IT’S NOT SAFE FOR KIDS TO LIFT WEIGHTS – IT WILL STUNT THEIR GROWTH.
Have you ever heard anyone say this?
For those of us that work in the fitness industry, this is something that we hear all the time (even from fellow professionals) and it’s only natural for us as parents and professionals to want to protect our children.
However, what would be your response if I told you that the risk of injury to children is far greater for those that don’t do weight training?
To understand what I mean we first have to look at the origin of the notion that lifting weights will harm our children and stunt their growth.
Back in the 1970’s, researchers in Japan studied child labourers and found that the juvenile workforce tended to be abnormally short. The conclusion was then drawn by the researchers that the short stature came about due to the hours of heavy lifting and physical labour the children were exposed to with their employment. In saying this however, what the researchers didn’t factor in was that the children forced into child labour came from impoverished conditions (hence the reason for them being child labourers) and that the impaired growth was a result of nutritional deficiencies.
Not only was the notion that lifting weights will stunt a child’s growth founded on a flawed conclusion, but in actual fact a major review published in Pediatrics in 2010 suggest weight training can be not only safe for young people, it can also be beneficial.
Okay, so what now? We know there are in fact benefits to kids lifting weight, so what should we do?
Well at EmpowerFit, before we let any kids loose in our Kids or Teens programs, we need to make sure that they’re performing the movements with the correct foundations, correct technique and under the eye of a professional coach to ensure safety.Safety is the key factor here. If kids (just like adults) are not performing movements correct
Well at EmpowerFit, before we let any kids loose in our Kids or Teens programs, we need to make sure that they’re performing the movements with the correct foundations, correct technique and under the eye of a professional coach to ensure safety.
Safety is the key factor here. If kids (just like adults) are not performing movements correctly then no, they should not be lifting weights. In starting any exercise regime it is important to build a solid foundation to start from. If you have a solid foundation and can perform movements safely, then and only then, should we build intensity of which weight training is one strategy.
With the average school back pack heavier (proportionally) than the legal load-carrying limits for adults, it’s fair to say that the bigger injury to risk presented to our children is that they are not taught how to lift safely.
Click here if you’re interested in more information about how we work with our little athletes to teach safe technique for life.
ly then no, they should not be lifting weights. In starting any exercise regime it is important to build a solid foundation to start from. If you have a solid foundation and can perform movements safely, then and only then, should we build intensity of which weight training is one strategy.
With the average school back pack heavier (proportionally) than the legal load-carrying limits for adults, it’s fair to say that the bigger injury to risk presented to our children is that they are not taught how to lift safely.
Click here if you’re interested in more information about how we work with our little athletes to teach safe technique for life.
