OK for a 13yo boy to lift weights?
Kattarra
Posts: 190 Member
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..
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Lift? Yes. Lift heavy? No.0
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His joints and bones will still be a bit like green shoots on a tree, so lift yes but light and high reps, or preferably do body weight moves, Pull ups Press Ups High Knees Burpees lunges etc, moves that use the whole body from the core out will burn off the calories and fat and will give him a solid foundation to start lifting when he is older, I started lifting when I was 19. Hope that helps0
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I think it should be fine. You can't go wrong with 'starting strength' (squats, DLs, OHP, bench, clean). Like Djinn says, I'd keep it light, at least till he has the form perfect.0
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I started lifting when I was 13. I started with a basic strength program...it wasn't Starting Strength, but it was pretty much the same thing. Starting Strength would be a good place to start..maybe with some revisions.
Also, body weight work would be a great place to start as well.
You may also want to see if there are any coaches or trainers there that specialize in youth development. My previous gym had organized strength classes for 13 - 15 year olds that were geared towards youth development. They seemed like good classes...a lot of instruction on the basic compound lifts, but weights were kept lower for proper form developments. Lot of body weight stuff as well as general conditioning too.0 -
Thanks all. Yes this was what I was thinking starting with. I will check out starting strength also.0
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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.)0
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Mine did, and it did wonders for him.0
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Light lifting but get him walking if possible. My 15 year old was always husky in the last two years as I started walking and working out and he did as well. He's now taller than me and wearing a smaller waist pants now than when he was 13. He walks 3 miles almost everyday on his own. He jogs on 5k with me occasionally as well.
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My 13 year old daughter is lifting, and is supervised by myself or the gym trainer we have. It is perfectly safe. Stick with the machines that have pulley's, and adjust for height. Cross trainer machines are great because they use so many muscle groups and are cardio and resistance in one machine. Light weights + maximum reps = success. Good luck!0
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lifting is great! But make sure he's not lifting heavy0
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YES!!! I don't know about you teaching only because of his age and the embarrassing parent factor. LOL We are an obese society, what an awesome motivator to get him into a healthier lifestyle!!0
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Yes!!!! My 13 year old started lifting last spring.
Disagree with others though. Get him on free weights as soon as possible. Mine started in the gym at the high school with supervision and is already doing clean and jerks, dead lifts, squats, bench presses, over head presses. At 13 he is already 5' 11" and on the husky side. As I explained to him, he is at the perfect age for hypertrophy and strength training. They have so much testosterone running through there system and as long as they are following a progressive overload program the gains come super easy.
I wish I knew then what I know now. If I would have listened to my best friend at the time things would have been so much different for me. He encouraged me to lift with him and I just blew him off.0 -
Yes! Youtube has some really awesome trainers that he can watch to learn forms. My son joined Civil Air Patrol your son is at a really great age for this group. The cost $45 a year plus it includes uniform. They do great adventures with adult supervision and is really good all round for discipline in taking care of your health. Helping others. Working in a group.
Enjoy this time.
Patsy
Lutz,fl0 -
Does it necessarily has to be lifting weights?
With that question in mind, here are a couple of things to take into consideration. I don't think a 13 year old kid should be lifting "heavy" weights. At that age the body starts making huge changes (anatomically, physiologically and hormonally), which I think heavy weights could possibly affect the kid's growth somehow, although I might be wrong.
If my kid was in a situation where weight was an issue, I would definitely get him/her in some kind of sports or fitness program for kids of that age, which will probably involve body weight exercises and/or light weight. I come from a country where we as kids would be required to exercise at school, and would be introduced to different sports so kids could probably find a passion for any of those.
Good luck.0 -
Does it necessarily has to be lifting weights?
With that question in mind, here are a couple of things to take into consideration. I don't think a 13 year old kid should be lifting "heavy" weights. At that age the body starts making huge changes (anatomically, physiologically and hormonally), which I think heavy weights could possibly affect the kid's growth somehow, although I might be wrong.
If my kid was in a situation where weight was an issue, I would definitely get him/her in some kind of sports or fitness program for kids of that age, which will probably involve body weight exercises and/or light weight. I come from a country where we as kids would be required to exercise at school, and would be introduced to different sports so kids could probably find a passion for any of those.
Good luck.
See bolded, weightlifting is becoming a high school sport now. In our district the football coaches start encouraging the middle school kids, starting at 13, to join the weight lifting team.0 -
I'm not sure where all of this "don't lift heavy, lift light weights with high reps" is coming from. It will not stunt his growth or anything like that, that is a myth. At 13, he has already started puberty. He is growing and has testosterone on his side for gaining muscle.
