A couple of weeks in the past, I shared a brief video of me deadlifting in my house gymnasium 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 guardian messaged me: “Is that really secure? 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 wish our youngsters 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 in relation to resistance coaching for kids.
The place Did the “Lifting Stunts Progress” Delusion 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 known as the progress plates—areas of growing cartilage close to the ends of youngsters’s bones, the place bone progress occurs. So naturally, the concept of loading weight onto a rising skeleton raised issues.
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 approach—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 ft 6 inches tall (197 cm).
The unique concern comes from outdated assumptions and a misunderstanding of what really causes progress points.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 baby’s progress.
Actually, when executed correctly, resistance coaching has no damaging impact on bone improvement. Quite the opposite, it could really enhance bone density, coordination, and assist forestall 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:
-
A overview revealed in Pediatrics concluded there may be no proof that youth resistance coaching negatively impacts progress plates or linear progress.
-
The Nationwide Power and Conditioning Affiliation (NSCA) states that youth energy coaching applications, when correctly supervised, are secure and helpful.
-
The American Academy of Pediatrics helps energy coaching for kids, so long as the main target is on approach and never maximal weights.
-
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 in style sports activities.
How Protected Is Youth Weight Coaching, Actually?
Let’s check out damage charges per 1,000 hours of participation throughout completely different sports activities:
| Exercise | Harm 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 coaching is without doubt one of the most secure bodily actions your little one can do—when executed 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 is determined by the way it’s executed.
Weight coaching turns into an issue when:
-
Children elevate weights unsupervised
-
Nobody checks their type or approach
-
They’re pushed to elevate too heavy, too quickly
-
Gear isn’t suited to their dimension
-
There’s no development or sufficient restoration
However let’s be trustworthy—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 prepare.
How one can Make Power Coaching Protected for Children
Right here’s maintain it secure, sensible, and helpful:
✅ Supervision by somebody educated in energy coaching strategies and progressions
✅ Deal with approach—not the quantity of weight
✅ Age-appropriate programming with correct relaxation
✅ Gear that matches their physique
✅ Preserve 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 abilities and lifelong physique consciousness.
Why This Issues So A lot for Mother and father
As a result of all of us need our youngsters to be sturdy, energetic, 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
