Who here thinks lifting weights at a young age stunts growth?

Just so readers will know the difference in my references, strength training is not power lifting, bodybuilding, or trying to lift the most weight you can. It is not recommended that children do any of these things.

While weight lifting focuses on lifting the maximum weight possible, and can cause injury, especially in children, strength training with lighter weights is beneficial to everyone regardless of age. (Even toddlers are strength training when they learn to crawl or stand.)

According to Carolyn Nickol, RD, Med, Director of the University of Cincinnati Fitness Center;

"The American College of Sports Medicine, the National Strength and Conditioning Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics all propose that strength training can be safely performed by children."

The quote below is from Kevin Latz, MD, Orthopedic Surgeon at Children's Mercy Hospitals.

"Strength training involves much more than just free weights, it also incorporates bands, exercise balls and especially their own body weight, says Dr. Latz. "Shown good form and always with proper supervision, strength training can be safe for children as young as 8-years-old."

So,strength training for children is recommended by experts, but not bodybuilding due to the potential for injury.

Well I guess it depends on how young. But If I were to guess, any heavy lifting before the age of 14. Dont get me wrong im not a doctor by any meens but that is my feeling.I dont know if there bones are fully grown or have stoped growing where it could hurt there growth.

Then again I grow up on a farm and lifted anything I could and had to. 100+ pound bales of hay at or around the age of 12 and I was ok. I guess it would depend on the person and there growth..

Cheers

I don't think, I know that weight lifting when you are young stunts your growth in height.

my source of info is all my weight lifting teachers throughout my 3 1/2 years of my high school career.

All my teachers encouraged us not to do maxes that often.

People stop growing when they are 21

When you are young and still growing the tissues in you joints are soft enabling them to grow and they turn hard once you turn 21.

If you lift heavy weight those tissues become hard and stop growing.

but this only happens if you lift at your max weight very often but with weight that you can do at least ten reps does NOT STUNT GROWTH.

Nothing "stunts" growth. And I mean nothing. Weight lifting PROMOTES growth!!

Think about it! Do your muscles get smaller when you lift? Or do they get bigger?

If being athletic "stunts growth" then all basketball players (who start at a very young age) would be short.

I have to agree, this is totally a myth about kids and weights. I asked my trainer at my gym and he said so, so I guess that's my source.