Does Lifting Weights Stunt Progress in Children? What Dad and mom Must Know

A couple of weeks in the past, I shared a brief video of me deadlifting in my dwelling fitness center with my 3-year-old toddler subsequent to me, copying me together 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 mother or father messaged me: “Is that really secure? I’ve at all times heard that weight coaching can stunt a toddler’s development.”

And what? It’s a sound concern.

As a result of as dad and mom, we would like our children to be energetic and wholesome—however we additionally need them to be secure.

So let’s speak about that concern. The place it comes from, what the science truly says, and what to look out for in relation to resistance coaching for kids.

The place Did the “Lifting Stunts Progress” Fantasy Come From?

If you happen to grew up listening to that lifting weights too early may “harm 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 referred to as the development plates—areas of creating cartilage close to the ends of kids’s bones, the place bone development occurs. So naturally, the thought of loading weight onto a rising skeleton raised considerations.

Then there’s the picture of many Olympic weightlifters: brief, highly effective athletes who elevate huge hundreds. It’s simple to imagine the game made them that manner—however that’s not what occurred.

They’re brief as a result of that physique sort offers them a mechanical benefit within the sport. Not as a result of lifting stunted their development.

Enjoyable truth: The all-time world document holder in snatch and clear and jerk, Lasha Talakhadze, is a towering 6 toes 6 inches tall (197 cm).

The unique concern comes from outdated assumptions and a misunderstanding of what truly causes development points.

What the Science Truly Says About Power Coaching and Progress

Let’s begin with the large one: No, lifting weights doesn’t stunt a toddler’s development.

In truth, when accomplished correctly, resistance coaching has no damaging impact on bone improvement. Quite the opposite, it might probably truly improve bone density, coordination, and assist stop harm.

Particularly as your youngster will get older, combining resistance coaching with different sports activities can scale back their threat of harm.

Right here’s what the analysis exhibits:

• A overview revealed in Pediatrics concluded there’s no proof that youth resistance coaching negatively impacts development plates or linear development.

• The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) states that youth power coaching applications, when correctly supervised, are secure and helpful.

• The American Academy of Pediatrics helps power coaching for kids, so long as the main focus is on method and never maximal weights.

• A research within the Journal of Power and Conditioning Analysis discovered that harm charges in youth weight coaching are considerably decrease than in lots of widespread sports activities.

How Protected Is Youth Weight Coaching, Actually?

Let’s check out harm charges per 1,000 hours of participation throughout completely different sports activities:

Seems, resistance training is among the most secure bodily actions your youngster can do—when accomplished proper.

When Weight Coaching Can Be a Concern for Children

So now that we’ve busted the parable, let’s speak about when weight coaching truly can be dangerous for teenagers.

Like something, it is dependent upon the way it’s accomplished.

Weight coaching turns into an issue when:

• Children elevate weights unsupervised

• Nobody checks their kind or method

• They’re pushed to elevate too heavy, too quickly

• Tools isn’t suited to their measurement

• 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.

Methods to Make Power Coaching Protected for Children

Right here’s easy methods to maintain it secure, sensible, and helpful:

✅ Supervision by somebody educated in power coaching strategies and progressions
✅ Deal with method—not the quantity of weight
✅ Age-appropriate programming with correct relaxation
✅ Tools that matches their physique
✅ Maintain it enjoyable, skill-based, and fascinating—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 Dad and mom

As a result of all of us need our children to be sturdy, energetic, and assured. However we additionally wish to shield them.

As a substitute of avoiding power coaching or creating worry round it, let’s educate them to do it proper.

As a result of when it’s accomplished 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://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/145/6/e20201011/76942/Resistance-Training-for-Children-and-Adolescents

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3483033/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3418954/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0949328X20301903

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5538a1.htm