Squat form check for my 6 year old son

[Lazarus52980]

I know this is breaking a few rules about the number of reps, and about the camera position. If I need to re-do this, I will, but this is the best angle that works in my basement.

Timmy is 6 years old, and we have been working for about 6 weeks on the basic lifts. I have him doing high bar for right now since I have not been able to help him with low bar yet. I fully intend to teach him low bar, but I wanted to get him started with something.



Advice on how to proceed would be greatly appreciated.

P.S. my own research for working with kids seems to indicate that 8-12 is the best number of reps for it to be safe for them. My son as capped out at 35 lbs. right now, so my intention had been to have him work up to 12 reps at 35 lbs. and then move him back to 8 reps at 40. We tried 40 and for right now it’s too much for him.

P.P.S. Anyone have any experience teachings kids? Advice would be great.

[Tom Campitelli]

If Timmy genuinely wants to lift, then it may be time to get a coach for him who is well versed in the lifts.

There is no magic rep range that is safer. However, learning good technique will be protective. Right now, that squat is problematic. Talk to me about what you see his back doing in those lifts.

[Dastardly]

I like where Tom is going with this. Ill add my 2cents and ask; What key features do feel are important to a productive squat?

[skipbeat]

Okay, that was awful. I'm sorry, but please reduce him to a broomstick and re-read SS before attempting to teach him again. Don't take this as a personal attack, your kids joint and spinal health are on the line here.

Seriously, those are complete shit and will destroy him.

[Lazarus52980]

Okay, that was awful. I'm sorry, but please reduce him to a broomstick and re-read SS before attempting to teach him again. Don't take this as a personal attack, your kids joint and spinal health are on the line here.

Seriously, those are complete shit and will destroy him.

I don't take it as a personal attack; If I didn't want help with coaching him, I wouldn't ask for help. We workout again on Saturday and I will reduce him to a broomstick or just the bar depending on how he does and post the results again and will ask for guidance from there.

Would that be acceptable?

[Lazarus52980]

If Timmy genuinely wants to lift, then it may be time to get a coach for him who is well versed in the lifts.

There is no magic rep range that is safer. However, learning good technique will be protective. Right now, that squat is problematic. Talk to me about what you see his back doing in those lifts.

That is a fair question. I had felt that his back was improving and my one RL friend who taught me seemed to think it was ok, but was obviously mistaken. Actually, I had been intending to do a workout with him on Saturday, but since this seems to be really bad, let me get him downstairs and I will video a set with a broomstick, and one with the bar and see if you guys see an improvement. Give me 30 min.

[skipbeat]

I'm actually more interested in seeing your squat at this point, for comparison.

[Lazarus52980]

I'm actually more interested in seeing your squat at this point, for comparison.

Um... Alright, I will try to get my wife to video me doing a fairly heavy set of 5 to give a decent comparison (fairly heavy for me is about 275).

Give me 20 min.

[Lazarus52980]

Ok, the angle is not very good, but my wife has never recorded me before and I didn't have time to go over how to do a better job of it (she is also 9 months pregnant and its tough for her to squat down to record it). If its really a crappy recording, I will get another one tomorrow night durning my regular workout.



I will upload the video's of Timmy doing the broomstick and the 15 lbs bar just for reference.

[Lazarus52980]

Timmy with just the 15 lb bar:



Timmy with just a broomstick: