Just a few 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 type 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 truly secure? I’ve all the time heard that weight coaching can stunt a toddler’s development.”
And you realize 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 relating 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 development plates—areas of creating cartilage close to the ends of kids’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 masses. 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 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The unique concern comes from outdated assumptions and a misunderstanding of what really causes development points.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 toddler’s development.
In truth, when executed correctly, resistance coaching has no destructive impact on bone growth. Quite the opposite, it may well really improve bone density, coordination, and assist forestall 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:
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A overview revealed in Pediatrics concluded there’s no proof that youth resistance coaching negatively impacts development plates or linear development.
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The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) states that youth energy coaching packages, when correctly supervised, are secure and helpful.
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The American Academy of Pediatrics helps energy coaching for kids, so long as the main focus is on method and never maximal weights.
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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 common 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 | Damage 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 training is likely one of the most secure bodily actions your youngster 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 relies on the way it’s executed.
Weight coaching turns into an issue when:
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Children elevate weights unsupervised
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Nobody checks their type or method
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They’re pushed to elevate too heavy, too quickly
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Gear isn’t suited to their dimension
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There’s no development or satisfactory 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 prepare.
The right way to Make Power Coaching Secure for Children
Right here’s how you can hold it secure, sensible, and helpful:
✅ Supervision by somebody educated in energy coaching methods and progressions
✅ Give attention to 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 children
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 robust, energetic, and assured. However we additionally need to defend them.
As an alternative of avoiding energy coaching or creating concern round it, let’s educate 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
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