Young girl lifting

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oaker
oaker Posts: 132 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
A couple yrs ago, I started my youngest daughter on the path to lifting. I really was not sure how "young" someone should start lifting, so I started her very light and made sure she was lifting correctly. We both followed stronglifts 5x5 and she made some small gains, but was at the gym with me. Its not always about the lifting. I have always been into basketball and her also. One nite at a ball game, I watched on a large tv girls from another school promoting there basketball program. On the screen was a girl squatting one plate. I thought, now thats cool. Maybe one day when my daughter gets to be a junior or so maybe she will do that. She came home last nite and just did one plate, 8 reps. She lifts with the football team after school with supervision. She is 5' 2" a buck 10 soaking wet.

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  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    How old is she?

    Have you seen this?
    http://jezebel.com/5991969/watch-a-kickass-13+year+old-girl-bench-press-240-lbs-and-grin-about-it
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    I've been interested in getting my almost 10-year old step son and 13 year old step daughter into lifting... so I've been looking stuff up... Here's a great word from the National Health Institute:

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3445252/
  • oaker
    oaker Posts: 132 Member
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    She will turn 16 in Sept. She started around 14 maybe a little earlier. I have seen that vid of the 13 yr old girl benching 240. There was quite the discussion on here about it. I sometimes get the "she is too young" advice, but have always thought that with good form and supervision, kids will do well with strength training. Besides, a lot of farm kids have had to work their butts off when they were young and seem to be doing just fine. I remember hauling 60 lb hay bales when I was a kid.
  • Pmagnanifit
    Pmagnanifit Posts: 665 Member
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    I would love to get my girls to lift- it is an important part of fitness. My five year old can do forty push-ups- I d love to see her bench press
  • oaker
    oaker Posts: 132 Member
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    I am always surprised at how strong kids are with their own bodyweight. That and how flexible they are. Kids have the perfect squat form. Too bad old age sets in.
  • jzammetti
    jzammetti Posts: 1,956 Member
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    A couple yrs ago, I started my youngest daughter on the path to lifting. I really was not sure how "young" someone should start lifting, so I started her very light and made sure she was lifting correctly. We both followed stronglifts 5x5 and she made some small gains, but was at the gym with me. Its not always about the lifting. I have always been into basketball and her also. One nite at a ball game, I watched on a large tv girls from another school promoting there basketball program. On the screen was a girl squatting one plate. I thought, now thats cool. Maybe one day when my daughter gets to be a junior or so maybe she will do that. She came home last nite and just did one plate, 8 reps. She lifts with the football team after school with supervision. She is 5' 2" a buck 10 soaking wet.

    one plate? how much weight is that?
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
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    My daughter is 8 and is learning the basics of lifting. Right now I have her on very remedial stuff, like bodyweight squats to learn form, knee push-ups, etc. She wants to lift like mom and dad, though.
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
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    one plate? how much weight is that?

    135 lbs. if it's a standard oly bar.
  • oaker
    oaker Posts: 132 Member
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    Yes, one plate is 135. I have not seen her do it yet, but I bet those 45's make her seem really small. Most kids want to mimic what mom or dad do. So, if you set good examples, hopefully they will follow. You really never know once those teen yrs come.
  • koing
    koing Posts: 179 Member
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    My brother started at 11yrs old. He's been British Champion since he was 11 until 17. He is the one of the strongest and fastest 18yr olds in the country.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKcVtkXRjkY

    The main thing is to build correct form and to not push them too hard early on, sub 14yrs. Just gauge by the effort on their face and once they get to about 15+ you can push them a bit harder and see how they like it. Have them want to lift more weight and just make sure their form is good.

    He is pretty much stronger than 99% of adults that go to the gym, but he has been taught how to lift since he was 11 and he is 18 now. So 7yrs competitive olympic style weightlifting.

    Koing

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