Find a program appropriate for a teen and let him have at it. If possible, find someone who can help get him started and has experience training teens.0 -
Wow! Thanks for all the advice, conflicting as it is. We have plans to go to the gym after school and I will show him the exercises I know how to do (I follow the New Rules of Lifting for Women) and have him start with lighter weights for his first few workouts until he gets the form correct and see where it goes from there. Our plan is to lift 3 days and week and do some cardio 2-3 days a week.0
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People telling you, "I might be wrong, but it can't be safe for him to lift heavy" are talking out of their a**es. Kids in middle/high school sports lift, and lift heavy. Schools offer weight lifting classes; if it was unsafe, these classes would not be offered in our highly litigious society. As long as he has guidance from people to show him proper form and safe increases in weights, he'll be fine. My teenage boy takes a weight-lifting class during the school year, and it makes me truly jealous to see how fast he can drop 10-20 pounds and still easily eat 4,000+ calories a day.0
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Maybe you should do a little research before telling people they are full of it. It is well documented that overly strenuous, heavy weight damages growth plates, tendons and ligaments in young teens. Can he get a good workout in? Absolutely. Should he be trying to set new 1rm PRs ? NO!!!People telling you, "I might be wrong, but it can't be safe for him to lift heavy" are talking out of their a**es. Kids in middle/high school sports lift, and lift heavy. Schools offer weight lifting classes; if it was unsafe, these classes would not be offered in our highly litigious society. As long as he has guidance from people to show him proper form and safe increases in weights, he'll be fine. My teenage boy takes a weight-lifting class during the school year, and it makes me truly jealous to see how fast he can drop 10-20 pounds and still easily eat 4,000+ calories a day.0
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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.0 -
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.
Keep him at 75% 1 rm for 6-12 reps on all the major lifts and he will be fine. If he can do more than 12 reps, increase the weight. If he wants to set PRs, just make sure it's not too often. Once a month is just fine.0 -
13 is really the perfect time for someone to start lifting. I wish I had started then instead of waiting for my late '20s.
Also, like everyone else who lifts, he SHOULD be lifting heavy (and progressively heavier), as long as his form is good. Yes, he shouldn't start out at his body weight from day 1, but once his form is good with light weights, he should be moving towards heavy lifting. This is what strength training is all about, and that's exactly what he needs as a beginner (particularly a "stocky" one, whose natural strength hormones are just kicking in).
I can't imagine what justification all these "don't let him lift heavy" people think they have for giving such poor advice.0 -
Not sure about the implications of weight lifting at young ages, but in my own case I started lifting weights when I was 15. I was always an overweight kid, and my cousin brought me to his gym and set me on a programme of weight circuits with high reps. I really enjoyed it, and still have most of the muscular framework I developed back then, 20 years ago now
That said, I would look into any implications to his development, if he were to adopt a programme at such a young age. If its fine, go for it I say, if it's not, perhaps look at other ways for him to build fitness.
Myself, if I had it all over again, and especially if 13, I would go the calisthenics/ bodyweight training route. I think this would give him a good basis of strength that could be applied to all sorts of other interests he may pursue, such as sports/ martial arts/ athlethics/ etc. Weightlifting would also give him strength, but my personal opinion is that unless he's focussing on compound lifts with heavy weights, the gains may be more in muscularity than in strength. I make a clear distinction here between those two by the way, as the strongest guys were most often the wiry powerlifters in my gym, not the often much more muscular bodybuilders.0 -
Maybe we should define "heavy". Heavy is considered 85% + 1rm. A 13 year old old should not be lifting that heavy. He can gain considerable muscle lifting 75% his max for 6-12 reps. (Adding weight once he is able to hit 12 reps x3.)13 is really the perfect time for someone to start lifting. I wish I had started then instead of waiting for my late '20s.
Also, like everyone else who lifts, he SHOULD be lifting heavy (and progressively heavier), as long as his form is good. Yes, he shouldn't start out at his body weight from day 1, but once his form is good with light weights, he should be moving towards heavy lifting. This is what strength training is all about, and that's exactly what he needs as a beginner (particularly a "stocky" one, whose natural strength hormones are just kicking in).
I can't imagine what justification all these "don't let him lift heavy" people think they have for giving such poor advice.0 -
Maybe you should do a little research before telling people they are full of it. It is well documented that overly strenuous, heavy weight damages growth plates, tendons and ligaments in young teens ... Should he be trying to set new 1rm PRs ? NO!!!
Whenever someone says "It is well documented" but gives no documentation, they are talking out their *kitten*.
Also, no one here said anything about powerlifting. Some seem to be confused what "heavy" means in regards to strength training.0 -
Arnie started weight training @ 15.
I've got 2 boys and i'll be happy with them doing bodyweight/gymnastics work until they're 15 then they can start weightlifting.
Why not set him a challenge. Once he can do 100 pressups and 20 pullups without pausing then he can have weights.0 -
When I played football, at 13, we lifted weights. Just the basics to get stronger. If he wants to, and has no medical reason why he shouldnt, I say have at it.0
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It's not my responsibility to do your research. Google is your friend. There are a lot of studies from legitimate sources. I suggest you pick one that you deem relevant. Since some here believe the mayo clinic is full of chit.
"Heavy" is subjective to the lifter. And in all my years heavy has been defined as 85%+ 1rm. Surely you aren't telling her that it's perfectly ok for her 13 year old to be lifting 85% his 1 rm on a regular basis?Maybe you should do a little research before telling people they are full of it. It is well documented that overly strenuous, heavy weight damages growth plates, tendons and ligaments in young teens ... Should he be trying to set new 1rm PRs ? NO!!!
Whenever someone says "It is well documented" but gives no documentation, they are talking out their *kitten*.
Also, no one here said anything about powerlifting. Some seem to be confused what "heavy" means in regards to strength training.0 -
yes, he can lift... just make sure he knows his limits and be there with him at all times.0
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