My seven year old is obsessed with push ups!

[LA_Focused]

My seven year old son is obsessed with doing push ups. At any given moment he'll drop down and do a few. It would be a problem but he does it often. Should I be concerned that it will have an effect on his grow(being that he's barely 3ft tall and about 50lbs) Or should I encourage him to keep at?

[WildHockey]

he'll be a marion barber in no time

[RichL1982]

By any chance is this your son? LOL....j/k.

[etuckram]

Originally Posted by LA_Focused

My seven year old son is obsessed with doing push ups. At any given moment he'll drop down and do a few. It would be a problem but he does it often. Should I be concerned that it will have an effect on his grow(being that he's barely 3ft tall and about 50lbs) Or should I encourage him to keep at?

Nothing to worry about. Lifting weights would not affect growth. I believe arnold started lifting weights at 14. Pushup won't hinder his growth. Maybe deadlift, power cleans will.

[Lawtycoon]

At 7 the only concern, I think, would be weights that would impact of bone development and structure (specifically in the spinal region). However, body weight work like push ups should not have a negative effect on any growth or development. It s a natural movement which is innate, and as its his own weight will not put unnecessary strain on joints, ligaments or the still developing cartilage.

In short, don't see a problem.

[burningNun]

Originally Posted by LA_Focused

My seven year old son is obsessed with doing push ups. At any given moment he'll drop down and do a few. It would be a problem but he does it often. Should I be concerned that it will have an effect on his grow(being that he's barely 3ft tall and about 50lbs) Or should I encourage him to keep at?

The second one.

[-Ironside-]

He will be fine. The whole theory behind working out and stunting growth is that it puts excess strain/damages growth plates.
This is possible when lifting with weights with bad form or when doing heavy impact exercises, look at gymnist.
The best thing for him to do would be strength training such as push ups, body weight exercises, resistance exercises using bands and some moderately safe equipment.
He'll be fine.

[burningNun]

Originally Posted by -Ironside-

He will be fine. The whole theory behind working out and stunting growth is that it puts excess strain/damages growth plates.
This is possible when lifting with weights with bad form or when doing heavy impact exercises, look at gymnist.

You say it's possible, but has it actually happened to anybody?

[-Ironside-]

Yes, I've seen it happen.
Friend of mine injured the growth plate in his right arm during his growth spurt. The result, his right arm is now about 3/4 size of his left. It looks completely ****ed up, it's really short and doesn't have much muscle mass. He was just unlucky to break it at that specific time.
This is a pretty extreme and unlikely injury but it's a possibility.

[RickRolld]

The only thing you need to keep an eye on is how is elbows are feeling. It is quite possible to overdo things, especially at 7. As long as he is not doing hundreds of push-ups a day he will be fine. If he is doing hundreds a day he should probably tone it down. He could injure his triceps tendon (a tendon in the elbow that connects the [you guessed it] triceps to the elbow). It is much harder to do it with bodyweight, but it is possible.

[ExtremistPullup]

Originally Posted by LA_Focused

My seven year old son is obsessed with doing push ups. At any given moment he'll drop down and do a few. It would be a problem but he does it often. Should I be concerned that it will have an effect on his grow(being that he's barely 3ft tall and about 50lbs) Or should I encourage him to keep at?

push-up shouldn't affect his growth.

[ExtremistPullup]

Originally Posted by -Ironside-

Yes, I've seen it happen.
Friend of mine injured the growth plate in his right arm during his growth spurt.

doing push-ups?

[ExtremistPullup]

Originally Posted by -Ironside-

This is possible when lifting with weights with bad form or when doing heavy impact exercises, look at gymnist.

Gymnist are short because that's the body type which makes a good gymnast. There are no 6'0 gymnast because they can't beat the short guys.

