Kids and weights

Teresava77

I'm in no way qualified but our gym allows kids from 8 at certain times on certain resistance machines. I'd get your son some very light weights and show him how to use them properly on a few certain basic lifts. Chances are he will soon get bored.

I wouldn't let him push those weights up to heavier ones for a while yet though just to be safe.

jg627

I would definitely not start him on weights until about 12-15 years old because that will extremely hinder their growth so good job there. I would just have him do some push-ups, sit-ups, and other exercises that do not involve weight training but involve the development of their muscles.

I'm gonna have to go ahead and disagree with you there. Knights in the middle ages started their training about 6 years earlier than that and if you compare historical knightly armor to munitions grade armor, knights were, on average, at least a foot taller than the common soldier.

And how many kids were maimed or killed during this time or just never got to the point were they were knights? What statistics do you have to back up that this was a valid practice? How many kids went into the program who made it through? I'm thinking it was like when they peed in corners and refused to bath. People still survived and in some cases even flurished but how many more died.

My advice. No one here is a pediatrian. So check with your pediatrician. Our son had to have his bones x-rayed before he started lifting. We found out his growth plates had not yet closed (he's 13 yo) and he could easily crack them. If he does crack them they will never be as strong as they should be. Doc says resistence training, sit ups, push ups and up to 7% body weight is OK, but that's it. (He's 100 lbs, can use 7 lb weights).

Best of luck. So awesome he wants to work out with you.

As for my 'statistics' that it was a valid practice, I'm very glad you asked. When I get to my bookshelf tonight, I'll start compiling a list of reading material for you. I hope you can read medieval german and latin.

chazsucks

My son is 3, he does it along with me but uses toys instead of real weights

Pomoch325

I bought those really light weights you are supposed to hold for walking (I think they have sand in them??). My son, who is 4, likes to exercise with me... so I let him use those. He usually bores with it after a few minutes anyways.

Kids want to be just like their parents. I would rather he copy me exercising than in shoving handfuls of food in my mouth!

jg627

My son is 3, he does it along with me but uses toys instead of real weights

Hehe my daughter is three also and her squat form is better than mine. Anyone who thinks they can cage up their kids at that age and not let them lift anything or do windsprints is plain nuts. As soon as she could walk, she was on the go. She likes to do pullups too.

rmkramer003

A lot of the stuff kids do involve lifting weight in some form or another while playing. Just doing chores (carrying laundry, groceries) is lifting in some form. Just keep in light, enough that they are comfortable with the weight and not straining.

neverstray

I don't know about anyone elses kids, but when mine join in, they are really just playing. They lift for like 1 maybe 2 sets of very light weight (5lbs), and then they stop and go do something else.

If you just let them be, they wont be as curious about it and they'll get bored of the hard work. No harm at all. Now, if one of my kids really started working out, I'd have to do some research on it and make a parental decision. It would most likely be yes, and heavily supervised.

My son will always try to beat me at push ups or sit ups, or pick up heavy weight. But, it's just a game. Once the game is over, like he can't beat me, it's over and that's it. I wouldn't worry. Just let them wear themselves out. Kids don't really want to be serious. They think everything is fun, until it isnt. LOL

macpatti

I've recently started lifting and my 8 year old wants to 'play' too. He's healthy and active and joins in when I do cardio. I'm worried about letting him touch the weights though in case it would damage his muscle growth etc. I tried fobbing him off with my little pink barbie weights but he's having none of it. Can anyone here with a bit of knowledge on this subject help me out?

If you're talking about serious weight lifting at a gym, like bench pressing, free weights, machines, etc. you need to ask your pediatrician (not what someone here says knights did in the middle ages).

Our son just turned 12 in February and was approved to do circuit training and bench pressing. Before that, we just had him do chin-ups and push-ups for arms and squats and lunges for legs.

jg627

I've recently started lifting and my 8 year old wants to 'play' too. He's healthy and active and joins in when I do cardio. I'm worried about letting him touch the weights though in case it would damage his muscle growth etc. I tried fobbing him off with my little pink barbie weights but he's having none of it. Can anyone here with a bit of knowledge on this subject help me out?

If you're talking about serious weight lifting at a gym, like bench pressing, free weights, machines, etc. you need to ask your pediatrician (not what someone here says knights did in the middle ages).

Our son just turned 12 in February and was approved to do circuit training and bench pressing. Before that, we just had him do chin-ups and push-ups for arms and squats and lunges for legs.

pullups are better than chinups. He shoots. He scores!

macpatti

pullups are better than chinups. He shoots. He scores!

Aren't pull-ups and chin-ups the same thing? Or are you making a crack at me treating him like he's a baby, so I might as well keep him in pull-ups?

jg627

pullups are better than chinups. He shoots. He scores!

Aren't pull-ups and chin-ups the same thing? Or are you making a crack at me treating him like he's a baby, so I might as well keep him in pull-ups?

