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Is a 12 yr old too young for weight training?
- Thread starter BBR100
- Start date
all the whey
New member
CMarc said:
I know a Dr. who told me there is a large increase in high school kids getting injures and needing physical therapy.
He said it is from them starting too soon lifting heavy weights. I am sure you see the kids at the gym that mainly max on the bench, squat heavy, and throw 1,000lbs on the dead lift.
There has to be some workout programs designed for kids????
I always recommend lighter weights with a fairly high intensity. (around 12 reps)
I started lifting at age 12. And, I didn't have any problems until I started using heavier weights when I was older.
Basic_wonder
New member
yes its too young, if he is active in sports and hangs out outside he should develop naturally at that age.
all the whey
New member
HumanTarget said:
true
Dr. said best thing for a young kid starting out is pushups, pullups, dips, etc.
BBR100
New member
They started a program at my gym for kids 12+ but mostly group cardio classes. This is good but I agree with you. Lighter weight higher reps (10-12) for squats, bench and deads would be good for him.
People running this program discouraged me from getting him into weights.
Thanks for your replies.
People running this program discouraged me from getting him into weights.
Thanks for your replies.
BBR100
New member
Probably right.all the whey said:
He is a little weak and I don't think he could manage to do a single pullup or dip so thought lower weights might help.
Physically maturing and lots of activity probably best.
I hadn't considered spinal compression.
Like a lot of kids these days, outside of organized sports he doesn't get into too many pickup games with friends of any sort, besides street hockey with a 2-3 friends.
all the whey
New member
CMarc said:
True. I would be nervous about a young kid doing squats.
However, the most important thing to teach a young kid about maintaining a healthy workout routine is not let him get P whipped by an evil wimmins.
all the whey
New member
HumanTarget said:
Right.
Best thing to do is. "Do as I say, AND what I do"
The high school kids at the gym always ask for advice to get bigger. I tell them to quit maxing. and say "do you ever see me lifting heavy weights?"
all the whey
New member
HumanTarget said:
No shit.
I have got a couple of kids to stop some the heavier weight by telling them to worry more about the volume.
400 x 10 = 4,000lbs
500 x 3 = 1,500 lbs
I know volume isn't evrything. But, it gets their attention.
al420
New member
My 9yr old competed in his first Olympic Meet 3 months ago. There were 11 kids in his age class.
At 34 kilos he Clean & Jerked 25 kilos, and Snatched 18 kilos.
I will PM you the studies I read prior to getting my son in the gym. There are several on Pubmed and several on a SPorts Medicine website.
The big medical publication in China just came out w/ a study ont he benefits of Oly style training pre-puberty.
Form is what is important. Get him a coach if you are not one your self. Don;t let him do any Iso/Fluff work. Just the Oly lifts, and Jumps.
At 34 kilos he Clean & Jerked 25 kilos, and Snatched 18 kilos.
I will PM you the studies I read prior to getting my son in the gym. There are several on Pubmed and several on a SPorts Medicine website.
The big medical publication in China just came out w/ a study ont he benefits of Oly style training pre-puberty.
Form is what is important. Get him a coach if you are not one your self. Don;t let him do any Iso/Fluff work. Just the Oly lifts, and Jumps.
oso0960
New member
hell no a 12 yr old is not too young to weight lift. It's so beneficial to teach him the lifts correctly at a younger age. once they have great form then you can start moving the weight up. as long as his form is perfect i really doubt maximal weights would do anything to him.
Curt White, holder of the American record Clean and Jerk of 440lbs at 181lb weight class was already in national championships when he was 12 ----taken from Starting Strength.
I definitely recommend buying the book called "Starting Strength" as it's so in depth of all the basic compound movements, has a section afterwards about misconceptions of youth training you should DEFINITELY read.
Curt White, holder of the American record Clean and Jerk of 440lbs at 181lb weight class was already in national championships when he was 12 ----taken from Starting Strength.
I definitely recommend buying the book called "Starting Strength" as it's so in depth of all the basic compound movements, has a section afterwards about misconceptions of youth training you should DEFINITELY read.
Stay away from heavy legs.. like the leg press and otherwise, I totally stunted my growth when I was fourteen, I leg pressed every single weight in the gym from the biggest to the smallest.. it was alot.. and the lady behind the counter was freaking out..
