OK for a 13yo boy to lift weights?

Kattarra

So for the record...I have no intention of letting my son lift "heavy" at 85% of max at this moment in time. He just wants to lose a little weight. We will see what happens a few months from now.

GorillaNJ

Sign him up for football... (Might be too late for this season) or wrestling... they will get him working out and in shape in no time!

csuhar

Here's an article from the Mayo Clinic on the topic. They actually say strength training can begin as early as 8, so I iamagine it's fine for a 13 year old.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/tween-and-teen-health/in-depth/strength-training/art-20047758

But they do have an important caveat:

"Don't confuse strength training with weightlifting, bodybuilding or powerlifting. These activities are largely driven by competition, with participants vying to lift heavier weights or build bigger muscles than those of other athletes. This can put too much strain on young muscles, tendons and areas of cartilage that haven't yet turned to bone (growth plates) — especially when proper technique is sacrificed in favor of lifting larger amounts of weight."

That's valuable because you want him focusing on his own development, not competing with others, especially because we grow at different rates, so one 13 year old may have developed more than the 13 year old standing next to him.


Personally, I prefer to keep bodyweight workouts as the core of my regimen, but I can definitely appreciate the value added by watching the weights being lifted increase. Such visible progress can be a very encouraging factor for someone starting out.

DjinnMarie

He will be fine. What I consider "heavy" (and is the general consensus among the weightlifting community) is 85% of your 1 rm weight. This usually gives a max rep count of 4-6. If he can't lift 6+ with good form! it's too heavy *for him*. If he can do more than 12 reps (x3) it's too light and he can go slightly heavier. 6-12 reps is not high reps, it's pretty standard. 70-75% of his max is not considered "light" either. I never said light weight and high reps. I said no "heavy" lifting for now.

So for the record...I have no intention of letting my son lift "heavy" at 85% of max at this moment in time. He just wants to lose a little weight. We will see what happens a few months from now.

lizzybathory

I can't say whether or not it's safe for a 13 year old to be lifting, or how much they should be lifting; totally not my expertise so I'll stay out of it. But I can say that if he's starting from nothing, he could even be doing a lot of resistance training without weights. My program lately has been almost entirely bodyweight things - pushups, lunges, planks, ab work, pull ups, etc. and it's still hard, and I'm still improving quickly. If he's starting from nothing like I was, this WILL be helpful and effective. At the very least, it's a starting point; and once you figure out how to approach heavier lifting, he'll have a jump start on that basic level of strength and muscle.

For what it's worth, I know my husband started lifting kind of young, too. His dad started him on it in 7th grade. He has the most defined muscles of any of the men in my life, and his workout routine is mostly body weight stuff like I described. He also uses a pair of 25 lb dumbbells, but that's it. No gym membership, no heavier equipment than that at home, but he still has huge biceps and pecs, a great back, and defined abs. Your son may see big improvements before you even need to worry about whether or not he's lifting too much for his age.

Commander_Keen

My son is slightly on the heavy side, not much but he is starting to feel self conscious about it. He has seen the results his 20yo cousin get from lifting weights and wants to do it. This kid is strong and used to working outside on our small property fruit orchard. I go to a gym and lift so I can show him some exercises I do, but I'm not sure what good started exercises are for a young teen boy..

#1 Check with your doctor before you do anything..
#2 - Have him use his Body weight to work out. Pushups, Burpees etc...

Slashnl

What's up with just being a kid?

He is a kid and he wants to do this. I'm not pushing him. I'm asking advice of people who may know a lot more than me about this.

I think you're doing great, encouraging him to do it the right way!! Too many 13 year olds are choosing to be a kid, by gaming and being on their phones 24/7.

fatfrost

he shouldn't be doing exercises with added weight. pull-ups, dips, push-ups and, most importantly, CARDIO for kids of that age is essential.

Kattarra

What's up with just being a kid?

He is a kid and he wants to do this. I'm not pushing him. I'm asking advice of people who may know a lot more than me about this.

I think you're doing great, encouraging him to do it the right way!! Too many 13 year olds are choosing to be a kid, by gaming and being on their phones 24/7.

