Just a few weeks in the past, I shared a brief video of me deadlifting in my residence fitness center 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 guardian messaged me: “Is that truly protected? I’ve all the time heard that weight coaching can stunt a toddler’s development.”
And you realize what? It’s a sound concern.
As a result of as mother and father, we would like our children to be lively and wholesome—however we additionally need them to be protected.
So let’s speak about that concern. The place it comes from, what the science really says, and what to look out for in the case of resistance coaching for kids.
The place Did the “Lifting Stunts Development” Fantasy Come From?
In case you grew up listening to that lifting weights too early might “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 growing 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: brief, highly effective athletes who raise large masses. It’s simple to imagine the game made them that method—however that’s not what occurred.
They’re brief as a result of that physique sort offers 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 ft 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The unique concern comes from outdated assumptions and a misunderstanding of what really causes development points.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 Development
Let’s begin with the massive one: No, lifting weights doesn’t stunt a toddler’s development.
In reality, when completed correctly, resistance coaching has no destructive impact on bone growth. Quite the opposite, it might really enhance bone density, coordination, and assist forestall damage.
Particularly as your little one will get older, combining resistance coaching with different sports activities can cut back their threat of damage.
Right here’s what the analysis reveals:
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A overview printed in Pediatrics concluded there’s no proof that youth resistance coaching negatively impacts development plates or linear development.
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The Nationwide Power and Conditioning Affiliation (NSCA) states that youth energy coaching packages, when correctly supervised, are protected and useful.
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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 damage charges in youth weight coaching are considerably decrease than in lots of in style sports activities.
How Secure Is Youth Weight Coaching, Actually?
Let’s check out damage charges per 1,000 hours of participation throughout totally different sports activities:
| Exercise | Harm 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 coaching is without doubt one of the most secure bodily actions your little one can do—when completed 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 youths.
Like something, it depends upon the way it’s completed.
Weight coaching turns into an issue when:
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Children raise weights unsupervised
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Nobody checks their type or method
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They’re pushed to raise too heavy, too quickly
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Gear isn’t suited to their measurement
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There’s no development or enough restoration
However let’s be trustworthy—that’s not simply true for youths. 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 the way to preserve it protected, good, and useful:
✅ Supervision by somebody educated in energy coaching strategies 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 protected—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 children to be sturdy, lively, and assured. However we additionally need to shield them.
As a substitute of avoiding energy coaching or creating concern round it, let’s educate them to do it proper.
As a result of when it’s completed 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