[Mindi911]

Let him do his push-up's it's not going to hurt him at all. Not only that I would be proud to know that I have given my son the encouragement and foundations to live a healthy lifestyle from such a young age.

http://www.vhi.ie/hfiles/hf-138.jsp#5#5

Study after study is reporting that Irish children are not taking adequate exercise and are suffering increased health problems as a result - type 2 diabetes, for example, once rarely found in young people, is now being diagnosed in children as young as 12. A recent health and lifestyle survey (1) revealed that just 63% of 9-11 year-olds in Ireland takes part in regular physical activity and that this decreases to 40% in the 15-17 year age group. Young girls are most inactive, with only 59% of 9-11 year-old girls and a shocking 26% of 15-17 year-old girls taking regular exercise.

It is never too early to encourage your children to lead healthy, active lifestyles and the best way to do this is to put down the remote control, put on your walking shoes and lead by example. A recent North/South survey found that as a nation each of us spend approximately 19 hours a week watching t. v. and only one hour participating in vigorous activity! Using only 3 of these hours per week to exercise with your children will make a big difference to your health and the current and future health of your children.


In what ways do children benefit from exercise?

Children who participate in regular physical activity from an early age are more likely to develop and continue an active lifestyle throughout their teenage and adult years. Regular physical activity in childhood and adolescence:
? Improves muscular strength and endurance;
? Helps build healthy bones and muscles;
? Helps maintain a healthy weight;
? Reduces anxiety and stress;
? Increases self esteem;
? May improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels;
? Reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes;
? Reduces the risk of developing chronic adult diseases such as heart disease and stroke.


How much exercise do they need?

How much time do your children spend being active? Why not quietly observe your children for the next couple of days and calculate how much time they spend exercising. Compare this with how much time they spend watching t.v., playing computer games, sitting listening to music etc. When they do participate in physical activity/exercise, how long is it for and is it a high enough intensity?

The Irish Heart Foundation recommends that all children aged 5-12 years participate in physical activity of moderate intensity for at least one hour each day. It doesn't matter whether this is carried out continuously or accumulated over the course of the day. Children and young people who are currently very inactive are advised to start with 30 minutes of exercise per day and gradually build this up to one hour.
Some ways to include physical activity in your children's daily routines include:

? Stop the car further away from school in the mornings (and possibly slightly later so they have to walk in "briskly") 5 mins
? Suggest to the school that they become involved in activities such as the Irish Heart Foundations "Skipathon". Skipping could be carried out during break times. For further details go to www.irishheart.ie or contact Nuala Campbell on Tel: 01 6685001 5 mins
? Encourage your children to exercise during lunchtime at school - this could be an activity organised by the school, or a game in the playground. 10 mins
? Walk home from school with your children, or get off the bus one stop earlier and walk further. 4 mins
? Go for a brisk walk in the evening with your children or let them bike/skate board outside for 10 minutes after homework. 10 mins
TOTAL time spent in accumulated, moderate intensity exercise: 34 mins



What does moderate intensity mean?

Exercising at a moderate intensity should make you feel warm and slightly breathless, rather than hot and gasping for breath. Your heart should also be beating faster than normal. You should still be able to talk during the exercise but you should be slightly breathless. If you can talk easily and are not at all out of breath, you are working at too "low" an intensity. Similarly, if you cannot get the breath to speak you are obviously working at too "high" an intensity.



How can I encourage my children to take more exercise?
? Educate your children. Talk to your child about the reasons behind the need to be more active.
? Organise enjoyable activities. Find out which activities your children really enjoy. Forcing them to do activities that they hate will only discourage them from doing any activity at all. At weekends organise some adventurous or challenging activities that they will enjoy.
? Make exercise a family affair and become a role model. Try to include activities every day that will get the whole family moving. After school go to the park, walk around to the far side of the lake to feed the ducks. Have a quick kick around with the football. Go for a walk and let them take their skate board, scooter or bicycle. Also, if you are going to exercise take the children with you; if they see you exercising they will be more inclined to adopt a healthier lifestyle themselves.
? Limit t.v. and computer time. Get smart with non-active pursuits. Allow t.v. after exercise only.
? Get your children involved in organised activities. Consider enrolling your children in a club or exercise class such as martial arts, dancing or swimming. This will also give them an opportunity to meet new people.
? Get the kids involved in the family chores. (Granted - this could be a tough one!) Housework such as hovering, scrubbing and changing beds can contribute towards their "active time" if done at a high enough intensity. Outside jobs such as digging and pulling weeds will also help. You are more likely to be successful in involving the children in household and gardening chores if you make these experiences pleasurable rather than punishment for things they have done wrong. Walking the dog is also a healthy activity that the whole family can become involved in.

