A number of weeks in the past, I shared a brief video of me deadlifting in my house health club with my 3-year-old toddler subsequent to me, copying me along with his personal little barbell. It was a type of candy moments I can’t assist however share—I simply love these bonding moments.
Quickly after, a father or mother messaged me: “Is that truly secure? I’ve at all times heard that weight coaching can stunt a baby’s development.”
And you recognize what? It’s a legitimate concern.
As a result of as mother and father, we would like our children to be lively and wholesome—however we additionally need them to be secure.
So let’s discuss that concern. The place it comes from, what the science truly says, and what to look out for in the case of resistance coaching for kids.
The place Did the “Lifting Stunts Development” Delusion Come From?
Should you grew up listening to that lifting weights too early might “injury your bones” or “make you shorter,” you’re not alone. That perception has been round for some time.
However the place did it truly come from?
A part of it’s linked to the worry of injuring one thing known as the development plates—areas of creating cartilage close to the ends of youngsters’s bones, the place bone development occurs. So naturally, the concept of loading weight onto a rising skeleton raised issues.
Then there’s the picture of many Olympic weightlifters: brief, highly effective athletes who elevate huge hundreds. It’s straightforward to imagine the game made them that approach—however that’s not what occurred.
They’re brief as a result of that physique kind provides them a mechanical benefit within the sport. Not as a result of lifting stunted their development.
Enjoyable reality: The all-time world report holder in snatch and clear and jerk, Lasha Talakhadze, is a towering 6 ft 6 inches tall (197 cm).
The unique concern comes from outdated assumptions and a misunderstanding of what truly causes development points.
What the Science Really Says About Power Coaching and Development
Let’s begin with the massive one: No, lifting weights doesn’t stunt a baby’s development.
The truth is, when finished correctly, resistance coaching has no detrimental impact on bone growth. Quite the opposite, it might probably truly improve bone density, coordination, and assist stop damage.
Particularly as your little one will get older, combining resistance coaching with different sports activities can scale back their threat of damage.
Right here’s what the analysis exhibits:
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A evaluation printed in Pediatrics concluded there’s no proof that youth resistance coaching negatively impacts development plates or linear development.
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The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) states that youth power coaching packages, when correctly supervised, are secure and helpful.
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The American Academy of Pediatrics helps power coaching for kids, so long as the main focus is on approach and never maximal weights.
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A examine within the Journal of Power and Conditioning Analysis discovered that damage charges in youth weight coaching are considerably decrease than in lots of well-liked sports activities.
How Secure Is Youth Weight Coaching, Actually?
Let’s check out damage charges per 1,000 hours of participation throughout completely different sports activities:
| Exercise | Damage Price |
| Supervised Weight Coaching | ~0.7 accidents |
| Gymnastics | 0.5 – 1.3 accidents |
| Soccer (Coaching) | 3.7 – 11.1 accidents |
| Soccer (Video games) | 9.5 – 48.7 accidents |
| Basketball | 14 – 22 accidents |
| American Soccer | 5.7 – 6.8 accidents |
Seems, resistance training is among the most secure bodily actions your little one can do—when finished proper.
When Weight Coaching Can Be a Concern for Youngsters
So now that we’ve busted the parable, let’s discuss when weight coaching truly can be dangerous for teenagers.
Like something, it is determined by the way it’s finished.
Weight coaching turns into an issue when:
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Youngsters elevate weights unsupervised
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Nobody checks their kind or approach
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They’re pushed to elevate too heavy, too quickly
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Tools isn’t suited to their measurement
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There’s no development or sufficient restoration
However let’s be sincere—that’s not simply true for teenagers. That’s how adults get injured too. It appears lifting weights safely isn’t about age—it’s about how we practice.
How one can Make Power Coaching Secure for Youngsters
Right here’s find out how to hold it secure, good, and helpful:
✅ Supervision by somebody educated in power coaching methods and progressions
✅ Give attention to approach—not the quantity of weight
✅ Age-appropriate programming with correct relaxation
✅ Tools that matches their physique
✅ Hold it enjoyable, skill-based, and interesting—particularly for youthful youngsters
When these issues are in place, lifting weights turns into not simply secure—it turns into a basis for future motion expertise and lifelong physique consciousness.
Why This Issues So A lot for Mother and father
As a result of all of us need our children to be robust, lively, and assured. However we additionally need to shield them.
As a substitute of avoiding power coaching or creating worry round it, let’s train them to do it proper.
As a result of when it’s finished proper, power coaching doesn’t simply construct muscle. It builds resilience, confidence, and lifelong wholesome habits.
And that’s one thing value lifting for. Wouldn’t you agree? —Marlene
References:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3483033/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3418954/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0949328X20301903
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