I've heard differing opinions on this my whole life. Is there a universal truth?
Inspired by the Calvin Dinkins thread squatting 1 million
Inspired by the Calvin Dinkins thread squatting 1 million
What's the Pack's opinion of when kids should start lifting weights?
- Thread starter OG Goat Holder
- Start date
You can lift a bottle, you can lift a dumbbell***
Similar. When your grown enough to pass for 21. Some kids that will be 15, others in their 20s.
If you're a serious athlete with clear draft or scholly potential, maybe sooner so as to max your position.
My son started at 13/14, now at 16 he's a beast. I think all the testosterone produced during puberty helps out. Start them with a profession trainer so they can be trained in good form/technique. I love HS coaches, but many have limited knowledge of lifting.
He's not into sports, so it fills that spot for him.
He's not into sports, so it fills that spot for him.
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Depending on the maturity of the kid....13/14 is a great time to be introduced to it. I wouldn't encourage trying to back squat 500#s but cross fit type workouts are great for that age.
"An hour in the weight room is more important than a lifetime in the library."
FYI. A lot of trainers give advice that sports medicine folks will tell you is wrong. I've specifically been misled on shoulder exercises by trainers.
Body weight exercises til his voice drops and after his first growth spurt. Then teach Olympic lifts with bar only until he has mastered form. Once his form is good, start adding weight accordingly. Don’t add weight til he has mastered technique. Know your coaches and have conversations with them about form to make sure they are not idiots.
Also, stretch, stretch, stretch. Correct form requires flexibility and real jumps in strength don’t come until form is mastered.
also, while adding strength if you don’t stretch the muscle, flexibility and range of motion will suffer.
also, while adding strength if you don’t stretch the muscle, flexibility and range of motion will suffer.
Hopefully it goes without saying not to take physical therapy advice from a strength trainer and vice versa.
I started when I was 15. I am 58 and still hitting the gym six days a week. My son started going with me when he was 12. He is now 19 and still goes with me six days a week. Weightlifting and Miss State football is what we do. I am in really good weightlifting shape for a 58 year. I catch people filming me working out because of what I do at my age. Now my son is coming into his own. He is also big and strong. I am 6'2" and weight about 230 with 36-inch waist. My son is 6'3" about 215 pounds and ripped like Tarzan. I guess what I am saying there is no certain age to start. Just when they are ready.
Old enough to go to the store, old enough to get.....no, wait....wrong thread
Yeah I guess that was my first thought is that true heavy/power type workouts might not be best until you've grown a good bit. But plyometrics with medium level weight would be good, focusing on form.
I know a guy that stunted his growth by benching/squatting very heavy in like 7th grade.
As long as he/she does it safely, I don’t think it matters. Farm kids start chunking hay bails early.
I recommend putting them in swimming or gymnastics. If they start that around 8 or 9, they’ll be in phenomenal shape when they are 16-17.
I recommend putting them in swimming or gymnastics. If they start that around 8 or 9, they’ll be in phenomenal shape when they are 16-17.
We've created an economy of kinesiology from all the guys who went to college and played sports, but didn't make it pro. Personal trainers, youth coaches (individual and team), etc. That stuff is everywhere now and has bred the youth sports craze. So yeah, not sure I agree with a lot of what they say for young kids. And why do they work on young kids? Because they and their parents are easy marks to make easy money, they are still obsessed with sports. Once a kid matures and goes to college, quits sports, etc., they aren't falling for the racket anymore. I mean there are some legit ones out there I suppose, like Joe Weider (RIP), Chris Aceto, etc. But those guys are high dollar and work with professionals.
It was shoulder workout advice. They had me doing exercises that were bad for the shoulder joint.
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Somewhere, there's a Zoomer Tiktoker with a video named "Typical Boomer at the GYM WATCH UNTIL THE END I'M SHOOK" with 43 million views.
My youngest daughter's basketball coach started the team on some light weights in the ninth grade. It did more than build muscles for basketball. It helped with her self confidence and improved her basketball and tennis games dramatically. I think the important part is not so much when but making sure it's done right and never over done.
I am a big believer in low weight with a bunch of reps starting when they are around 10. All of my nephews do this, and they are all beast.
I started then and had kept on most of the strength up till I had to start taking blood pressure medicine. It worked out great for me lifting and football through puberty.
I can still out lift most of you old farts and girly men.
I'm late 50s and never caught the weight lifting bug, I do it in two or three months cycles then fall off for a few months (years
).
