bench press - teenager

[cl]

My son is fourteen years old and has started weight lifting this year since he is now a freshmen in high school and playing football. Well he has gotten the bug for lifting and came to me and said he wanted a bench shirt??? I looked it up on the web. After looking at them and reading a little about them told my son I did not think he really needed one at this point and at his age. My son is 6'0 and weighs 175 and he benched 200 lbs the other day for the first time... I wanted to get an educated opinion on the bench shirt? Thanks in advance...

[Hedgehog]

Benchpress shirts can, and should, wait until age 17-18 IMO.

There is no point in putting a shirt on him before that, as he needs to strengthen his joints as well as his muscles right now.

If he starts using a shirt right now, chances are he could tear a ligament, a joint, or a muscle.

And his longterm benchpress won't benefit either.

[phreak]

He might eventually need one if he is going to compete. Until that time he should do without one. He won't be wearing one while playing ball, so his football is better off with him training without a bench shirt.

[Stubborn]

Benchpress shirts can, and should, wait until age 17-18 IMO.

There is no point in putting a shirt on him before that, as he needs to strengthen his joints as well as his muscles right now.

If he starts using a shirt right now, chances are he could tear a ligament, a joint, or a muscle.

And his longterm benchpress won't benefit either.

Good advice here! Everyone starts somewhere....FOR A REASON.