My latest at PJ Media: Kids and Strength Training

[Mark Rippetoe]

Concern about growth plates is something I hear about even for teens. Where can I find some information to help dispell these myths?

What has been your experience with teens? Do you know any that lifted weights? Do you have google-search capability?

[JimtheConquerer]

The mighty search engine strikes again! Yagoogleize this phrase:
"growth plates weightlifting teen site:startingstrength.com" sans the quotes.

[JimtheConquerer]

Mik knows lots of things. Like weight training causes lack of flexibility, and old age caused like of flexibility...ergo weightlifting==aging.
Seems pretty reasonable to me. Time to sell my weights and by a yoga mat.

[MBasic]

Concern about growth plates is something I hear about even for teens. Where can I find some information to help dispell these myths?

here


LA TIMES ARTICLE

NY TIMES blog article?

Youth resistance training: updated position statement paper from the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Some of Rip's regular readings I'm sure.
I guess things are slowly changing.

regarding growth plate thing:

Back in the 1970s, researchers in Japan studied child laborers and discovered that, among their many misfortunes, the juvenile workers tended to be abnormally short. Physical labor, the researchers concluded, with its hours of lifting and moving heavy weights, had stunted the children’s growth. Somewhat improbably, from that scientific finding and other similar reports, as well as from anecdotes and accreting myth, many people came to believe “that children and adolescents should not” practice weight training

. . . so it all snowballs from that I guess.

Reminds of the ONE quack doctor who said 'deep' squats were bad with his fucked up study ("loose knees"), everyone runs with that and has/is taking forever to reverse the public perception on that issue.

[Bill Been]

From the Comments, someone called Tom Jones cuts to the heart of the problem:

"I think the problem with the Rip Article Comments Sections is that most of the people commenting don't actually know what the words 'strength' and 'train' / 'training' mean."

[Dave Longley]

Superb. Thank you.

[JimtheConquerer]

My favorite argument in the comments section was the people disagreeing with rip by taking the stance that kids shouldn't lift. You know that same stance Rip was advocating for.

[Zach Metzger]

What has been your experience with teens? Do you know any that lifted weights? Do you have google-search capability?

I will search first in the future.

I don't have experience coaching teens, only some with adults.

[John Janecek]

16 years of strength coaching kids grades 6-12 (12yrs to 18 yrs) and never a single problem. Had some concerned parents from time to time but communication and reassuring them we werent loading 500lbs on little Timmy's back on day one of his 6th grade year was all %99 of them needed.

I have alot of old research stuff printed out in a folder (old NSCA position papers, email from Lon Kilgore,other squat/lifting articles etc) I let parents look at if they want, one is this article:

BFS Magazine Archives

Has 124 articles or studies done with weight training and its effects.

I think once they see you are basically "teaching" their kid how to do something it becomes less of a worry and more like any other class at school. Helps if you know what your talking about and are prepared to give an educated answer.

[Yonason Herschlag]

Here's a video of a cute 10 year old girl deadlifting 100 kg, with decent form. Apparently her successful training is not the norm.
10 year old Naomi Kutin Deadlifts 209 at 92.8 lbs at the 2012 Raw Unity Meet - YouTube