I wish I had not done that.. oh well.. =/
I wish I had not done that.. oh well.. =/
gjohnson5 said:
I have a son in the same age range and I have been curious as well. He really wants to start training.
This is a great thread!!
B
BigboyAl
Guest
i think once puberty is reached weight training should start..thats what im doing with my boy.. According to how they train oly hopefuls all your coordination is developed before the age of around 12. thus during the early stages of childhood the child should be taught to generalize in all sports they enjoy to build coordination. once they reach puberty they are ready to train sport specific..and weight training will not stunt growth..which was an incorrect assumption made by research done many moons ago..
CMarc said:
I strength coach at a local highschool, football team in the summer. Our biggest concern is although they can push the extra weight and we can build strength and muscle.. it takes time for ligaments and tendons to grow and become strong.. time..
so nutrition is more important, and sleep.. boys are worse at this than girls, but it never seems hard to get guys to take protein shakes..
body weight and endurance training is best suited for younger athletes..
did i mention the diet is more important than the amount they can lift??
gjohnson5
New member
I don't see why people think that's too young.
People send their kids to gymnastic school at age 4and 5 or so
Down south , school is more like a football factory and yes we start practices 5th grade or so
Been that way as long as I can remember
Parent supervision is a must , but it happens
People send their kids to gymnastic school at age 4and 5 or so
Down south , school is more like a football factory and yes we start practices 5th grade or so
Been that way as long as I can remember
Parent supervision is a must , but it happens
GEAR250 said:
I wish I'd had the opportunity to start training at an early age. I sometimes imagine how much farther along the road I'd be today.
Anytime you start weight training, it's important to build a balanced foundation of physical preparedness before getting more sport specific. That being said, here's a link to an article about strength training for young hockey players. It gives a good account of the types of things you'll want to be doing:
http://www.elitefts.com/documents/training_for_hockey.htm
Anytime you start weight training, it's important to build a balanced foundation of physical preparedness before getting more sport specific. That being said, here's a link to an article about strength training for young hockey players. It gives a good account of the types of things you'll want to be doing:
http://www.elitefts.com/documents/training_for_hockey.htm
12 is not too young. I would recommend push ups, sit ups, hanging from the chin up bar, carrying groceries, body weight lunges, and core and joint stabilizing exercises. these could be started at 7 or 8, no iron necessary. work on balance: ankle, knee, and hip stabilization stabilization stuff like speed skateers, long jumps into a balanced shock absorbing position. things that work joint stability and balance. by 12 these kids are moving. i trained a few 8 and 9 year olds when i was a trainer and had a few kids for 3 years straight. when these kids hit the weights at 11 and 12 they were really impressive to watch.
i still train a kid who is now playing colege football. got him at 12. at 19 he is 5'11" and 245 right now. he's trained with me at 3 different gyms over the years and at each gym the people there were amazed at his size and strength.
if you build joint stability and core strength the first few years the injuries become a product of being an athlete not a weak athlete. by this i mean the weak athletes and over trained athletes are the ones that get hurt (in my experience).
i still train a kid who is now playing colege football. got him at 12. at 19 he is 5'11" and 245 right now. he's trained with me at 3 different gyms over the years and at each gym the people there were amazed at his size and strength.
if you build joint stability and core strength the first few years the injuries become a product of being an athlete not a weak athlete. by this i mean the weak athletes and over trained athletes are the ones that get hurt (in my experience).
Whats wrong with good old pushups, pullups and situps. I bet he could get pretty strong doing those for a few years. Then hit the weights aroud 15 or so. For the legs, I believe they are called duck walks. I did them during football practice when I was 9. They made my legs strong as hell.
deathdroprob
Banned
Get him into some very light bench, squat and lift, maybe all on the smith machine. high reps ut with light weight should do it. Dont even bother about contantly adding weight.
Lee
New member
Got into this post a bit late, but I believe that lifting that young is fine as long as the boy in in puberty. That way he has the proper hormones to make his body grow like it should. Plenty of people start lifting in their early teens in Jr. High. You have to be careful though that he uses proper form. Just be there with him to teach him how to do lifts right and with small amounts of weight until he gets the forms down. Then you can start to increase the weights.
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