Do squats stunt your growth?

[ThaCarterIII]

I've done squats the last 2 years, and though I have grown in those 2 years, I've heard from several people that squats stunt your growth, and that it is better to just use the leg press machine that we have in our weight room. I know that squats also work your core, which is why I dont want to stop doing them. But is it true that they stunt your growth?

[Ir0n_Samurai]

Not true, its a myth. As long as you dont take steroids or keep your form good, your fine.

The people who told me squats stunt my growth told me ALL leg workouts stunt your growth (leg extension, lol?) they "compress" your spine.

[imchill123]

NO
it only stunts your growth if you do a retard squat

[wolvesrdogs]

NO
it only stunts your growth if you do a retard squat

Yeh, i think people just don't like doing squats so rumors are made up about them. Apparently all weight training stunts your growth, lol.

[ExTeenager]

I thought that was true, so I was keeping the weight low. Now, I feel stupid.

[stallion16]

The only way to stunt your growth is to take steroids and other chemicals that will mess with the hormones in your body OR to actually damage the growth plates on your bones.

In the latter case, you'de be more likely to damage those growth plates while playing a contact sport like football.

When done with correct form, THe squat is an excellent exercise with many variations and is instrumental for leg growth. Physical therapists also use some variations of the squat to help those with certain leg injuries to recover.