I AM TO YOUNG?

[VaLax7]

I have a read plenty of threads about all these lifting and cardio workouts. I am only thirteen, and have been forewarned by coachs to not lift until i am sixteen otherwise, if i lift too heavy weights, i will stunt my growth. Is this true? I want to get a lot stronger and build endurance, any ways to do this and so i wont stunt my growth?

[Undy5]

Don't lift till your atleast a freshmen in high school. Your body is just starting to develop and is not any where near ready for training. The best thing for you is plyometrics! which is lifting without weights, do some push ups, non-weighted abs, box jumps and some running. You'll probably see some change in your body just doing that cause you will shoot up into the sky soon and pack on some weight like its nothing in the next couple years.. then you'll be ready to lift.

trust me you dont want to start lifting yet you can permanetly mess up your body if you're not ready for it

[coaches gal]

Yes - weight lifting too soon can be bad for the body!

Undy5 gives good advice...

also try jumping rope... many athletes do this [boxers for example], Builds stamina, helps conditioning, and also good for developing quick feet.

[Undy5]

Yes - weight lifting too soon can be bad for the body!

Undy5 gives good advice...

also try jumping rope... many athletes do this [boxers for example], Builds stamina, helps conditioning, and also good for developing quick feet.

You beat me to it! I was coming back to say that. It is probably the best non-weignt exercise there is. Plus I think it could come in handy for a lacrosse player, footwork and forearms.

[sammyduelist]

To be honest, it's not really necessary until HS.
I started to lift more the summer after frosh year. Just make sure if you do lift that you have an idea of what you're doing.

[LiquidMercury16]

Lifting young doesn't stunt your growth. I wouldn't recommend lifting too heavy and applying lots of force on your spine as it hasn't fully solidified yet but it's not going to stunt your growth. Cbury, I believe you have sources to back this? You were the one that showed me that it was okay at least....

[The Doors]

if you want to get stronger and build endurance, just do mad amounts of push-ups, crunches, and run a ton. No need to involve weights just yet. You can get plenty strong and fit just by eating correctly and using your own body weight as resistance

[bigDman]

Do a search.

Lifting does NOT stunt your growth. I started when I was 14 and wish I started earlier. Lift correctly and slowly get into it. Dont start heavy. Start with a lot of volume and low weights. Get form down and some work capacity then lower the reps and up the weights. Most importantly when you are young have fun. Dont make lifting a chore

[Undy5]

Are you kidding me? My dad owns a fitness center, it is designed mostly for high school kids, like teams will come in as a whole and do huge workouts and they wont let anyone under 15 or someone who isnt a freshman in high school come in. Lifting at a young age can destroy your body, it will stunt your growth. Lifting puts so much pressure on your joints, arms and legs that someone who isnt ready for it will have long term problems. Trust me the only thing that kids need who arent ready to lift is just plyometrics.

[Cburylax]

Are you kidding me? My dad owns a fitness center, it is designed mostly for high school kids, like teams will come in as a whole and do huge workouts and they wont let anyone under 15 or someone who isnt a freshman in high school come in. Lifting at a young age can destroy your body, it will stunt your growth. Lifting puts so much pressure on your joints, arms and legs that someone who isnt ready for it will have long term problems. Trust me the only thing that kids need who arent ready to lift is just plyometrics.

You are incorrect sir and you have broken the rule of citing your sources. Please read the training forums rules. Here are the sources against this stunted growth and weight lifting:

Faigenbaum, Avery D. Strength Training and Children's Health. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, Reston. March 2001. Vol. 72, Iss. 3; pg. 24-31.
Guy JA. Micheli LJ. Strength training for children and adolescents. Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 9(1):29-36, 2001 Jan-Feb.
Katch. F.L. & McArdle, W.D. (1988). Nutrition, Weight Control,and Exercise (3rd ed.) Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger.
Mannie, Ken. On the Subject of Adolescent Strength Training. Coach and Athletic Director. Jefferson City. Sep 2002.
Washington, R. Strength Training By Children and Adolescents. Pediatrics, Evanston. Jun 2001. Vol. 107, Iss. 6; pg. 1470-3.

Here is an article using these sources. The distinction that must be made is that a growth plate can be injured by anyone doing w reckless things but not limited to weight training. Youth weight training does also not mean doing complicated lifts or lifting enormous weight:
http://www.teenbodybuilding.com/derek42.htm

If you wish to discuss this point you MUST provide sources.

