A number of weeks in the past, I shared a brief video of me deadlifting in my residence gymnasium with my 3-year-old toddler subsequent to me, copying me together with his personal little barbell. It was a kind 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 really secure? I’ve all the time heard that weight coaching can stunt a baby’s development.”
And what? It’s a legitimate concern.
As a result of as dad and mom, we wish 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 really says, and what to look out for with regards to resistance coaching for youngsters.
The place Did the “Lifting Stunts Progress” Fantasy Come From?
Should you grew up listening to that lifting weights too early may “injury your bones” or “make you shorter,” you’re not alone. That perception has been round for some time.
However the place did it really come from?
A part of it’s linked to the concern of injuring one thing referred to as the development plates—areas of creating cartilage close to the ends of youngsters’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: quick, highly effective athletes who elevate large hundreds. It’s simple to imagine the game made them that manner—however that’s not what occurred.
They’re quick 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 truth: The all-time world file 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The unique concern comes from outdated assumptions and a misunderstanding of what really causes development points.
What the Science Really Says About Power Coaching and Progress
Let’s begin with the large one: No, lifting weights doesn’t stunt a baby’s development.
Actually, when completed correctly, resistance coaching has no damaging impact on bone growth. Quite the opposite, it could possibly really enhance bone density, coordination, and assist forestall damage.
Particularly as your youngster will get older, combining resistance coaching with different sports activities can cut back their threat of damage.
Right here’s what the analysis reveals:
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A assessment revealed in Pediatrics concluded there may be no proof that youth resistance coaching negatively impacts development plates or linear development.
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The Nationwide Power and Conditioning Affiliation (NSCA) states that youth energy coaching applications, when correctly supervised, are secure and useful.
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The American Academy of Pediatrics helps energy coaching for youngsters, so long as the main target 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 standard sports activities.
How Protected Is Youth Weight Coaching, Actually?
Let’s check out damage charges per 1,000 hours of participation throughout totally different sports activities:
| Exercise | Harm Charge |
| 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 coaching is likely one of the most secure bodily actions your youngster can do—when completed 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 really can be dangerous for teenagers.
Like something, it will depend on the way it’s completed.
Weight coaching turns into an issue when:
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Children 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 enough 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 you can Make Power Coaching Protected for Children
Right here’s the way to hold it secure, good, and useful:
✅ Supervision by somebody educated in energy coaching methods and progressions
✅ Deal with approach—not the quantity of weight
✅ Age-appropriate programming with correct relaxation
✅ Tools that matches their physique
✅ Preserve it enjoyable, skill-based, and fascinating—particularly for youthful children
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 robust, energetic, and assured. However we additionally wish to defend them.
As an alternative of avoiding energy coaching or creating concern round it, let’s train them to do it proper.
As a result of when it’s completed proper, energy coaching doesn’t simply construct muscle. It builds resilience, confidence, and lifelong wholesome habits.
And that’s one thing price 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
