Just a few 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 kind 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 protected? I’ve all the time heard that weight coaching can stunt a baby’s progress.”
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 protected.
So let’s discuss that concern. The place it comes from, what the science really says, and what to look out for with regards to resistance coaching for kids.
The place Did the “Lifting Stunts Progress” Fantasy Come From?
In case 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 progress plates—areas of creating cartilage close to the ends of youngsters’s bones, the place bone progress occurs. So naturally, the thought of loading weight onto a rising skeleton raised issues.
Then there’s the picture of many Olympic weightlifters: quick, highly effective athletes who raise large hundreds. It’s straightforward to imagine the game made them that means—however that’s not what occurred.
They’re quick as a result of that physique sort provides them a mechanical benefit within the sport. Not as a result of lifting stunted their progress.
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The unique concern comes from outdated assumptions and a misunderstanding of what really causes progress points.
What the Science Really Says About Energy Coaching and Progress
Let’s begin with the massive one: No, lifting weights doesn’t stunt a baby’s progress.
Actually, when executed correctly, resistance coaching has no unfavorable impact on bone improvement. Quite the opposite, it might probably really enhance bone density, coordination, and assist stop harm.
Particularly as your little one will get older, combining resistance coaching with different sports activities can cut back their threat of harm.
Right here’s what the analysis reveals:
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A evaluation printed in Pediatrics concluded there may be no proof that youth resistance coaching negatively impacts progress plates or linear progress.
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The Nationwide Energy and Conditioning Affiliation (NSCA) states that youth energy coaching packages, when correctly supervised, are protected and helpful.
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The American Academy of Pediatrics helps energy coaching for kids, so long as the main target is on method and never maximal weights.
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A examine within the Journal of Energy and Conditioning Analysis discovered that harm charges in youth weight coaching are considerably decrease than in lots of fashionable sports activities.
How Secure Is Youth Weight Coaching, Actually?
Let’s check out harm charges per 1,000 hours of participation throughout totally different sports activities:
| Exercise | Harm Fee |
| 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 little one can do—when executed proper.
When Weight Coaching Can Be a Concern for Youngsters
So now that we’ve busted the parable, let’s discuss when weight coaching really can be dangerous for youths.
Like something, it will depend on the way it’s executed.
Weight coaching turns into an issue when:
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Youngsters raise weights unsupervised
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Nobody checks their kind or method
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They’re pushed to raise too heavy, too quickly
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Gear isn’t suited to their dimension
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There’s no development or enough restoration
However let’s be trustworthy—that’s not simply true for youths. That’s how adults get injured too. It appears lifting weights safely isn’t about age—it’s about how we practice.
The right way to Make Energy Coaching Secure for Youngsters
Right here’s the best way to maintain it protected, sensible, and helpful:
✅ Supervision by somebody educated in energy coaching methods and progressions
✅ Concentrate on method—not the quantity of weight
✅ Age-appropriate programming with correct relaxation
✅ Gear 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 protected—it turns into a basis for future motion abilities 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, lively, and assured. However we additionally need 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 executed 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