C

[Undy5]

"It has been found that children as young as six years old can safely participate in strength training programs (Washington, 2001). It should also be noted that the trainee should be emotionally mature enough to accept and follow directions."

This is a joke.. Tell me to give you some sources and you give me this crap? Teenbodybuilding is also off of a website that sells roids. Lifting to your stunts your growth because of the mass amount pressure on your growth plates. if you want to know the honest truth.. girls could start lifting at a younger age but thats only cause mature earlier and faster.

and if your gonna tell me to give you a source, give me one with some credit

and living proof would be cali's own arnie.. he himself has said that since he lifted to early he has problems

[Cburylax]

I've already sent you a warning about your post. The sources are what is important, not that the article is on teenbodybuilding.com. Please don't come to TLF and bring an attitude that is not welcome here. The journals are reputable, I encourage you to look them up online and read them. And please read the rules.

C

[LiquidMercury16]

Are you kidding me? My dad owns a fitness center, it is designed mostly for high school kids, like teams will come in as a whole and do huge workouts and they wont let anyone under 15 or someone who isnt a freshman in high school come in. Lifting at a young age can destroy your body, it will stunt your growth. Lifting puts so much pressure on your joints, arms and legs that someone who isnt ready for it will have long term problems. Trust me the only thing that kids need who arent ready to lift is just plyometrics.

Plyos are rougher on your joints then regular lifting....maybe your dad should rethink his business plan....

[MadCowDisease]

What about using Bowflexes?
I know some of the muscle movements can still be stressful, but are they still okay for a young person to use?

[LiquidMercury16]

Bowflex isn't as good as free weights in my opinion. I've always gotten more out of free weights but to each their own.

[slinkyspine]

As CBury has stated it's fine to lift that young

However, you probably aren't into puberty enough that lifting will benefit you much. If you want to gain muscle your best bet is to run 5k every day and just strengthen your endurance and cardiovascular systems. Then once your into your highschool years and are midway through puberty you may turn to lifting.

If you reallly want to start lifting, and its not a bad idea, you'll gain a routine you can use through highschool without forgetting and it will be habit by then. You should go to the library or even google and search up how to lift with properform. Then go to the gym and do lifting with a weight you can do 12-15 times with really good form.


If you were to lift with improper form you could really damage your body and spine. You are equally in danger of back injuries of anyone if you lift with bad form.

[VaLax7]

i know you already gave a few examples, but could you give me some more exercises categorized as plyometrics please.

[Show'emTheNumba]

Cbury I really appreciate your sources...I'm 15 5'6 and even tho that is not super short it is certainly not the tallest and i have been paranoid lately about my height and if i stunted it by lifting...but with your sources it just took a whole lot of stress off me

[LiquidMercury16]

i know you already gave a few examples, but could you give me some more exercises categorized as plyometrics please.

Get a good strength basis before you start plyos. Most highschool students aren't anywhere close to having high enough strength to be doing plyos in my professional opinion.

Just google on the web though for exercises.

[Undy5]

Get a good strength basis before you start plyos. Most highschool students aren't anywhere close to having high enough strength to be doing plyos in my professional opinion.

Just google on the web though for exercises.

You're completely right.. Doing push ups instead of a 200+ bench press is worse for you. Doing box jumps instead of squating 300+ is honestly worse for you. Do you know what the guidelines to start plyometrics is? Sqauting your body weight, leg pressing 1.5 your body weight and doing 5 push ups. And for your professional opinion.. In your profile it says your an accountant. Plyometrics are suggested to younger kids because these guidelines do not require you to be incredibly fit. and i'll let my father who has owned the business for 10+ years know what you had to say and get back to you on that.

And for cbury, i am sorry if I offened you at all. and i did read all of those journals and it went back to the same place. and all it really said was that kids can safely work out at 6, not at anypoint does it say which gender and that still seems odd to me. I currently study exercise science at a university and hoping that i will finish in such. I do not have class today but tomorrow I will ask my prof. about this and let you know what he has to say about it.

also, I stand corrected, atleast i'll admitt one right now, lifting does NOT stunt your growth

[slinkyspine]

Plyo's require a strength base for you to benefit from them. They are extremely highimpact and are great way to ruin your knees if you aren't strong enough for them Undy. Please stop preaching to a dead choir.

