What Age should you Start Lifting Weights?

[MrSkullCrusher]

Ok Yesterday at the gym a friend of mine had his boy (i think hes 12) in the gym and was teaching him to lift.He has done this a few times and its posted in the gym that u must be 14yrs old or older to lift.The owner sent one of his workers back to tell him that his son can not be back there.The guy got fired up & quit the gym.I dont think he should of done that cause he knows the rules but he got torqued off man! It doesnt bother me that hes teaching his son to lift at all.I think its great that he is spending time with his kid & teaching him how to lift.I have a boy too and hes wanting to lift weights!So what do you guys think is a good age to start him out?Is there any actual articles out there that states if it will hurt him at all to lift heavy or light weight?I know at the USAPL lifting meet they can be 13 (i think Not sure though).Let me hear your feed back on this.Thanks MR SKULL

[heavylifter954]

well i started lifting about a month after i turned 14 and im still 14 i the 8 months lifting ive felt better slept better and had more energy. i dont see why there would be anything wrong with it just start him out light and make sure he gets the form down.

[Danimal]

My son started lifting around 12 too. Mostly messing around but he was doing the big 3 from day 1. Keep it short and simple to help keep him interested. 12 year olds get bored fast so endless workouts with a million sets of a hundred exercises is going to turn him off. Stick to compound movements- squat, deadlift, bench/military press, chin/row, let him throw some curls in to work the gunz, don't neglect abs. Stress form over weight used and keep the reps higher to allow his tendons to adapt for the 1st few months. Let him keep a log so he can look back on his progress, that was a cool thing for my son and gave him motivation to try and do better. It still does as a matter of fact.

The myths about stunting growth and all that have long been disproven, and evidence even shows that weight training will increase bone mass in growing kids. I had some good discussions with Mel Siff when my son was starting out and his logic convinced me that not only was lifting not bad, it was good for him. He went as far to tell me that lifting heavy isn't bad as long as the form used is correct. Plus the other attributes that will result- mental toughness, discipline, etc.

Good luck, it's a lot of fun to have your boylifting with you. We're at the point now where he can pretty much work in with me and it makes it a lot of fun to have little contests with who can do the most reps or something like that.

[MrSkullCrusher]

My son started lifting around 12 too. Mostly messing around but he was doing the big 3 from day 1. Keep it short and simple to help keep him interested. 12 year olds get bored fast so endless workouts with a million sets of a hundred exercises is going to turn him off.

The myths about stunting growth and all that have long been disproven, and evidence even shows that weight training will increase bone mass in growing kids. I had some good discussions with Mel Siff when my son was starting out and his logic convinced me that not only was lifting not bad, it was good for him. He went as far to tell me that lifting heavy isn't bad as long as the form used is correct. Plus the other attributes that will result- mental toughness, discipline, etc.

Ok Danimal Thanks alot that is exactly what im looking for.Someone who has a Kid that has been through it.That is what i always heard before is that it will stunt their growth and stuff!!How old is your son now?Has it helped him alot?

[Memnoch]

It can be said though that using steroids at an early age will stunt growth, as the muscle will develop too fast, but anyone over 13 should'nt worry. Lee Priest would have been small even if he never looked at a weight. Personally I'd start them at 4-5 years old with cardio and stretching. Gymnasts have superb strength, speed, flexibility and fitness with most starting before they are 8 years. And with martial arts you can never start too early.

The science on stunted growth has never been proven or disproven to any conclusive extent, but I started at 11 and it did'nt stunt my growth, but I technically can't prove that it did'nt. Poor diet will hamper your growth though.

[lucubration.]

Are there any actual articles out there that states if it will hurt him at all to lift heavy or light weight?I know at the USAPL lifting meet they can be 13 (i think Not sure though).Let me hear your feed back on this.Thanks MR SKULL

Here's an good article that states that generally lifting is good for kids. It changed my mind; before reading this I was opposed.