Oh believe me this has been a hot topic in our household. I'm very proud of him though for wanting to start to make some healthy changes. He's played football, baseball, and basketball. He loves basketball but he's not good enough to play on the city team and in our small town there is no other basketball option for 7th grade and up. We've taken a boxing class but that is only one day a week. I'm hoping weight training is something he will enjoy.

DjinnMarie

Moving weight is moving weight. The source is irrelevant. If he can push weight in a pushup, he can bench. If he can pull his bodyweight during a pull up, he can use a lat pull down machine. If his trceps can support his weight for dips, he can do tricep pull down on a cable machine.

And i agree, cardio should be part of every lifting regiment. Even if its just walking.

he shouldn't be doing exercises with added weight. pull-ups, dips, push-ups and, most importantly, CARDIO for kids of that age is essential.

Kalikel

Why not?

Copying his cousins is fine. If they're all buff, good for him.

If he expresses unhappiness over his weight, remind him that as he grows, the weight will come off naturally.

If he doesn't want to do it like mom does, that's normal. Teenage boys frequently don't want to be like middle-aged women. It's normal and natural to prefer coming male cousins.

He's so young. Let him try out what he wants to try out and don't try to direct the course. Unless he's doing something dangerous, leave him to find his way.

fatfrost

Yes and no. There's a reason hard-core body builders don't limit their routines to body weight exercises and that revolves around their ability to more efficiently build intensity with weights. As an example, he *could* do 100 push-ups but he's less likely to overdo it than if he is slapping an increasing number of plates on the bar and seeing immediate and tangible results.

High intensity weight training is great for adults and teens that have fully developed bone structure as well as the maturity to understand the consequences of overdoing it. But for adolescents, it can create a situation with the potential to stunt growth and/or cause developmental problems with joints.

I'm not a doctor and this is broscience at its finest, but I was an adolescent boy that lived through this same sort of thing. At the time, I reluctantly took the advice to lay off the heavy lifting and my pal did not. I surmise that it is not a coincidence that one of us has arthritis.

Moving weight is moving weight. The source is irrelevant. If he can push weight in a pushup, he can bench. If he can pull his bodyweight during a pull up, he can use a lat pull down machine. If his trceps can support his weight for dips, he can do tricep pull down on a cable machine.

And i agree, cardio should be part of every lifting regiment. Even if its just walking.

he shouldn't be doing exercises with added weight. pull-ups, dips, push-ups and, most importantly, CARDIO for kids of that age is essential.

callas444

My son's karate instructor says that he doesn't recommend any lifting for boys under 18 due to it being very easy to injure their growing joints and muscles. For that reason, I'd say make sure to consult his doctor and/or a trainer who is trained in working with adolescents. Why take a chance on a permanent injury? Football players and wrestlers lift weight from an early age and they are physically some of the most miserable adults (physically) you'll find. Those early injuries to joints and muscles contribute to arthritis and general aches and pains. For my son, I decided that the downside overwhelmingly out weighs any benefit he'd get from lifting.

DjinnMarie

Define heavy. As I said he shouldn't lift heavy. He could easily push 70-75% rm (while working with a coach and using good form) without risking injury and making gaaaaaainz.

Yes and no. There's a reason hard-core body builders don't limit their routines to body weight exercises and that revolves around their ability to more efficiently build intensity with weights. As an example, he *could* do 100 push-ups but he's less likely to overdo it than if he is slapping an increasing number of plates on the bar and seeing immediate and tangible results.

High intensity weight training is great for adults and teens that have fully developed bone structure as well as the maturity to understand the consequences of overdoing it. But for adolescents, it can create a situation with the potential to stunt growth and/or cause developmental problems with joints.

I'm not a doctor and this is broscience at its finest, but I was an adolescent boy that lived through this same sort of thing. At the time, I reluctantly took the advice to lay off the heavy lifting and my pal did not. I surmise that it is not a coincidence that one of us has arthritis.

Moving weight is moving weight. The source is irrelevant. If he can push weight in a pushup, he can bench. If he can pull his bodyweight during a pull up, he can use a lat pull down machine. If his trceps can support his weight for dips, he can do tricep pull down on a cable machine.