Should children use weights?

Aerobic exercise such as swimming, football, cycling and tennis is excellent for children and young people but research has also shown that carrying out muscular strength and endurance exercises using the weights equipment (resistance training) in the gym can also be of benefit IF used properly.

Previously, it was thought that carrying out resistance training could cause growth problems for preadolescent children. However, new research papers have been reversing this opinion. (2)

Children who wish to use the gym are now encouraged to do so as long as they have the ability to listen to and accept instructions from qualified gym staff. If used incorrectly, resistance training CAN cause serious damage.


Important points when using resistance equipment with children:
? Before use, make sure they fully understand how to use the equipment properly.
? A qualified member of staff should work with the child for at least 2 sessions on a one-to-one basis prior to the child using the equipment on their own.
? Exercises should be performed in a slow, controlled manner.
? Under no circumstances should a child attempt to lift more weight than has been professionally prescribed by the instructor.
? The weight prescribed by the instructor should not be increased until the repetitions have been increased and should only be done so under professional supervision and advice.
? The programme should include a multi-joint exercise for each of the major muscle groups - for each pull exercise, a push exercise should also be performed to develop muscle balance.
? Start with one set of 8-12 repetitions twice a week. Adolescents should not exercise to the point of muscular fatigue.
? The secret is to build up slowly over time under professional supervision.

* As always, consult with your GP prior to starting any new exercise regime and when exercising remember to warm up beforehand and cool down afterwards.

[DiamondDelts]

Originally Posted by LA_Focused

My seven year old son is obsessed with doing push ups. At any given moment he'll drop down and do a few. It would be a problem but he does it often. Should I be concerned that it will have an effect on his grow(being that he's barely 3ft tall and about 50lbs) Or should I encourage him to keep at?

If he gets the bulk of his genetic makeup from you then it seems that he is destined to be a big guy no matter what. I think it's really cool that your son is obsessed with some form of fitness while other kids lock themselves up in a room for 14hrs while they play xbox360 online.

I bet a vid of your kid doing this pushups would be cute as hell. I say just kick back and enjoy your kids enthusiasm. It might take him far. Let him embrace the diezelness.

[-Ironside-]

Originally Posted by ExtremistPullup

Gymnist are short because that's the body type which makes a good gymnast. There are no 6'0 gymnast because they can't beat the short guys.

This is true but it's also been proven that high level gymnast (not your typical 3x a week spring boarder) are shorter than they should be.

-Edit-

I found multiple contradicting studies on this one but they all pretty much have the same conclusions. Gymnastics itself isn't the culprit but the injuries that can be sustained. I'll fold and give you the points on this one Extremist.

So, whatever the case, gymnast are always stronger than your average person and starting young would build a great base for almost any sport.

[gonloft]

lol he is a mini hulk hogan

[John Hicks]

Originally Posted by LA_Focused

My seven year old son is obsessed with doing push ups.

What else can he do? Can he run fast? What kind of sports is he interested in?

Be lucky that he's into something physical and not wasting his time in front of a T.V. playing mindless video games!

[judokamatt]

no i wouldnt worry about it at all, just keep him away from wieghts till hes at least a junior in HS, and if he pushes for it keep the wieghts light since he still has alot of growing to do

but as has been said BW work is natural and the body is meant to be able to take its own wieght so i see no problems with it

[Sir_Malak]

Push-ups are great! A wonderful precursor to pumping iron. Some people say for adults you cannot gain mass from push-ups but if you open your mind there are many ways to alter the position, add weight etc..to add more force. Now take a child that is going to gain mass no matter what he does and put him on the correct path to adding more muscle mass..a champion in the making. Besides he will probably thank you later in high school when the ladies are all over him

I say tell him he is a tiger and a champion for doing these things instead like DD said playing video games 24/7.

