Advice needed.

[IdahoViking]

My son, who just turned 14 last week, wants to get into weight lifting.

Are there any concerns, or precautions, that I should take into consideration because of his age? Other than the normal ones pertaining to form, etc.

[bilnv]

My son started at 14 also. His doctor did not want him to lift more than 3/4 of his body weight. This is because he was concerned about his joints. Once he reached 15 the doctor told him he could go up to his body weight. He has not reached this yet but is on his way.

I do not know that if his recommendation was right or not but it sounded good to me and has worked very well.

By the way, are we in the right section for this?

[vja2000]

My only advice to you (and to him) would be to work hard at keeping his ego in check at all times (even when you're not around) and to teach him the importance of NOT succumbing to peer pressures with respect to training - these factors will injure and hurt him more than anything else he does.

As for the age thing; I don't see it as a factor at all. I was training long before his age with my dad and as a result I had a wonderful "V" shape and a solid body with a huge jump on my buddies. But, after my dad passed on I did hurt myself a few times trying to impress "the guys" with such things as my one handed overhead barbell clean and jerk and so on.

As for the doctors, I don't trust them and I consider this position to be one based upon logic. I could point out many examples, but if they actually knew what they were talking about and cared about what they were doing or even about us for that matter, America wouldn't be in the collective "shape" she's in right now.

[vja2000]

By the way, are we in the right section for this?

I agree - this post probably should be moved.