Youngsters Need Strength Too

[BikeJAG]

Awesome article. I have two boys, 11 and 8. My 8 year old is 96 pounds, stocky and can lift my skinny 11 year old (106 pounds) and wants to do weights so I want to start him off right. I think he could easily deadlift his body weight right now. My 11 year old is more athletic and does gymnastics, is lankier and wants to build strength too but is not so much into raw power as my younger son. So here's my question, do I adapt standard programming for them or is there another training method based on Starting Strength for kids that would be better at these ages to get them going given age and interest level?

Thx,
Bill

[cabish]

I'm hoping to see the follow up article to this with some idea's for kids training. I have a 77 pound, 9 year old football player who wants to get stronger and there seems to be a lot more information like this than what is available on this site.

[bagbr]

very much enjoyed the article, thank you. it raised a couple questions tho. I recall reading earlier in a SS article - sorry not exactly sure which article- that kids ought to reach Tanner IV (if I'm remembering correctly) before doing the SS program. clearly some kids at the ages discussed in the article would not have reached that level of physical maturity. so which is the preferred way to go? also, would my ten year old by going through his novice progression before the hormone boost he can expect in his teens miss out on some of the benefit? In short, is there a synergism in combining novice effect and teen hormonal explosión? and if so is it worth waiting for? thanks for any guidance. want him to get the most possible out of this window of time.

[Mark Rippetoe]

As I've said many times, a child of 10 cannot train in the sense that we use the term. He can lift weights recreationally, but training must wait until Tanner Stage IV.