[TDE]

I forgot where I read it, but running and jumping actually does more harm than lifting weights (with correct form), so bodyweight exercise like Pushups should be the least of your worries.

I'd have him mix up his routine to include Dips, Pull Ups, Leg Lifts, Planks, etc so there isn't a muscular imbalance.

[Tyciol]

Originally Posted by Lawtycoon

At 7 the only concern, I think, would be weights that would impact of bone development and structure (specifically in the spinal region). However, body weight work like push ups should not have a negative effect on any growth or development. It s a natural movement which is innate, and as its his own weight will not put unnecessary strain on joints, ligaments or the still developing cartilage.

In short, don't see a problem.

Lifting weights is not exactly supernatural, which is what you call something that is not natural. In terms of efficiency: pushups are not an efficient way of getting up off the ground at all.

In nature, man would have conserved energy by getting off the ground on his knees, or probably rolling to the side or something so that he would have a better view of things.

Deadlifting a medicine ball and pressing it overhead is a more 'natural' movement than a pushup.

You do need to be careful about spine injuries, obviously. Kids' skeletons are still ossifying and more cartiligeous in nature. They can be injured just as readily be bodyweight movements as by lifting external weights. It's all a matter of what force you put on the body, and how much it can adapt to. The muscles don't know the difference between lifting it's own weight or lifting an outside weight, and hominoids have been lifting external weights for a long period of time.

Originally Posted by -Ironside-

Yes, I've seen it happen. Friend of mine injured the growth plate in his right arm during his growth spurt. The result, his right arm is now about 3/4 size of his left. It looks completely ****ed up, it's really short and doesn't have much muscle mass. He was just unlucky to break it at that specific time. This is a pretty extreme and unlikely injury but it's a possibility.

This is more likely to happen from falling down and banging the arm than by doing controlled pushing movements. Obviously you aren't supposed to exercise to the point of deforming a growth plate.

Good exercise stimulates growth, in a way which enforces proper load-supporting.

Originally Posted by ExtremistPullup

Gymnist are short because that's the body type which makes a good gymnast. There are no 6'0 gymnast because they can't beat the short guys.

Oh well, actually there are lots of tall gymnasts, you just don't see them in the olympics or huge competitions a lot, for the reason you have stated. More of them probably due drop out due to lack of progress since it's harder for them to master bodyweight movements.

Originally Posted by John Hicks

What else can he do? Can he run fast? What kind of sports is he interested in? Be lucky that he's into something physical and not wasting his time in front of a T.V. playing mindless video games!

Be happy (lucky? lol). Anyway, it's not mutually exclusive, lots of mindful games, and even mindless ones based on action can inspire people to be active. It doesn't always work of course, lol, but I'm betting that playing Sonic the Hedgehog inspires more people to run the 100m than reading Hamlet does.

Originally Posted by TDE

I forgot where I read it, but running and jumping actually does more harm than lifting weights (with correct form), so bodyweight exercise like Pushups should be the least of your worries. I'd have him mix up his routine to include Dips, Pull Ups, Leg Lifts, Planks, etc so there isn't a muscular imbalance.

One could easily argue that injuries from running or jumping happen due to improper form or overdoing it, the same with weights. They are more explosive and ballistic movements which are more popular than weightlifting so you would naturally se more injuries, but I wouldn't consider them worse or anything. Agreed about mixing stuff up, you don't want pushups alone.

[TheStreetKing]

Originally Posted by LA_Focused

My seven year old son is obsessed with doing push ups. At any given moment he'll drop down and do a few. It would be a problem but he does it often. Should I be concerned that it will have an effect on his grow(being that he's barely 3ft tall and about 50lbs) Or should I encourage him to keep at?

It's a bodyweight exercise, He'll be fine.