And i agree, cardio should be part of every lifting regiment. Even if its just walking.

he shouldn't be doing exercises with added weight. pull-ups, dips, push-ups and, most importantly, CARDIO for kids of that age is essential.

Kattarra

Ok so our first trip to the gym went great. We worked on bench press bar only, lat pull downs, shoulder press with a 20lb barbell, and some leg press. We kept the weight lighter and stopped at 12 reps even though he could do more. He seemed to enjoy it and didn't seem embarrassed to be there with his mom. He's looking forward to cardio tomorrow and seems excited to continue lifting so we will take it slow and easy.

golferd

My 10 year old is doing BodyBeast with my wife and I. Making great progress and I keep pushing him to go heavy. Form is most important in my opinion.

DjinnMarie

Ok so our first trip to the gym went great. We worked on bench press bar only, lat pull downs, shoulder press with a 20lb barbell, and some leg press. We kept the weight lighter and stopped at 12 reps even though he could do more. He seemed to enjoy it and didn't seem embarrassed to be there with his mom. He's looking forward to cardio tomorrow and seems excited to continue lifting so we will take it slow and easy.

Sounds like a good start! Expect some soreness tomorrow!

hookilau

We started our son with Karate & when he started driving, we started him on compound lifts. He was 17. That was a few months ago & now he's fixing to start a formal program.

I've seen younger kids at our gym, I'd say around 13-14 and most are being coached by people who appear to be the parents. There aren't many though.

My son used to go the weight room at his H.S. with his buddies when they had free periods. Though it was supervised by whichever coach happened to be there, they had NO idea what they were doing. Basically just monkeying around in there :laugh:

We always had plans to start him on weight training, but wanted to wait until we felt he could handle the commitment along with school, and work. I never asked why, by DH was adamant that he wouldn't start the boy till he was 16-17. It worked out well, he pays for his own gym membership and his workout partner is his sister

gabrielleelliott90

I wouldn't do that at the age of 13, when a kid is starting puberty.

aizahs

We have 3 boys- all different body types, all athletes from a young age (swim team, wrestlers, and football players). From a young age (as early as 4) they have been doing body resistance exercises (pull ups, sit ups, push ups) along with sprints/running. As they got older (9-10) we added resistance band exercises. The hardest part seemed to be teaching proper form.
As you can tell from this thread, there's many differing opinions on the issue of lifting at a young age. Our personal choice for our boys was to err on the side of caution and not include anything heavier than a 5lb hand weight.

Rhumax67

Our son was younger than 13 when he started. It was more of a hanging out with Dad thing & maybe learning form & the benefits. Dad watched him carefully & that's important.

Marie047

I used to lift weights when I was 12, I did this regularly as a sports acro gymnast I was lifting 2 people on my 5x a week plus weight training in a weights room, one of our requirements was to be able to do certain weights between 40%-60% of our body weight. Hasn`t done me any harm.

Odwaroftorn

I don't know if this'll be read, but for what it's worth...

The best strength/conditioning quote ever, a reporter asked Mohamed Ali once how many sit ups he did in a workout. He replied he didn't know. The reporter incredulously asked how he didn't know. Ali responded that he didn't start counting until it started hurting.

As to stunting growth, Lou Ferrigno placed second in a Mr. Olympia (the first he ever entered) and fourth in a worlds strongest man contest in 1977 I believe. He was 6'5 and had a competition weight of 285, he began lifting with free weights in his basement at age 13, because he was scrawny and tired of being bullied.

Schwarzenegger began at 15. Ferrigno at 13.

I am not saying to continue the weight training ya'll began, but here's a precedent and if weightlifting at 13 stunts growth, imagine how big Lou would have gotten if he'd waited two years.

dbmata

I was told no lifting until after 16 because of their joints, and that plyometrics and calisthenics is plenty for a younger kid. (Not that I could get mine to do anything.)

Football players at my high school started as young as 14 with heavy lifting. Was it done with their best interests at heart, or to ensure wins? Can't answer that, but they had good form, and worked hard.