A couple of weeks in the past, I shared a brief video of me deadlifting in my dwelling health club 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 dad or mum messaged me: “Is that really protected? I’ve at all times heard that weight coaching can stunt a baby’s development.”
And you understand what? It’s a sound concern.
As a result of as mother and father, we would like our youngsters to be lively and wholesome—however we additionally need them to be protected.
So let’s speak about that concern. The place it comes from, what the science really says, and what to look out for in terms of resistance coaching for kids.
The place Did the “Lifting Stunts Progress” Fantasy Come From?
When you grew up listening to that lifting weights too early might “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 worry of injuring one thing known as the development plates—areas of growing cartilage close to the ends of kids’s bones, the place bone development occurs. So naturally, the concept of loading weight onto a rising skeleton raised issues.
Then there’s the picture of many Olympic weightlifters: brief, highly effective athletes who elevate large masses. It’s straightforward to imagine the game made them that manner—however that’s not what occurred.
They’re brief as a result of that physique kind offers them a mechanical benefit within the sport. Not as a result of lifting stunted their development.
Enjoyable reality: 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The unique concern comes from outdated assumptions and a misunderstanding of what really causes development points.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 Truly Says About Energy Coaching and Progress
Let’s begin with the large one: No, lifting weights doesn’t stunt a baby’s development.
The truth is, when finished correctly, resistance coaching has no detrimental impact on bone growth. Quite the opposite, it could possibly really improve bone density, coordination, and assist stop damage.
Particularly as your youngster will get older, combining resistance coaching with different sports activities can scale back their danger of damage.
Right here’s what the analysis reveals:
A assessment printed 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 protected and helpful.
The American Academy of Pediatrics helps power coaching for kids, so long as the main target is on method and never maximal weights.
A research within the Journal of Energy and Conditioning Analysis discovered that damage charges in youth weight coaching are considerably decrease than in lots of in style sports activities.
How Secure Is Youth Weight Coaching, Actually?
Let’s check out damage 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 training is without doubt one of the most secure bodily actions your youngster can do—when finished proper.
When Weight Coaching Can Be a Concern for Youngsters
So now that we’ve busted the parable, let’s speak about when weight coaching really can be dangerous for youths.
Like something, it will depend on the way it’s finished.
Weight coaching turns into an issue when:
Youngsters elevate weights unsupervised
Nobody checks their type or method
They’re pushed to elevate too heavy, too quickly
Gear isn’t suited to their dimension
There’s no development or ample restoration
However let’s be sincere—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 way to Make Energy Coaching Secure for Youngsters
Right here’s tips on how to hold it protected, sensible, and helpful:
✅ Supervision by somebody educated in power coaching strategies and progressions
✅ Concentrate on method—not the quantity of weight
✅ Age-appropriate programming with correct relaxation
✅ Gear that matches their physique
✅ Preserve 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 Mother and father
As a result of all of us need our youngsters to be robust, lively, and assured. However we additionally need 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 finished proper, power 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
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