A couple of weeks in the past, I shared a brief video of me deadlifting in my house gymnasium with my 3-year-old toddler subsequent to me, copying me along with his personal little barbell. It was a type of candy moments I can’t assist however share—I simply love these bonding moments.
Quickly after, a mother or father messaged me: “Is that truly secure? I’ve at all times heard that weight coaching can stunt a toddler’s progress.”
And what? It’s a legitimate concern.
As a result of as dad and mom, we would like our youngsters to be energetic and wholesome—however we additionally need them to be secure.
So let’s speak about that concern. The place it comes from, what the science really says, and what to look out for with regards to resistance coaching for youngsters.
The place Did the “Lifting Stunts Progress” Delusion Come From?
In the event you grew up listening to that lifting weights too early may “injury your bones” or “make you shorter,” you’re not alone. That perception has been round for some time.
However the place did it really come from?
A part of it’s linked to the concern of injuring one thing referred to as the progress plates—areas of creating cartilage close to the ends of kids’s bones, the place bone progress occurs. So naturally, the thought of loading weight onto a rising skeleton raised considerations.
Then there’s the picture of many Olympic weightlifters: quick, highly effective athletes who raise huge hundreds. It’s straightforward to imagine the game made them that manner—however that’s not what occurred.
They’re quick as a result of that physique sort offers them a mechanical benefit within the sport. Not as a result of lifting stunted their progress.
Enjoyable reality: The all-time world document holder in snatch and clear and jerk, Lasha Talakhadze, is a towering 6 ft 6 inches tall (197 cm).
The unique concern comes from outdated assumptions and a misunderstanding of what really causes progress points.
What the Science Truly Says About Energy Coaching and Progress
Let’s begin with the massive one: No, lifting weights doesn’t stunt a toddler’s progress.
In reality, when achieved correctly, resistance coaching has no detrimental impact on bone improvement. Quite the opposite, it might probably really enhance bone density, coordination, and assist stop damage.
Particularly as your baby will get older, combining resistance coaching with different sports activities can scale back their threat of damage.
Right here’s what the analysis exhibits:
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A assessment printed in Pediatrics concluded there may be no proof that youth resistance coaching negatively impacts progress plates or linear progress.
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The Nationwide Energy and Conditioning Affiliation (NSCA) states that youth power coaching applications, when correctly supervised, are secure and useful.
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The American Academy of Pediatrics helps power coaching for youngsters, so long as the main focus is on method and never maximal weights.
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A examine within the Journal of Energy and Conditioning Analysis discovered that damage charges in youth weight coaching are considerably decrease than in lots of well-liked sports activities.
How Protected Is Youth Weight Coaching, Actually?
Let’s check out damage charges per 1,000 hours of participation throughout completely different sports activities:
| Exercise | Damage Fee |
| Supervised Weight Coaching | ~0.7 accidents |
| Gymnastics | 0.5 – 1.3 accidents |
| Soccer (Coaching) | 3.7 – 11.1 accidents |
| Soccer (Video games) | 9.5 – 48.7 accidents |
| Basketball | 14 – 22 accidents |
| American Soccer | 5.7 – 6.8 accidents |
Seems, resistance coaching is among the most secure bodily actions your baby can do—when achieved proper.
When Weight Coaching Can Be a Concern for Children
So now that we’ve busted the parable, let’s speak about when weight coaching really can be dangerous for youths.
Like something, it is determined by the way it’s achieved.
Weight coaching turns into an issue when:
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Children raise weights unsupervised
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Nobody checks their kind or method
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They’re pushed to raise too heavy, too quickly
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Tools isn’t suited to their measurement
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There’s no development or satisfactory restoration
However let’s be trustworthy—that’s not simply true for youths. That’s how adults get injured too. It appears lifting weights safely isn’t about age—it’s about how we prepare.
Find out how to Make Energy Coaching Protected for Children
Right here’s easy methods to maintain it secure, sensible, and useful:
✅ Supervision by somebody educated in power coaching methods and progressions
✅ Concentrate on method—not the quantity of weight
✅ Age-appropriate programming with correct relaxation
✅ Tools that matches their physique
✅ Maintain it enjoyable, skill-based, and interesting—particularly for youthful youngsters
When these issues are in place, lifting weights turns into not simply secure—it turns into a basis for future motion abilities and lifelong physique consciousness.
Why This Issues So A lot for Dad and mom
As a result of all of us need our youngsters to be sturdy, energetic, and assured. However we additionally need to defend them.
As a substitute of avoiding power coaching or creating concern round it, let’s train them to do it proper.
As a result of when it’s achieved proper, power coaching doesn’t simply construct muscle. It builds resilience, confidence, and lifelong wholesome habits.
And that’s one thing value lifting for. Wouldn’t you agree? —Marlene
References:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3483033/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3418954/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0949328X20301903