Probably true. I lift heavy for my age. They film me bench pressing. I was benching two to three reps 395 pounds but tore a bicep tendon loose and had surgery. I did not lift upper body for ten weeks. Now I am back up to 345 pounds. One time a few weeks ago I caught two ladies filming me doing leg press. I was working out with 1050 pounds. I asked politely why they were filming, and they said they were just amaze, Leg press isn't like leg squat. Not as impressive. They did not know that leg press was way easier than leg squat.
People ask me to advise a lot at the gym. I always say no one is the same and find out what works for you and go for it. That's what I told my son six years ago and he does what works for him. We are in the gym together six days, but we don't work out together. He will spot me on some things, and I will spot him. As far as low weight and a lot of reps I do that with biceps and have always done it. My biceps up around 19"
Years ago, there was man who worked out at he Flowood Y. He would load every available plate on the leg press and just sit on the machine for hours, I never actually saw him do any leg presses, but he tied the machine up all morning
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Not me. I put the weight on and do four sets of 8 to 12 reps and I am done. I am done in about 10 minutes after loading. I have six sets of work out music. One for each day. I figure 3 minutes per song on average, and I try to do two sets each song. It keeps me working out and not running my mouth. There are about 20 songs for each work outs.Years ago, there was man who worked out at he Flowood Y. He would load every available plate on the leg press and just sit on the machine for hours, I never actually saw him do any leg presses, but he tied the machine up all morning
I agree with this. My rule of thumb was 13 yo and younger - if you can't do 3 sets of 15-20 reps each => too much weight. Between 13 and 16 yo - reps can go to 10-15. 16+ go for it as long as you don't have to cheat on form to get it done.
13 under close supervision in my opinion.
I’d say start hitting the weight room once you hold them back in 5th grade to play ball
I think the point he’s making is trainers might give you advice that isn’t conducive to good health.
Depends on the type of trainer also. A body builder trainer is probably a terrible person to get advice from for lifting weights as a football player or basketball player or baseball player.
Nah you hold them back in 7th or 8th grade so they get an extra year of sports!13 under close supervision in my opinion.
I’d say start hitting the weight room once you hold them back in 5th grade to play ball
The old story that lifting stunts growth is pretty much garbage. Unless your kid has poor technique or is consistently trying to push through failure with extremely high weights at or above 1 rep max (which increases risk of injury for any age).
Can you kid lift the weight safely without putting themselves at risk for injury due to form breaking down?
It also depends on the style of training. There’s a big difference between powerlifting, bodybuilding, sports specific training, cross-fit and just overall health weightlifting. I’ve personally seen more kids get hurt trying to bench press heavy weights with powerlifting form than like a bodybuilder, but that has to do with their form breaking down under heavier weight.
FWIW, international and USA weightlifting categories start at 13.
12-13 is just fine with a good coach and I don't mean a personal trainer. Someone with a SCCC (Strength & Conditioning Coach Certified) or SSC (Starting Strength Certified) are the best certifications that mean something. Pick up a copy of Rippetoe's Starting Strength and start from there. High reps do nothing but build endurance and some hypertrophy; Sets of 5 always have and always will produce the best strength gains. And don't get a coach dumb enough to allow their young athletes to attempt 1RMs for the sake of producing a dumbass hype video. Weightlifting has never stunted someone's growth, there are just some kids out there that mature early and never really grow anymore.
I concur, just based on my son and his friends. They are beasts in the weight room and my son is over 6 ft tall at 16 years old. My son's whole strategy is push to failure every time/all the time and he still hasn't stunted growth or injured himself. Obviously, good technique and spotters are necessary. Also a very professionaly run gym, not planet fitness, etc., is important as mentorship comes from older guys and gals who have been there, done that.
They don't exist in your world?
My opinion on it is not just based on biology. Young teens should be focusing on things other than bodybuilding, IMO. All around athleticism is a great thing for anyone, but focusing on maxed physiques is not a psychologically good thing for teens, IMO.
Kids can start 'training to train' as early as 9-10 years old. The main risk with young athletes is that most parents & coaches don't really know 17 all about strength training and conditioning. The first year or two for very young kids is all about learning proper form and working those stabilizing muscles so that they fire properly. So very little, if any weight, and more about form, eccentric movements, hip airplanes etc.. these things help as you move them to progressive overloading through heavy weights.
Kids who are playing a LOT of sports ALL the time need tons of rest and an off-season. It's not healthy to have a 12 year old playing sports year round with no break.
I still lift 4-5 days a week and as soon as my son and daughter are interested they'll be in there with me. Helps build confidence among the other tangible benefits.
Kids who are playing a LOT of sports ALL the time need tons of rest and an off-season. It's not healthy to have a 12 year old playing sports year round with no break.
I still lift 4-5 days a week and as soon as my son and daughter are interested they'll be in there with me. Helps build confidence among the other tangible benefits.