‘World’s Strongest Girl’

[tdood]

The Star Ledger, our local paper in NJ (where she is from) had this to say..I was kind of impressed.

"Avery Faigenbaum, professor of exercise science at the College of New Jersey, said the notion that weightlifting is unsafe or could stunt growth is outdated medicine.

“Categorically, every one of those myths have been dispelled,” he said. “You cannot find a doctor who believes strength training is dangerous. The research says that strength training can be one of the safer activities for children.”

The key, Faigenbaum said, is proper progression, proper technique, and proper supervision. Without those, injury can occur. Children should not attempt to lift 200 pounds by themselves or on their first try, he said, but that is equally true for adults."

[51M0n]

“You cannot find a doctor who believes strength training is dangerous." ]

If only this were true. Nevertheless its good to see at least one news article that gets it right.

[ibbz786]

Are people so insecure, that they need to compare themselves with a 10 year old girl lol. Focus on your own training and your own pace/progess, don't try and keep up with the rest of the worlds lifting numbers or you will just go back to a place before starting strength where you're more interested in how much your lifting than how stronger you're getting.

[Nikonguy]

WOW! I'd better alert the olympic weightlifting coach at the high school where I work. All the teeny tiny 13-14 yo girls he's coaching (to state championships) are in mortal danger!

[Dastardly]

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.

I never really thought about this, a very caring angle. You just taught me some E-manners.

[Will Morris]

I never really thought about this, a very caring angle. You just taught me some E-manners.

Something to consider when deciding whether or not weight training is dangerous to children....simply walking downhill amounts to a stress of 4-6x your BW on your hip joint. That means a child who weighs 100lbs has a force equal to 400-600lbs exerted on the epiphyseal plates, and miraculously, their epiphyseal plates seem to manage just fine. How many children has anyone here seen that can squat 4-6 times their bodyweight?

Epiphyseal plates are fairly robust when it comes to absorbing compression forces, however, they aren't so good at taking shearing forces. This is the exact reason why kids who are properly coached and supervised on their training have an astronomically low incidence of epiphyseal plate injuries.

I find it interesting that doctors, PTs, OTs, etc. will make comments that weight training is dangerous to children, however, they will sign off on physicals so children can play baseball. Take a look at the incidence of epiphyseal plate injuries of little league pitchers. Or, even better, look at the incidence of Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis on overweight prepubescent boys. Even doing nothing, overweight children are at risk of growth plate injuries.

[Mark Rippetoe]

...simply walking downhill amounts to a stress of 4-6x your BW on your hip joint. That means a child who weighs 100lbs has a force equal to 400-600lbs exerted on the epiphyseal plates

I'd be interested in knowing how this was calculated.

[Steve Hill]

I'd be interested in knowing how this was calculated.

Impact loading. We've talked about it before.

[Will Morris]

We were taught the calculation was the force couple of the Head, Arms, and Trunk (HAT), and the Ground Reaction Force by the moment arm of the proximal most point of force application of the GRF to the distal point of force application of the HAT.

Of course, I reserve the right to be called completely full of shit as I have not measured joint compression forces in situ.

[Will Morris]

I'll go back and check, but I'm pretty sure it came out of the Levangie and Norkin Joint Function book.