[MrSkullCrusher]

but I started at 11 and it did'nt stunt my growth, but I technically can't prove that it did'nt. Poor diet will hamper your growth though.

Well how tall are u??LOL!Thanks Memnoch!!!

[MrSkullCrusher]

Here's an good article that states that generally lifting is good for kids. It changed my mind; before reading this I was opposed.

He already does light lifting and some high reps and our gym.They allow u to lift in a group of kids that their trainers teach for a 1/2 hour and then they play basketball or tag or some kind of cardio.So its great for kids.Bad thing is these so called trainers NEVER EVER lift weights at the gym.They are not lifters at all.They are just young guys that take cheap pay and need money.Not a problem but it would be really nice to be able to teach your own child how to lift if YOU know how to lift properly.Did that make sense??LOL!

[Memnoch]

Well how tall are u??LOL!Thanks Memnoch!!!

I'm 5'10, I think you get a good indication if it stunted your growth if your shorter than your parents, which I'm not.

[Danimal]

Ok Danimal Thanks alot that is exactly what im looking for.Someone who has a Kid that has been through it.That is what i always heard before is that it will stunt their growth and stuff!!How old is your son now?Has it helped him alot?

He turned 18 in Feb. and I'd say it's helped him a lot in his sports, especially wrestling and football. Unfortunately he tore his ACL wrestling last summer and missed his Sr year of ball, he would have started both ways at center and nose guard. The rehab took him right up to wrestling practice this past November. His Jr year he had the best squat on the team- 56 reps of 315 on a box squat. He happened to be playing behind an all stater at nose guard and an all conference center so his playing time was limited to mop up duty.

He's still wrestling for another couple weeks at some regional tourneys and throwing shot and discus for his track team. When he's done wrestling I figure he'll be hitting the weights again, hopefully working for a meet together in August. He hasn't really trained his squat or deadlift hard since his surgery due to the wrestling schedule.

As far as growth stunting- he's 6'1 and 210lbs. He was 265 last summer while wrestling heavyweight and lo carbed his way down to where he is now while rehabbing his knee. That alone was a pretty significant accomplishment.

[Newbtime]

Ok Yesterday at the gym a friend of mine had his boy (i think hes 12) in the gym and was teaching him to lift.He has done this a few times and its posted in the gym that u must be 14yrs old or older to lift.The owner sent one of his workers back to tell him that his son can not be back there.The guy got fired up & quit the gym.I dont think he should of done that cause he knows the rules but he got torqued off man! It doesnt bother me that hes teaching his son to lift at all.I think its great that he is spending time with his kid & teaching him how to lift.I have a boy too and hes wanting to lift weights!So what do you guys think is a good age to start him out?Is there any actual articles out there that states if it will hurt him at all to lift heavy or light weight?I know at the USAPL lifting meet they can be 13 (i think Not sure though).Let me hear your feed back on this.Thanks MR SKULL

i started late 12 years old almost 13 and it didnt stunt my growth or any of that other bull****

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[Newbtime]

It can be said though that using steroids at an early age will stunt growth, as the muscle will develop too fast

They close your growth plates.

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[kliplemet]

Hi, I wanted to lift since I was 12, my parents held me back untill I was 16, what a shame.

Anyway I read Siff's vue on the issue, but my oly lifting coach keeps telling me that kids never should do strength training, he says they can't do any kind of pressing, squatting, pulling etc. But he says they can do the olympic lifts, rope climbing, walking on the hands etc, because they are intramuscular or something like that, please clarify this.

[Newbtime]

he says they can't do any kind of pressing, squatting, pulling etc..

cause hes a moron

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[Danimal]

Hi, I wanted to lift since I was 12, my parents held me back untill I was 16, what a shame.

Anyway I read Siff's vue on the issue, but my oly lifting coach keeps telling me that kids never should do strength training, he says they can't do any kind of pressing, squatting, pulling etc. But he says they can do the olympic lifts, rope climbing, walking on the hands etc, because they are intramuscular or something like that, please clarify this.

