Lifting weights is useful for growing muscle, assisting in fat loss, boosting metabolism, and increasing strength – but should young teenagers be weight lifting?
I believe the answer is yes – with appropriate education and management. Sadly most education comes from magazines touting supplements and even steroid use.
The issue of childhood obesity and possible solutions must be debated – and resistance training is a piece of the puzzle.
Guidelines to Follow
- Competent supervision is important, especially in the early stages of weight training – especially with free weights.
- Emphasis should be placed on proper form and good lifting technique so children develop good habits at an early age and get started the right way.
- Weight lifting will not “stunt” the growth of teenagers, that is a myth. However, extremely heavy lifting is unnecessary and might be detrimental in pre-adolescent teens, which is why the emphasis in young children should be on “activity” and “exercise” and not just lifting heavy weights.
- Children should be educated about supplements and drugs. It’s as difficult to unlearn bad info about taking pills and powders as it is to unlearn improper exercise form.
- It’s also difficult to undo the conditioning young people are getting from the magazine ads. Most bodybuilding and fitness magazines these days are owned by supplement companies who push products without scientific merit, and some actually encourage steroid use. There are “How to take steroids” columns in at least two major magazines that any teenager can pick up at any newstand (and many more on the web).
- Children should be educated about nutrition and healthy food choices. For example; cut back on processed and refined foods, fried foods, white sugar, white flour, soft drinks, candy, fast food and so on. Trade all that junk for natural lean proteins like egg whites, fish and chicken, and natural carbs like fruits, vegetables and unrefined whole grains.
How old were you or your children when weight lifting was started?
Going on about how much you can lift is a sure sign of both insecurity and immaturity.
Unless you are aiming to be a part of the Powerlifting Federation, then it’s irrelevant. Form and technique are far more important if you are aiming for hypertrophy (i.e. growing muscle).
Enough of all this showing off. Comments are now closed.
im 14 years old a freshman in second semester in school i way 180lbs 6ft i bench 215 squat 310 hang clean 205 i was wondering if i could start taking creatine will it stunt my growth? will it hurt my growth plates? i take whey protien drinks but i want something better that will help me gain more weight
I dont think this is to good for my age i can
Bench:200
Squat:235
Deadlift:310
curl:105
I weigh in at 129 and 3 ounces.I am just sayin i dont think this is to good…..
hey,
Im 14 and im only 5’3. Ive been lifting weights 3-4 times a week and taking six star protein which has a little (1.3 grams) of creatine. Will taking this or lifting stunt my growth. everyone has a different opinion, and id sure be glad if you could clear this up.
hy…im 16 and have been weight lifting for about a year.
i have 12 inch arms and they havn’t been getting any bigger in the past 10 months. could you find a stable workout so i could improve. i also wanted to know if pot and cigaretes afects muscle gain.
Im 15. Weigh 165. 5 foot 9. Bench 230, Squat 250, Curl 130, deadlift idk (never tried) is this good progress for 1 year of weight lifting?
My name is Jordan Squirewell aand i have been lifting weights for two years.i am in the 8th grade 13 years old, 5″8,177 pounds with 11.2 percent body fat.I bench 185, squat 215,i can do a bicep curl with 50 pound dumbells.when i first started i drunk creatine that you can mix with eather water or milk.When i work out I do mostly everything.Most of the time I work out at my high school and sometimes at a military base with my brother.If you ask me weight lifting does not stunt your groth.