: A Systematic Review. Journal of Clinical Densitometry, 27(1), 101454. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocd.2023.101454
Dale, L. P., Vanderloo, L., Moore, S., & Faulkner, G. (2019). Physical activity and depression, anxiety, and self-esteem in children and youth: An umbrella systematic review. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 16, 66–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2018.12.001
Han, C.-S., Kim, H.-K., & Kim, S. (2021). Effects of Adolescents’ Lifestyle Habits and Body Composition on Bone Mineral Density. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(11), Article 11. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18116170
Liu, M., Wu, L., & Ming, Q. (2015). How Does Physical Activity Intervention Improve Self-Esteem and Self-Concept in Children and Adolescents? Evidence from a Meta-Analysis. PLOS ONE, 10(8), e0134804. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0134804
Mendelson, M., Borowik, A., Michallet, A.-S., Perrin, C., Monneret, D., Faure, P., Levy, P., Pépin, J.-L., Wuyam, B., & Flore, P. (2016). Sleep quality, sleep duration and physical activity in obese adolescents: Effects of exercise training. Pediatric Obesity, 11(1), 26–32. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.12015
Paillard, T., El Hage, R., Rassy, N. A., Zouhal, H., Kaabi, S., & Passelergue, P. (2022). Effects of Different Levels of Weightlifting Training on Bone Mineral Density in a Group of Adolescents. Journal of Clinical Densitometry, 25(4), 497–505. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocd.2022.06.004
Sherry, E., & Rowe, K. (2020). Developing Sport for Women and Girls. Routledge.
Sluijs, E. M. F. van, Ekelund, U., Crochemore-Silva, I., Guthold, R., Ha, A., Lubans, D., Oyeyemi, A. L., Ding, D., & Katzmarzyk, P. T. (2021). Physical activity behaviours in adolescence: Current evidence and opportunities for interv
ention. The Lancet, 398(10298), 429–442. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)01259-9
Sommi, C., Gill, F., Trojan, J. D., & Mulcahey, M. K. (2018). Strength and conditioning in adolescent female athletes. The Physician and Sportsmedicine, 46(4), 420–426. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913847.2018.1486677
Vasudevan, A., & Ford, E. (2022). Motivational Factors and Barriers Towards Initiating and Maintaining Strength Training in Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-synthesis. Prevention Science, 23(4), 674–695. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-021-01328-2
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