After lock down I’m taking him to a proper gym. I cant keep up with him. He needs a coach. I’m worried about hurting him by over loading him…
Yeah, theres no specific age as to when to start lifting. Starting early could prove beneficial, it helps to boost overall physical health too. But, proper technique and supervision is a must, and moderation is also recommended.
I started working physically at 12. My father was a masonry contractor and I started working as a labourer/tender. Mixing mud, carrying blocks and bricks, wheeling concrete, the whole nine yards. I was a reasonably big kid. I started lifting weight on my own a little later, when I managed to aquire weights (The old concrete filled vinyl setup everyone had in the 80’s). I outgrew my projected adult height and got hurt just about never from anything. No downsides, no supervision of any kind, here I am. The main pluses are excellent bone density from doing weight bearing stuff, and you have to aquire a certain level of maturity and organization and self-motivation to make it happen. It also gave me an excellent outlet for my undiagnosed ADHD that helped me stop getting in fights and stupid trouble.
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All the parents who are scared of their children (particularly girls) lifting weights conveniently forget how dangerous conventional sports are
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You have no idea how right you are. I coach under 7’s rugby and my kid (an under 7) does basic lifting. I’m constantly told its dangerous for him.
Yeah, cuz rugby is massively risk free
Edit; that quote reply went bad. No idea why…
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Girls soccer, gymnastics, American football…
Even “safe” sports like cross country and baseball have incredibly high injury rates.
This doesn’t even count the danger of kids being kids ie. Trampolines, jumping off shit, tag…
Cross country is shocking for your knees.
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Shin splints too. Our season started in August, by October, 1/2 the team was out or recovering
This whole conversation is one of those things that bugs me. Here are a few things that society doesn’t bat an eye at for minors to do:
Skate boarding
Foot ball
Riding bikes
Eating copious amounts of sugar
Becoming obese
Being inactive
Gymnastics (tumbling is much more detrimental to your joints than weights)
Ride in a vehicle (Number 1 killer of children under 12 in the US)
But if a kid touches a barbell they’re calling child protective services?! People need to move on. Let kids develop healthy exercise habits whatever they may be! They want to run, jump, lift, climb whatever just do something besides eating snack cakes chips and playing video games.
To the OP:
Here’s advice echoed on this forum over and over. Get stronger with moderate weights 8-10 reps maybe even 6-10 reps, don’t constantly go for one reps maxes. Save that for a meet or a testing day and keep those seldom. Everyday isn’t testing Day or meet day. Practice SLOW linear progression…they make 2.5 lb plates for a reason. Use them. Use compound movements. Use good form. If you don’t have good form find a coach to train you. Make videos of your lifts for feed back and figure out what needs to change. Protect your joints. Not because you’re young but because you’re human. If you like programs find one that makes you excited and run it to the letter.
Hope this helps and good luck in the future.
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https://www.instagram.com/p/CCOjbB6gcPb/?igshid=clxn9p4cbkqq
If anyone asks tell em to take it up with these official bodies
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Exactly this.
USA POWERLIFTING lowest competitive age is 8yrs.
As a child I worked on a farm. Carried buckets of water and feed same as a farmer’s walk in the gym no damage. Also hauled hay could be classified as a clean and jerk also no damage. I believe that the use of weight training for a kid probably isn’t going to be detrimental to their health
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