‘World’s Strongest Girl’

[DV]

It came from the doctor's oath of "do no harm". Originally it wasn't known what would happen with the growth plates and because its better to error to the side of safety, strength training was contraindicated for children.

This seems to be the doctors automated response to pretty much everything. Knees hurt? Stop squatting. Shoulders hurt? Stop pressing anything above 10 lbs. and so on and so forth. I more had it pegged for "covering your ass" but I guess "do no harm" sounds better.

[Mark Edward]

If you care to track down the news story, the comments there are an absolute joy. Sample:

Anonymouse 18 hours ago
215lb deadlift? I can do that with one arm. This is ridiculous. Just go ahead and guarantee an adolescence of ostracism. There seems to be talent in the family; why can't you aim her in a productive hobby. I bet pops is a real joy to live with. Way to celebrate child abuse CBS!

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[mrflibble]

strength training was contraindicated for children.

But, strangely enough, running, jumping and soccer are all ok?

[pkelly54]

My mom started this in 1970 when I wanted to play little league.

I heard the same thing in 1960. It was folklore then. That is to say "Everybody knows lifting weights can stunt your growth."

There was a term "musclebound" used at that time. I have not heard that word used recently.

I think John Grimek had to deal with both these misguided opinions in the 1930's.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I agree with SumDumGoi. Why don't you want the video posted, Rip?

It's already POSTED, but it won't be posted here, because the girl is 10 years old, and I don't think it's appropriate to show her bad technique or to criticize it publicly. She might see it, and she's just a kid.

[mikeinmadrid]

It's already POSTED, but it won't be posted here, because the girl is 10 years old, and I don't think it's appropriate to show her bad technique or to criticize it publicly. She might see it, and she's just a kid.

She's a strong girl. I'm sure she could take some critical advice from a top coach. I hate to think what squatting heavy weights while looking at the ceiling is going to do to her neck over the next ten years.

[Mr_Rogers]

This seems to be the doctors automated response to pretty much everything. Knees hurt? Stop squatting. Shoulders hurt? Stop pressing anything above 10 lbs. and so on and so forth. I more had it pegged for "covering your ass" but I guess "do no harm" sounds better.

My sister-in-law was up a few months ago and her PT and Dr. both told her no more squatting at or below parallel. I busted out the TUBOW, showed her how to low-bar squat and she's been able to get proper depth without any knee pain whatsoever (she has "jumpers knee"). Her posterior chain on the other hand, that's a different story. I guess she looked quite foolish walking around her office a few days after her first session at the gym :-)

[Steve Hill]

She's a strong girl. I'm sure she could take some critical advice from a top coach. I hate to think what squatting heavy weights while looking at the ceiling is going to do to her neck over the next ten years.

She's a 10-year old being coached/trained by her father. Unless asked, you do not insert yourself into this situation. Surely you can see this.

[hopsluvr]

Just a stab in the dark at why the myth exists. My thinking over the years of seeing all the jacked short guys doing bodybuilding routines, was that many of them lifted to compensate for their lack of height. I know that was a lot of the motivation for my lifting early on, after having my ass handed to me by my four older brothers that were all 6'+.

The natural conclusion for people who didn't know any better may have been: "With so many short bodybuilder's out there, it must have been the weightlifting that stunted their growth."

[David Lee]

It's already POSTED, but it won't be posted here, because the girl is 10 years old, and I don't think it's appropriate to show her bad technique or to criticize it publicly. She might see it, and she's just a kid.

Thank you