PE Teachers - equipment advice please

[2gorgeousboys]

DS1 is in year 7 and has come home today explaining that their PE lesson today was spent in the fitness centre.

1 teacher for 25ish pupils and they were allowed to use various gym equipment working in pairs including:

Leg extension machine
Dumbells
Cross trainer
Exercise bikes
Treadmills
Chest press
Shoulder press

They were told not to lift over 15kg. Apparently there was lots of bravado and showing off in the class about who could lift the most etc.

They had no training or coaching on how to use the various pieces of equipment which meant that boys were swinging rather than lifting the dumbells.

DH (a sports coach) is furious and says that 11/12yo is too young to be doing weights and that they can do permanent physical damage doing this. I do know that when joining a gym you have to have an induction so why should it be different at school.

To make things even worse DH has warned DS1 that he is likely to be very sore over the next couple of days due to using muscles he does not usually work - terrible timing, of all the eekends this could be.... DS2 wants to be a professional dancer and has exams on Sunday

Would you/is it normal for year 7a to use this equipment without tranining? Is DH correct that it could do long term damage? Not sure how to approach this with the school.

Apologies for the long post but don't want to drip feed.

I think you would have to chat to the teacher involved to find out the whole picture.

As a PE teacher this is not something I would ever do. In the schools I have taught in, the 'gym' was restricted to children in Yr 10 and above - and then only after an induction on every piece of equipment. I would also set a programme for children to follow, to ensure they were not over stretching themselves. The CV equipment is however appropriate for younger children (treadmill, bikes etc...) but again only after an induction as to how to use it safely.

If I were you I would be asking to see their risk assessment on fitness centre usage - it doesn't sound appropriate to me.

Inappropriate strength training can have a negative effect on developing joints/muscles/tissues and is not really recommended for those under 15/16. You would be unlucky for 1 session to have caused injury, but I wouldn't want my 11 yr old doing it regularly with no instruction either.

ds and dd1 both have 'fitness suites' in their schools, but they can only use them after induction, and it's smaller numbers in after school or lunchtime clubs, not a whole class activity.

I was under the impression that youngsters had to be at least 14 y.o. to use gym equipment and no Leisure / Sports Centre would allow use of equipment without induction sessions.

Under 14 y.o. children still have a lot of physical development to go through so could be physically harmed by doing weigh training.

Thanks for the replies, apologies for not coming back sooner.

Jo - good idea to ask for the risk assessment. I think I'll do that and then take it from there.

I have told DS1 that I don't want him doing the weights and if they go in there again for now he is to stay on the CV equipment.

Thanks for all your help.