Pullups you have your palms out. Chinups you have palms in. Or maybe it's the other way around. I don't know. I was just trolling.

mcarter99

I agree that if you let him do it, he'll be bored in 10 minutes and he'll be off to something else. And that body weight exercises are excellent for kids.

I think a pullup and chinup have the hands the opposite way on the bar, right?

paint_it_black

Thanks for all the replies, he already joins in when i do the 30 day shred, tbh he is better at it than i am and shows no sign of getting bored. Its my cast iron dumbells he's eyeing up, i'm new to this but i think they qualify as free weights. I've already had to lock them out of temptations way.

bm99

Can someone explain how weight training would stunt a child's growth?

My boys' favorite thing right now is to carry around my 5lb medicine ball (they're 2, that is roughly 25% of their body weight), should I stop letting them?

jg627

Can someone explain how weight training would stunt a child's growth?

My boys' favorite thing right now is to carry around my 5lb medicine ball (they're 2, that is roughly 25% of their body weight), should I stop letting them?

Gary Coleman. That's what happened to him. It's true. I saw it on the internet, so it must be true.

mcarter99

Can someone explain how weight training would stunt a child's growth?

My boys' favorite thing right now is to carry around my 5lb medicine ball (they're 2, that is roughly 25% of their body weight), should I stop letting them?

From a linked article someone posted above:

The American Academy of Pediatrics position on strength training supports the implementation of strength and resistance training programs, even for prepubescent children, that are monitored by well-trained adults and take into account the child’s maturation level. The only limitation the AAP suggests is to avoid repetitive maximal lifts (lifts that are one repetition maximum lifts or are within 2-3 repetitions of a one repetition maximum lift) until they have reached Tanner Stage 5 of developmental maturity. Tanner Stage 5 is the level in which visible secondary sex characteristics have been developed. Usually, in this stage adolescents will also have passed their period of maximal velocity of height growth

The AAP’s concern that children wait until this stage to perform maximal lifts is that the epiphyses, commonly called “growth plates”, are still very vulnerable to injury before this developmental stage. It is repeated injury to these growth plates that may hinder growth. For this same reason, two of the leading researchers in the field of youth fitness, Fleck and Kraemer, agree that maximal lifts should be avoided. (2) However, Fleck, Kraemer and the AAP agree that a strength training program that doesn’t include maximal lifting is beneficial for prepubescent and pubescent youth.

Anthonydaman

My 11 year old daughter goes to the gym with me, she wants to exercise, but does not want to play sports. She gets it from me. I don't think there should be any issue with your 8 yr old working out.

ADM1979

Our pediatrician said that the children should not weight train. She said girls can begin about 2 years after they start their periods, and that boys should not start before at least 15 because it can damage their growth plates.

THIS!

My son injured his shoulder. During therapy, he asked about lifting weight. Doc said that he would exercise if he was lifting his OWN body weight but not to lift weight as it could damage his body. They said that once he hits puberty, he can start with low weights and work his way up.

jg627

Our pediatrician said that the children should not weight train. She said girls can begin about 2 years after they start their periods, and that boys should not start before at least 15 because it can damage their growth plates.

THIS!

My son injured his shoulder. During therapy, he asked about lifting weight. Doc said that he would exercise if he was lifting his OWN body weight but not to lift weight as it could damage his body. They said that once he hits puberty, he can start with low weights and work his way up.

You don't need to be under 12 to get owned at the gym. In less than one year I watched 6 people earn a funny nickname.

bm99

Can someone explain how weight training would stunt a child's growth?

My boys' favorite thing right now is to carry around my 5lb medicine ball (they're 2, that is roughly 25% of their body weight), should I stop letting them?

From a linked article someone posted above:

The American Academy of Pediatrics position on strength training supports the implementation of strength and resistance training programs, even for prepubescent children, that are monitored by well-trained adults and take into account the child’s maturation level. The only limitation the AAP suggests is to avoid repetitive maximal lifts (lifts that are one repetition maximum lifts or are within 2-3 repetitions of a one repetition maximum lift) until they have reached Tanner Stage 5 of developmental maturity. Tanner Stage 5 is the level in which visible secondary sex characteristics have been developed. Usually, in this stage adolescents will also have passed their period of maximal velocity of height growth

The AAP’s concern that children wait until this stage to perform maximal lifts is that the epiphyses, commonly called “growth plates”, are still very vulnerable to injury before this developmental stage. It is repeated injury to these growth plates that may hinder growth. For this same reason, two of the leading researchers in the field of youth fitness, Fleck and Kraemer, agree that maximal lifts should be avoided. (2) However, Fleck, Kraemer and the AAP agree that a strength training program that doesn’t include maximal lifting is beneficial for prepubescent and pubescent youth.

Thanks! They're fine then lol They just pick it up and pass it back and forth and sometimes walk around with it (a little bent over because it's heavy for little guys!). We don't do any actual weight training, they just like heavy things.