• Question: If a 14 year old goes to the gym and lifts weights, will he stop growing?

    Asked by maciej to Alison, Artem, Caroline, John, Gunther on 19 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Artem Evdokimov

      Artem Evdokimov answered on 19 Jun 2012:

      This is the same question as here: /brominej12-zone/2012/06/19/is-it-bad-for-you-if-you-go-to-the-gym-at-a-young-age/

      more or less

      There seems to be no documented evidence for growth impairment as such, but children should be especially cautious with strength training – and even more so if there is a competitive element involved because of the potential for physical injury. Weight lifting can cause trauma regardless of who is doing it.

    • Photo: John Short

      John Short answered on 19 Jun 2012:

      To add to Artem’s comment:
      You have go to be careful when Strength training and not weightlifting

      For kids, light resistance and controlled movements are best — with a special emphasis on proper technique and safety. Children can do many strength training exercises with his or her own body weight or inexpensive resistance tubing. Free weights and machine weights are other options.

      Don’t confuse strength training with weightlifting, bodybuilding or powerlifting. These activities are largely driven by competition, with participants vying to lift heavier weights or build bigger muscles than those of other athletes. This can put too much strain on young muscles, tendons and areas of cartilage that haven’t yet turned to bone (growth plates) — especially when proper technique is sacrificed in favor of lifting larger amounts of weight.

      However, many gyms have special sessions for young people – and being supervised or taught how to use the machines properly is a must.

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