A number of weeks in the past, I shared a brief video of me deadlifting in my dwelling fitness center 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 at all times heard that weight coaching can stunt a baby’s development.”
And 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 protected.
So let’s discuss that concern. The place it comes from, what the science truly says, and what to look out for on the subject of resistance coaching for youngsters.
The place Did the “Lifting Stunts Development” Delusion Come From?
If you happen to grew up listening to that lifting weights too early may “harm your bones” or “make you shorter,” you’re not alone. That perception has been round for some time.
However the place did it truly 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 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 huge hundreds. It’s simple to imagine the game made them that means—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 reality: The all-time world report 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The unique concern comes from outdated assumptions and a misunderstanding of what truly causes development points.
What the Science Truly Says About Power Coaching and Development
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 damaging impact on bone growth. Quite the opposite, it might probably truly enhance bone density, coordination, and assist stop harm.
Particularly as your youngster will get older, combining resistance coaching with different sports activities can cut back their threat of harm.
Right here’s what the analysis reveals:
-
A evaluate printed in Pediatrics concluded there may be no proof that youth resistance coaching negatively impacts development plates or linear development.
-
The Nationwide Power and Conditioning Affiliation (NSCA) states that youth power coaching applications, when correctly supervised, are protected and helpful.
-
The American Academy of Pediatrics helps power coaching for youngsters, so long as the main focus is on method and never maximal weights.
-
A research within the Journal of Power and Conditioning Analysis discovered that harm 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 harm charges per 1,000 hours of participation throughout completely 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 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 discuss when weight coaching truly can be dangerous for teenagers.
Like something, it is dependent upon 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
-
Tools 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 practice.
The right way to Make Power Coaching Protected for Youngsters
Right here’s the right way to maintain 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
✅ 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 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 sturdy, energetic, and assured. However we additionally need to defend them.
As an alternative 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