What is the youngest age a person can lift weights?

[240 is Back]

How soon can you let a kid lift weights?  I'm guessing something like this -

Age 5 or 6 for sports handstands, gynmastics, etc
Age 7 for body weight stuff (pushups, situps, crab walk, etc)
Age 10 or 11 or 12 for weights?

What is the earliest safe age to start a kid lifting with light dumbbells?   I don't want to stunt growth.  Thanks!

[TheShape.]

Kids should just play outside and get all their vitamins. Once puberty hits, that's the time to lift weights imo.

[DanM]

I think the best thing you can do is put him in sports, being more than one for a few years, have him build up a good base without much lifting, doing just bodyweight stuff until he's a teenager, then introduce him to the barbell lifts and simple programming

[BB]

You could start them early on the weights, most of the strength and conditioning journals agree that age 8 - 9 is about the earliest to start weight based training. They also advise higher rep ranges (12 - 20), with submaximal weights over a limited amount of exercises and sets(2-3 sets per exercise). Something like the old York barbell courses are probably ideal, minus the Olympic lifts.

[calfzilla]

Got my son started on Dog Crap training and 6,000 calories diet at 4 years old. He's asking if he can start running dbol and I just laugh and tell him not till he's 7.

[hazbin]

I bought my first weights when I was ten.  I did everything wrong and was very damaged by the time I was 14.  pic of me at 12 (1977)

[Coach is Back!]

How soon can you let a kid lift weights?  I'm guessing something like this -

Age 5 or 6 for sports handstands, gynmastics, etc
Age 7 for body weight stuff (pushups, situps, crab walk, etc)
Age 10 or 11 or 12 for weights?

What is the earliest safe age to start a kid lifting with light dumbbells?   I don't want to stunt growth.  Thanks!

You're not going to stunt growth unless a growth plate is broken. My kid started at 7 with bodyweight, after a full year of training light dumbbell work no straight bar, no loading the spine and nothing overhead. You won't start seeing real strength gains until 10-11 but tendons and ligaments will be strong for sports. Different for every kid but usually you won't see physical change until 13-14 or when puberty starts.

[240 is Back]

You're not going to stunt growth unless a growth plate is broken. My kid started at 7 with bodyweight, after a full year of training light dumbbell work no straight bar, no loading the spine and nothing overhead. You won't start seeing real strength gains until 10-11 but tendons and ligaments will be strong for sports. Different for every kid but usually you won't see physical change until 13-14 or when puberty starts.

thanks.  that seems to be everything I'm reading - it's safe.

what about if they had a broken arm years ago?  All healed up nicely - but will that affect a 'growth plate'?

[Coach is Back!]

thanks.  that seems to be everything I'm reading - it's safe.

what about if they had a broken arm years ago?  All healed up nicely - but will that affect a 'growth plate'?

No. Growth plates are at the joints. Kids are resilient and the arm will heal stronger than it was before.

[240 is Back]

No. Growth plates are at the joints. Kids are resilient and the arm will heal stronger than it was before.

awesome, thanks.   First beer is on me when President Cruz is sworn in.   

[Coach is Back!]

awesome, thanks.   First beer is on me when President Cruz is sworn in.   

Anyone but a liberal. BTW, I drink an 805 blond

[Primemuscle]

The best time for your child to lift weights is when they show an interest in it. The best thing a parent can do is support what their child is interested in doing with regards to sports and exercise. If they have no interest in these things, support that too. If they're interested in taxidermy at a young age, it might be best to get them counseling  so they don't become another Jeffrey Dahmer. I'm not kidding!

[Coach is Back!]

The best time for your child to lift weights is when they show an interest in it. The best thing a parent can do is support what their child is interested in doing with regards to sports and exercise. If they have no interest in these things, support that too. If they're interested in taxidermy at a young age, it might be best to get them counseling  so they don't become another Jeffrey Dahmer. I'm not kidding!

Pretty sure his question was physiological.

[240 is Back]

The best time for your child to lift weights is when they show an interest in it. The best thing a parent can do is support what their child is interested in doing with regards to sports and exercise. If they have no interest in these things, support that too. If they're interested in taxidermy at a young age, it might be best to get them counseling  so they don't become another Jeffrey Dahmer. I'm not kidding!

We've done karate, tennis, and tons of running.  Lots of playground chins and all that.
I've been putting off the weights but after reading this thread and some articles, I'm ready to allow some light light dumbbell work.   he's been asking for a while.  I told him I had to ask the experts first.

[240 is Back]

Anyone but a liberal. BTW, I drink an 805 blond

 

[Coach is Back!]

We've done karate, tennis, and tons of running.  Lots of playground chins and all that.
I've been putting off the weights but after reading this thread and some articles, I'm ready to allow some light light dumbbell work.   he's been asking for a while.  I told him I had to ask the experts first.

Just let him play for now. Don't worry about it this young. He just need to learn his body. If you do something athletic with him have him do some speed and agility drills. Ladder work, proper change of direction, etc. this will allow him to learn different motor patterns. That alone (for now) will get him stronger and he will gain neural adaptation.

[cephissus]

if i were you i would be desperately trying to clear up any body image issues

tell him about steroids, tell him bodybuilders aren't athletes

[local hero]

As much as we try and wind up and call coach, I'm sure most of us would have benefitted having his guidance when starting out

[WOOO]

How soon can you let a kid lift weights?  I'm guessing something like this -

Age 5 or 6 for sports handstands, gynmastics, etc
Age 7 for body weight stuff (pushups, situps, crab walk, etc)
Age 10 or 11 or 12 for weights?

What is the earliest safe age to start a kid lifting with light dumbbells?   I don't want to stunt growth.  Thanks!

1 day old. The weights just have to be very small.

[Van_Bilderass]

I think a child can gain a little muscle pre-puberty. I don't think testosterone is essential for some hypertrophy. I trained for a bit at 9 years old and saw some changes. I remember reading about this in some medical paper as well, how test isn't necessary.

[Yamcha]

if i were you i would be desperately trying to clear up any body image issues

hit a little too close to home, did we?

[_aj_]

LOL @ "stunt growth"

[Primemuscle]

We've done karate, tennis, and tons of running.  Lots of playground chins and all that.
I've been putting off the weights but after reading this thread and some articles, I'm ready to allow some light light dumbbell work.   he's been asking for a while.  I told him I had to ask the experts first.

I hope you don't think Getbiggers are experts on this.

It seems like you and your son really bond. That's excellent! This doesn't happen often enough, especially not these days when there are so many distractions.

[Primemuscle]

Pretty sure his question was physiological.

I got that. It's not the only thing to consider.

[Azure]

Kids should be working on motor skills, mobility, and agility until about 15 or so. Bodyweight is fine until then.