Archive article: Why Your Kids Should Be Lifting Weights

[Mark Rippetoe]

Why Your Kids Should Be Lifting Weights | Mark Rippetoe

[Christopher Anderson]

My son is only 4 month, and I have already printed this out to save and show his mother when I start him lifting.

[TommyGun]

Brilliant piece. Seems so basic, so impossible to refute, but many parents will not want their special snowflake under the bar. But it's OK for their kids to spend time playing useless video games.

I have shared this with many parents. I think they know in their heart that it's all true, but somehow they don't take action.. Fortunately my wife has seen me get strong and knows the benefits of strength, and wants my 12 yr old son and daughter to train with me when they are ready. The plan is three more years before LP.

Coach, thank you for writing what many of us think but cannot put into words as elequently as you can.

[David Lee]

My 12-year old started about 6 weeks ago. He really enjoys it--always wants to try to add weight to the bar. It's been a great bonding experience for both of us. Deadlift and OHP came together pretty quickly, the squat has taken until this week to look pretty good. The great thing is at 12(versus 50), we have tons of time to make progress. My wife is all for it.

[David Kirkham]

It seems more and more time is spent in front of a screen. I do wonder how this new pathology will express itself in the upcoming years. We didn't evolve to sit and stare at video games. No doubt the bar would go a long way to mitigating video game-itis. No doubt few will take the medicine.

[MWittmer]

When my son was 11 he got careless and over confident with a set of squats, going down and up pretty quickly. On the 4th rep, he lost his balance and pitched forward into the wall. I pulled the bar off of his back and he avoided injury. After admonishing him, I began to unload the bar for presses. He freaked, "What are you doing?" I told him that was enough squatting and we'd move on to the press. He argued and I figured it's only 60 pounds, I'm right there so he won't get hurt, what the hell. I reloaded the bar, and stood behind him as he prepared for the set.

With his hands on the racked bar, he began jerking it and yelling, "I can do it! I can do it! I'm the man!" At that point I realized I had created a monster.

[Bestafter60]

My 3-1/2 year old granddaughter likes to come upstairs and watch her "Bampaw" lift weights. Yesterday I had her pressing my 1lb. plates for sets of 5. She quickly put them down and grabbed the 2, then 3 then 5lb plates and pressed them overhead because the others were just too light. She says with pride she's a "strong girl".*

Then last night she told me she was going to be stronger than me. I think she's got game! I also believe that kids take for normal whatever they see and many are inclined to push it farther.

Started whispering to my 3 month old grandson about deadlifting...

[Mainstream]

jumping rope, wrestling,fishing, hiking in the fresh air etc...they should learn the greatest lesson of all...that physical exercise is fun...they need to move their bodies in all sorts of ways and develop mastery of their bodies....and that the outdoors are fun

Then they need sports to learn to work as a team..to understand social interactions and how to assert yourself and get along with others....

Dont ruin your kids childhood by sticking them in a smelly gym

[Mark Rippetoe]

Has someone here suggested that play be replaced by a smelly gym? Have you not read my position on this topic? Have you failed to understand the fact that this article refers to older kids?

Mainstream is a famous troll on this board. As a new policy, trolls like him, leroy, dpt, and their buddies will be limited to one trolling post per topic. All subsequent posts will be deleted.

[MWittmer]

jumping rope, wrestling,fishing, hiking in the fresh air etc...they should learn the greatest lesson of all...that physical exercise is fun...they need to move their bodies in all sorts of ways and develop mastery of their bodies....and that the outdoors are fun

Then they need sports to learn to work as a team..to understand social interactions and how to assert yourself and get along with others....

Dont ruin your kids childhood by sticking them in a smelly gym

Depends on the kid. Granted, kids are too inactive these days and while mine were active in sports, I can't say they did any of the above. My son loved going to the gym and literally begged me to take him (he trained at home) and eventually it became an every Saturday event. Can't say we ever discussed the smell though.