I think your coach is wrong. Squats and deadlifts were traditionally assistance lifts used for the olympic lifts. Every clean starts with a deadlift and has a squat in it. Every snatch has an overhead squat. Pressing was an olympic lift for years and years and is still used as assistance. Those lifts are basics for the olympic lifts. The olympic lifts are much more technical and require a real good coach to learn them properly. I can't see how they are better for you if you don't have an expert teaching you.

Rope climbing- explain how a 250lb HS lineman can do rope climbing? Not many can. Most have a hard time with chinups too. As a kid, my son had a hard time with pushups because he was 200lbs in 9th grade but hadn't started to grow yet. Benching helped him get stronger to push his bodyweight up. Now he can crank out 1 arm pushups. Same with rows and lat pulls. Last summer he was 265lbs and couldn't do one chinup. As he kept practicing- negatives, partial reps, and lost weight, he was able to do 2-3 sets of 10 at 220lbs. Sometimes you have to look at who is doing the lifting and decide which is better. Bodyweight exercises can be harder for heavier kids vs doing lighter barbell movements.

[kliplemet]

I see your point.

[Couldbebigga]

I think the gym kicked your friends son out because of insurance issues. Most companies won't cover kids under a certain age. So if something went wrong the gym owner could have been sued. So he was doing the right thing in covering his butt.

As for when should kids start? I think ASAP. My sister started when she was 13. She's a shot and discus thrower and is now 16 and loves nothing more than challenging herself in the gym. I'm introducing her to power cleans now and she loves it. Not to mention the benefit she gets from seeing how having a goal, making a plan and carrying it out with discipline. She KNOWS she's stronger and feels better so she's knows her hard work pays off. It's a real good teaching tool for this kids.

[Danimal]

I think the gym kicked your friends son out because of insurance issues. Most companies won't cover kids under a certain age. So if something went wrong the gym owner could have been sued. So he was doing the right thing in covering his butt.

As for when should kids start? I think ASAP. My sister started when she was 13. She's a shot and discus thrower and is now 16 and loves nothing more than challenging herself in the gym. I'm introducing her to power cleans now and she loves it. Not to mention the benefit she gets from seeing how having a goal, making a plan and carrying it out with discipline. She KNOWS she's stronger and feels better so she's knows her hard work pays off. It's a real good teaching tool for this kids.

Great points! Goals will make you push yourself and reaching goals and having the discipline to stick with it is a great part of a satisfying lifting experience. I always told my son, on the days when he didn't feel like lifting, those are the days you are getting stronger because you made yourself do it. And he'd usually have a great workout once he got going. Then you can factor in the other ideas- when you aren't working out, your competition is, and when you are, maybe they are slacking and you get the advantage.

[81Ort]

I am going to start my kids out with weighted rattles in their cribs. The body will handle anything, within reason, that you can throw at it. In fact, it is very important to get kids to be active so that their bodies will react naturally and stimulate bone growth and density. Think about how much force the body takes when a kid jumps out of a tree. That same kid is not going to be able to lift that much weight in the gym so if the jump doesn't break anything then the weights won't either.
Plus, the coordination that weightlifting teaches them will stay with them forever, and it's a lot easier to learn at a young age than it is when you're 30. That's why gymnasts are considered "old" in thier mid twenties.

[NewBlackDak]

I started at 12.
My uncles were in the backyard doing bench sets with 85lbs with on of those concrete filled plastic contraptions.
I had been hanging around waching, and helping them load/unload. One of them made a crack about me trying to do the "man weight". I jumped down, and unracked it before they could stop me. They wouldn't let me on it before that, so I took my chance. I ripped out 5 that day. They let me work-out with them after that, and the next year I graduated to the high-school gym. I can't get either of them to come with me to workout now.
Weight-bearing exercises are good from 5-95 if you ask me. Less people would have degenerative tissue problems if they do a little more than sit on the couch all the time.

