With obesity rates for children and young adults on the rise, more and more doctors and nutritionists are encouraging people to start healthy diet and exercise habits earlier in life.

Sedentary people lose muscle faster as they age, which leads to more chronic conditions—such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure—later in life. High school and college athletes often do not follow the safest, most effective training methods. Less than eight percent of high school coaches are actually certified in fitness. It’s important to avoid injuries and overtraining.

Proper strength training can help prevent obesity in sedentary youth and safely improve performance levels for competitive athletes.