How young is too young for weights?

OLFATUG
OLFATUG Posts: 393 Member
edited December 16 in Fitness and Exercise
My oldest daughter is about to turn 7, and her favorite pastimes are eating and watching TV...
I get her to come for walks with me, bike rides, or even 1/2 mile runs if I'm really lucky, but most of the time she is not interested in any form of physical activity.
I just purchased a new home gym to work in some strength training, and she helped me put it together (she likes puzzles). Since then she has bugged me almost every single day to let her lift weights with me. I walked her through some of the exercises with either zero weight or 5 pounds. I have been very firm that this is "Daddy's Gym", and that she is not to touch it (she can't get into the room anyway) without me there.
I'm a bit torn if I should foster this at all. She seems awful young to me to do any strength training, but at the same time this is the only physical activity that she has shown any real interest in.

Replies

  • newlyknit
    newlyknit Posts: 28 Member
    I'm curious to hear what others think, especially since this morning I saw a commercial for Chuck E. Cheese with an entire family using (what looked like) 3-5 lb weights in front of a TV. The two kids looked to be about 10-12.

    My children are all under 3, so this is in the back of my mind, but I'm still curious. I do remember being about 8 or 9 and doing some weight exercises on my fathers home gym, nothing regular and nothing strenuous.
  • jenlarz
    jenlarz Posts: 813 Member
    My 7 year old always wants to use weights too, and I just have a dumbell set. I let him do some, I think as long as they aren't trying to lift too much it is ok. I encourage my boys to get lots of exercise-mostly by playing and I figure getting them into the habit now will help them in the long run. (I have 2 boys, 5 and 7)
  • lcchrt
    lcchrt Posts: 234 Member
    Body weight exercises are safer for little ones :) Maybe try showing her how to do 'fun' workouts with you like hand stands, cart wheels, push ups, etc! They are safe for little kids and tons of fun, plus it'll take your workouts to the next level! haha
  • LesliePierceRN
    LesliePierceRN Posts: 860 Member
    Kids really shouldn't be pumping weights till after they are 12.. they're growth plates aren't fused yet and all that stress on them will stunt their growth. (This is why pro gymnasts are so petite.)
  • BrunetteRunner87
    BrunetteRunner87 Posts: 591 Member
    I remember reading a Dear Abby years ago that said 16, but I don't have any references for that.
  • Skywalker_Dub
    Skywalker_Dub Posts: 29
    For kids, light resistance and controlled movements are best — with a special emphasis on proper technique and safety. Your child can do many strength training exercises with his or her own body weight or inexpensive resistance tubing. Free weights and machine weights are other options.

    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.

    (from the Mayo Clinic )

    I have seen several children doing cross-fit every thing from overhead squats to olympic lifting techniques some of them age 8-10! If supervised properly they can benifit greatly from it.
  • BreakingOath
    BreakingOath Posts: 193 Member
    Kids really shouldn't be pumping weights till after they are 12.. they're growth plates aren't fused yet and all that stress on them will stunt their growth. (This is why pro gymnasts are so petite.)

    There is a difference between weightlifting, powerlifting, bodybuilding, etc etc as stated above. As long as kids don't try to lift too much weight, use PROPER form, and are under supervision, there is no reason why they cannot lift weights.

    From the "Official Journal of the American Pediatrics"
    http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/121/4/835.full
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    What skywalker said.
    Anything earlier than 12 (shot in the dark here, a lot depends on their maturity and willingness to learn) I'd avoid heavy weight training.


    Bodyweight stuff with good technique would be great, pushups, pullups, etc.
    And resistance bands/tubes can be pretty inexpensive and are great.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Kids really shouldn't be pumping weights till after they are 12.. they're growth plates aren't fused yet and all that stress on them will stunt their growth. (This is why pro gymnasts are so petite.)

    There is a difference between weightlifting, powerlifting, bodybuilding, etc etc as stated above. As long as kids don't try to lift too much weight, use PROPER form, and are under supervision, there is no reason why they cannot lift weights.

    From the "Official Journal of the American Pediatrics"
    http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/121/4/835.full

    Yeah, most of the "growth plate concern" has been shown to be largely unfounded.

    The two things to avoid are: maximal lifts and heavy overhead lifting. Which seems like common sense to begin with.

    It's important to remember a couple of thing about children and weightlifting:

    1. Most kids don't want to exercise -- they want to play. So, don't get too hung up on getting them into a structured routine.
    2. Any strength gains will be due to neuromuscular adaptation. You can't really "grow muscle" until the body produces sufficient hormones, esp testosterone.
    3. Given the normal adaptation process described in #2, body weight, cable, and free weight exercises are going to work best. You can use a lot of creativity -- again, most kids want it to be like play.
    4. Bodies are going to change dramatically over time. So, any "strength" gains are likely to be transient anyhow. IMO, what you really want to do at younger ages is develop an interest and liking in physical fitness and exercise, and teach proper form and techniques. Those are things that will last a lifetime.
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