[MrSkullCrusher]

I think the gym kicked your friends son out because of insurance issues. Most companies won't cover kids under a certain age. So if something went wrong the gym owner could have been sued. So he was doing the right thing in covering his butt.

I totally Agree!Its his gym so if someone doesnt follow the rules set then they shouldnt lift there!I like the guy and his son but its not like he didnt know the rules.Plus the gym owner is always talking about liability.It took forever for me to talk him into getting heavier DBs.Use to just have up to 80s and someone made some homemade 100lbsdbs then Golds gym moved into our town and i told the gym owner that me and some of the guys are going to switch over to golds if hes not going to get heavier DBs and he ordered some that day!!YeeeHaaaWW!!LOL!! now we go up 140lbs.......Im ready for 150 to 200lbs Dbs NOW But I know That is not going to happen @ this gym!!LOL!!

[MrSkullCrusher]

I started at 12.
My uncles were in the backyard doing bench sets with 85lbs with on of those concrete filled plastic contraptions.
I had been hanging around waching, and helping them load/unload. One of them made a crack about me trying to do the "man weight". I jumped down, and unracked it before they could stop me. They wouldn't let me on it before that, so I took my chance. I ripped out 5 that day. They let me work-out with them after that, and the next year I graduated to the high-school gym. I can't get either of them to come with me to workout now.
Weight-bearing exercises are good from 5-95 if you ask me. Less people would have degenerative tissue problems if they do a little more than sit on the couch all the time.

Hey that is funny.My uncle would always lift weights but not hardcore just in his basement a little bit and now he cant believe the weight im pushing.One of my cousins got me back into lifting and now HE is not around to lift anymore & I am at a whole nother LEVEL now!I just really enjoy lifting weights!!!It benefits you in Everything u do!The only bad thing about it is everytime someone wants to move Guess who they CALL???Thats right MRSkullCrusher!!!LOL!!!

[4amWorkouts]

I have always heard that children should do stretching and own body weight exercises until they are atl east 10. After that they can start doing additional weight exercises. Of course, all children are different...

[aiwass]

A friend of mine started lifting heavy at age 12/13, when he was quite short and skinny. He's now 6'2" 240 lbs and a friggin' behemoth - the word 'stunted' isn't the first that comes to mind.

[lucubration.]

I totally Agree!Its his gym so if someone doesnt follow the rules set then they shouldnt lift there!I like the guy and his son but its not like he didnt know the rules.Plus the gym owner is always talking about liability.It took forever for me to talk him into getting heavier DBs.Use to just have up to 80s and someone made some homemade 100lbsdbs then Golds gym moved into our town and i told the gym owner that me and some of the guys are going to switch over to golds if hes not going to get heavier DBs and he ordered some that day!!YeeeHaaaWW!!LOL!! now we go up 140lbs.......Im ready for 150 to 200lbs Dbs NOW But I know That is not going to happen @ this gym!!LOL!!

If liability were truly a concern then he would not have ordered those dumbbells.

Think about it. Competition was the cause of his action, not legal concerns.

[MrSkullCrusher]

If liability were truly a concern then he would not have ordered those dumbbells.

Think about it. Competition was the cause of his action, not legal concerns.

OH yes i agree with you!He would of NEVER ever bought those DBs but because another gym would of taken some members away he HAD to!!Which im so happy about!!

[Mazeee]

i do MMA (focus mainly on BJJ) i started when i was 6 years old, i personally think this is the best way to get fit under the age of 14, im 14 now and i was very mature for my age so i started lifting early. BUT this does not mean that any of you should start early, a lot of my early wait lifting was supervised (instructed by a physio) because of my developed body/muscle at that age i do not instruct that anyone does start early unless you are told otherwise by any doctor or physio

[Jason2459]

I would say this thread is old enough to start lifting.