Do you have kids? If so, you’ve probably thought that it’s a bad idea to have them lift weights. One of the main reasons why you refrain from allowing them to lift weights is because you think it’s the main cause of being short.
People throughout the health and wellness industry as well as the most popular fitness circles have questioned whether or not it’s safe for children under the age of 18 to start lifting weights.
Are you worried? If so, then great – you should be!
However, before you jump to any conclusions, I’ve got a few things to share with your here. The good news is that you will not need to tell your kid that they can no longer lift weights.
Should Your Child Stop Lifting Weights If They Want To Grow?
There’s the short answer, NO! You don’t have to worry about your child lifting weights or telling them to stop lifting in order to protect them from stunting their growth.
According to some research that I did and a few articles which hjave recently been published on the topic, it seems as thoguh there is not real scientific evidence supporting the link between lifting weights and not growing tall.
What I can say is that there are studies out there that actually support kids being in regular physical training programs in order to increase their strength. In fact, kids can benefit from these training programs in a number of ways. You’ll notice that they can increase their bone strength, reduce the chances of obtaining fractures and most importantly increae their interest in any fitness related activity. Ultimately, lifting weights can also have a profound effect on your self-esteem as well as a child’s self-esteem.
So, what’s led doctors to believe that lifting weights actually causes issues? Well, according to a naturopathic doctor named Dr. Rob Raponi, consumers typically believe that the injuries that occur to growth plates in humans not fully developed can stunt their growth in the long run.
Growth plate injuries have nothing to do with lifting weights with proper form. In fact, it’s just the opposite! Typically it’s poor form while performing exercises, using super heavy weights and not exercising under the care of a licensed professional are what cause these issues to occur.
In other words, it’s everything that you’re doing wrong and it has nothing to do with weightlifting in general.
The Bottom Line…
If you’re going to lift weights, make sure that you do so in a controlled manner under a strict program and with supervision at all times, regardless of how old or young, you are. Here are some tips that will help you reach peak physical fitness while young (and old) all without putting your growth at risk.
1) Lift slow and controlled with proper form. Do not attempt to lift heavy from day one. You’ll only be asking for an injury.
2) When lifting as a child, be sure to focus on neuromuscular gains, not volume in muscle. Muscular performance is what matters most here, not growing as big as The Hulk.
3) Let your child lift at any age when you think they are mature and ready to do so. Age has nothing to do with it really. I started lifting when I was young and that never hurt me or stunted my growth. Now, I did so under proper supervision and trainers care.
4) Focus on the foundation. Stick to the meat and potatoes lifts that are going to make your strong and only focus on lifts that make the most sense to you and your regimen. Don’t be afraid to start with bodyweight exercises for the first month until you get the hang of things.
So, to answer your question, there’s no need for you to stop working out because lifting weights will not stunt your growth. However, using bad for will cause you quite a bit of pain, keep that in mind!
Oh, I’d also like to add the importance of eating a well-balanced diet that consists of good foods if you’re looking to grow big and strong.
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