Kids & weight lifting

Do any of you guys know or have any boys who got into weight lifting at an early age and think that it may have stunt their growth? Just got my son back from the pediatrician and he's at the top of their charts for both height and weight. He's 12, goes 5'6" and weighs 140 lbs. He shows abs, so he's fairly lean. He wants to start lifting weights but another guy said it will stunt his growth. Does anyone have any personal experience with this or thoughts?

I have 2 boys and have trained dozens for football camps and combines... I started lifting when puberty hit and if anything it helped me grow and gain size quickly... I would take it easy until that point though.... I don't start kids on anything serious until puberty...

Loki said:

I have 2 boys and have trained dozens for football camps and combines... I started lifting when puberty hit and if anything it helped me grow and gain size quickly... I would take it easy until that point though.... I don't start kids on anything serious until puberty...

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I agree with this I let my 5 and 8 year old grab a set of dumbbells and do some curls but nothing serious till puberty, Still good to be physically active IMO bodyweight exercises are best before puberty.

It appears that Olympic gymnastics women are shorter then average woman, or maybe shorter women are just better at gymnastics.

I train at a local gym. It allows kids to lift at 12....for insurance compliance more than their concerns for my kids safety. I think he's there as far as puberty, shows most of the signs. My wife's on board, so that's not an issue. I'm leaning towards waiting until 13, for no other reason than my peace of mind. Thanks guys.

Stunted growth is a terrible urban myth. I started lifting in high school, we had an actual powerlifting class I took for three years from...14-17 years old. I absolutely do think kids should be exposed to it if they have the interest but they have to learn good solid technique and form.

James said:

I train at a local gym. It allows kids to lift at 12....for insurance compliance more than their concerns for my kids safety. I think he's there as far as puberty, shows most of the signs. My wife's on board, so that's not an issue. I'm leaning towards waiting until 13, for no other reason than my peace of mind. Thanks guys.

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Would be nice if Dr. Saya could see this... I think if anything if he is in puberty it will very slightly enhance his growth...

Vince Carter said:

Stunted growth is a terrible urban myth. I started lifting in high school, we had an actual powerlifting class I took for three years from...14-17 years old. I absolutely do think kids should be exposed to it if they have the interest but they have to learn good solid technique and form.

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I graduated in 1990 and had that class too. It was a cool class back then for sure. As for urban myth, many of the higher level bodybuilders were almost all short dudes. That may be where that started.

Loki said:

Would be nice if Dr. Saya could see this... I think if anything if he is in puberty it will very slightly enhance his growth...

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Moderate weight lifting itself shouldn't present any issues with stunted growth certainly during/after puberty. Overtraining and/or anabolic steroid use (which often go together even in the younger age groups - though not relevant in this case) are obviously a different story.

James said:

I graduated in 1990 and had that class too. It was a cool class back then for sure. As for urban myth, many of the higher level bodybuilders were almost all short dudes. That may be where that started.

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There's a very real component there for "compensation", short in stature, and otherwise. Me, I was spurred by being a scrawny little weakling that got picked on way too much. But the physical act of lifting stunting someones growth, I think that that's BS>

For me it was more of a 'looking up to' an older cousin. When I was 13, I had a cousin who was 16 (only 3 years older, but felt like 20 years older back then). My cousin was a stud on the high school football team, had a lot of girls hanging around him, and would lift all the time. Sounds silly now, but at the time, I wanted to be like him and started lifting at 14. I however never equaled his prowess on the field or with the ladies. I may have passed him as an adult...but I won't go there.