[LiquidMercury16]

You're completely right.. Doing push ups instead of a 200+ bench press is worse for you. Doing box jumps instead of squating 300+ is honestly worse for you. Do you know what the guidelines to start plyometrics is? Sqauting your body weight, leg pressing 1.5 your body weight and doing 5 push ups. And for your professional opinion.. In your profile it says your an accountant. Plyometrics are suggested to younger kids because these guidelines do not require you to be incredibly fit. and i'll let my father who has owned the business for 10+ years know what you had to say and get back to you on that.


Lol my professional opinion would include 3 different training certificates including ACE, ISSA, and NFPT. I'm doing accounting so I can run my own training and nutritional consulting center. As far as plyos being rougher on your joints then benching, I would say it is. Time under tension is much greater then lifting. Also if you add in Iso's to plyo's you are possibly having alot more stress because it's how exploding you are. If I do box jumps weighing 200 lbs on one leg while exploding through the movement having a force output relative to 500 lb squat then chances are in a workout, I'm going to put a lot more stress on my body then if I were squatting.

Also guidelines for plyos that you say are junk in my opinion. Before I start any of my clients they will be able to squat 1.5-2 times your bodyweight, power clean your bodyweight 5 reps, deadlift 2X bodyweight, Highpull
1.5X your bodyweight. Doing plyos in untrained (anyone who isn't able to do said requirements) allows for a greater chance of injury due to tendons and ligaments not being strong enough.

As far as your Dad's business plan being crap, go ahead and tell him. I'm not making a personal attack on you or your Dad for that matter. I'm just saying from a business prospective it's not as good. By him limiting the clientelle he is not making as much money. You yourself said you stand corrected. That means if your Dad took the same advice, he could increase his client basis. Instead of training just parts of highschool teams (freshman aren't 15 for the most part) he could be getting entire highschool teams increasing his profits. The facility is a sunk asset so once that is paid for his profit margins increase with every new client he keeps and maintains. Instead of having clients for just 3 years before they go to college, he can have them for 4, thus increasing the duration and the profit yet again. So yes your Dad's business plan is crap in the sense that it limits his clients.

[Cburylax]

ok..this is getting off topic and getting a little warm. I think the question was sufficiently dicussed. If you want to talk about plyo's please start a new thread.

[Undy5]

Lol my professional opinion would include 3 different training certificates including ACE, ISSA, and NFPT. I'm doing accounting so I can run my own training and nutritional consulting center. As far as plyos being rougher on your joints then benching, I would say it is. Time under tension is much greater then lifting. Also if you add in Iso's to plyo's you are possibly having alot more stress because it's how exploding you are. If I do box jumps weighing 200 lbs on one leg while exploding through the movement having a force output relative to 500 lb squat then chances are in a workout, I'm going to put a lot more stress on my body then if I were squatting.

Also guidelines for plyos that you say are junk in my opinion. Before I start any of my clients they will be able to squat 1.5-2 times your bodyweight, power clean your bodyweight 5 reps, deadlift 2X bodyweight, Highpull
1.5X your bodyweight. Doing plyos in untrained (anyone who isn't able to do said requirements) allows for a greater chance of injury due to tendons and ligaments not being strong enough.

As far as your Dad's business plan being crap, go ahead and tell him. I'm not making a personal attack on you or your Dad for that matter. I'm just saying from a business prospective it's not as good. By him limiting the clientelle he is not making as much money. You yourself said you stand corrected. That means if your Dad took the same advice, he could increase his client basis. Instead of training just parts of highschool teams (freshman aren't 15 for the most part) he could be getting entire highschool teams increasing his profits. The facility is a sunk asset so once that is paid for his profit margins increase with every new client he keeps and maintains. Instead of having clients for just 3 years before they go to college, he can have them for 4, thus increasing the duration and the profit yet again. So yes your Dad's business plan is crap in the sense that it limits his clients.

You my friend are completely correct.. but since you are so smart then why is rehab 90% plyos? How come in jr highs the only thing close to lifting is plyos? and for you doing a box jump weighing 200 lbs.. the force of you landing would be about just over 300 lbs. A lets say 1500 lbs car that comes to a complete stop at 60 mph is twice its weight. On a box jump your gradually come down. and if you add iso's to it, im pretty sure things like wall sits arent harder on your joints.

and for your second crack at my dad's business read what i said about it.
it is designed mostly for high school kids, like teams will come in as a whole and do huge workouts and they wont let anyone under 15 or someone who isnt a freshman in high school come in. its complete crap because he didnt limit a market. they allow people under 15.. who are in high school and its not just for high schoolers.. i said its mostly for high schoolers.. big difference