right age for a female to start lifting

[Mar&soll]

my daughter is 17 and she loves fitness, she said she wants to start lifting to join her school gymnastics team, I don't have much knowledge about this training and lifting world, so I would like to know if early body building can have side effects on a teenage girl, thank you very much for your info and help.

 

[muskate]

It is perfectly healthy for children and teenagers to lift weights. I am not sure where that myth came from that lifting weights will stunt a child's growth but it has no scientific background behind it at all. I think because a lot of bodybuilders are short people associated weight lifting with preventing growth? I am not sure.

I started lifting weights at the age of 12. I am 6'1 so it obviously didn't effect my growth.

A lot of studies have shown that any muscle you develop before you turn 18, you will keep for the rest of your life.

I 100% encourage children and teenagers to lift weights. They obviously shouldn't be squatting 1 rep maxes but training in a 10-15 rep range is perfectly healthy and a great idea!

I encourage you to support your daughters decision and let her join her schools gymnastic team. It'll be good for her in many ways. I never got into drugs in high school because I was so focused on athletics and sports.

All my friends who didn't play sports ended up getting into drugs.

 

[stevesmi]

yes weight training the right way is very beneficial for teenagers.

many schools now have female weight lifting teams too