How young is too young?

[G8TR]

My 9 year-old wants to start weight training. He is a little overweight and thinks this will help him lose it and gain confidence. I've always been told to wait until, at least, 12 so there is no skeletal damage. Can he train at all or is it a bad idea? If he can what is a good regimen for him?

Thanks for any input. Oh and it would be totally natural. no gear for him.

Chris

 

[prodigy06]

I'd suggest sports over actual gym training.

 

[Grizzly]

The esteemed John Smith of sticky fame at the top of this forum, was training his son at 5.

 

[jasthace]

Oh and it would be totally natural. no gear for him

Thats a good way to start.

Strength Training for Young Athletes
John A. Bergfeld, M.D.
Cleveland Clinic Sports Health
Head Team Physician, Cleveland Browns and Cleveland CAVS

Despite the previously held belief that strength training was unsafe and ineffective for children, health organizations such as the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) now "support children's participation in appropriately designed and competently supervised strength training programs."

Experts have found that strength training programs can be safe, effective and may also help prevent certain sports-related injuries among young athletes. Recent findings suggest that strength training during childhood and adolescence may make bones stronger, a benefit which can last a lifetime. ..............

Strength Training for the Young

Strength

"In the prepubescent age, muscle weight is about 27% of the total body weight and the effect of training on muscle hypertrophy is small so that strength gains are perhaps more the result of an improvement in coordination . . . . After sexual maturation [the onset of the adolescent growth spurt], muscular development is influenced by androgenic hormones and the percentage of muscle weight then increases to over 40%." (p. 9)

Since the increase in testosterone production in adolescent children is markedly higher in boys than girls, boys will become stronger faster and to a higher degree.

Implication: If strength training is to be done with pre-pubescent children, exercises should involve submaximal resistance, such as one's own body weight, light dumbbells, or medicine balls. Sophisticated and restrictive weight exercises, particular on machines, are useless for strength-limited children. General, whole-body activities are more important and beneficial than the same exercises used for post-pubescent athletes.

http://coachsci.sdsu.edu/csa/vol32/borms.htm

Testosterone and the Life Cycle
In males, testosterone production begins very early indeed, usually at the start of the seventh week of embryonic development. Testosterone levels remain high throughout fetal life, but they fall just before birth, so they're only slightly higher in newborn boys than girls. Baby boys experience a blip in testosterone production between three and six months of age, but by a year their levels are back down. Between six and eight years of age, adrenal androgen production rises, triggering a transient growth spurt and a bit of body hair but no sexual development.

At puberty, a surge in GnRH and LH fire up testosterone production, and testosterone goes on to stimulate the growth of bones and muscles, the production of red blood cells, an enlargement of the voice box, the growth of facial and body hair, an enlargement of the genitals, and an awakening of sexual function and reproductive capacity. In most young men, testosterone production reaches its maximum at about age 17, and levels remain high for the next two to three decades. On average, healthy young men produce about six milligrams of testosterone a day.

Pri-Med Patient Education Center - Testosterone, aging, and the mind

 

[Reinheart]

I would suggest swimming and martial arts. This will strengthen his entire body and lean him up. Cycling is a nice idea as well. =)

 

[thick]

sports cause WAY more force on the joints than weight training. Simple physics will let you figure out how much force is placed on the knees when a kid jumps up and down etc.


My son has lifted for a few years now. Nothing serious but lately been getting more regular.

We use a swiss ball and suff of that nature to increase the difficulty so the weights dont need to be as high.
Nothing wrong with body weight exercise either. Pushups, pullups, light squats etc.
I have been having my son lift 3x/week. Push, pull, push, next week pull, push, pull.

One thing i have changed is that he works more in the 5-10 rep range instead of greater than 10 for lifts such as squats and DL's
On the 2nd pull or push, he just goes light and works on speed. take care

I'd suggest sports over actual gym training.

 

[Nemesis RR]

My son has been asking to go to the gym with me but I think he is too young at 10. I do have him doing combat sports and doing core workout for his whole body. They rarely use weights and for him only 5 to 10 pounds. They do use bands. I would follow something along these lines until his motor skills are more developed.

 

[dennis]

No one has mentioned diet yet.I would start there to see if the reason he is heavy is because of his diet and or lack of physical activity or maybe some underlying health condition.If he is healthy teach him know how to eat correctly,keep him active ie; sports,bicycling,running..etc...taking him to gym a few times per week and teaching him proper form should not hurt him.Just be carefull not to burn him out on any of this..it has to be something he wants to do.

 

[thick]

so how can one go about developing motor skills with doing motor functions?

My son has been asking to go to the gym with me but I think he is too young at 10. I do have him doing combat sports and doing core workout for his whole body. They rarely use weights and for him only 5 to 10 pounds. They do use bands. I would follow something along these lines until his motor skills are more developed.

 

[Nemesis RR]

so how can one go about developing motor skills with doing motor functions?

There are a lot of movements that are hard (if done repeatedly) that can be done without heavy weights. Examples are: Pushups, pullups, various stomach exercises, cartwheels, seals, lat pulls (on the floor without weight) scorpions, frogs, and.......... For a developing child all of these exercises would be better served. By the way many advanced level BJJ practicioners do these seem excersises only supplementing with weights.

Google core training or cross fit.

AND yes some exercesises can be done with weight but my opinion is to keep it to a minimum. An example would be lay flat on your back holding a 5lb weight straight in the air. Now get up keeping your arm straight in the air. (shoulder pump and coordination)

 

[thick]

so do you condone a young kid doing TKD or BJJ? I am assuming yes correct?

How much force is placed on the leg/foot when they do a kick? How about a punch. Would it be fair to say a punch to a heavy bag exerts more force through the arm and shoulder than lifting a 20 pound db?

ALso, pushups etc are motor movements. Lifting weights puts less stress on the joints than jumping off your porch or out of a tree house and less than soccer etc as well.

There are a lot of movements that are hard (if done repeatedly) that can be done without heavy weights. Examples are: Pushups, pullups, various stomach exercises, cartwheels, seals, lat pulls (on the floor without weight) scorpions, frogs, and.......... For a developing child all of these exercises would be better served. By the way many advanced level BJJ practicioners do these seem excersises only supplementing with weights.

Google core training or cross fit.

AND yes some exercesises can be done with weight but my opinion is to keep it to a minimum. An example would be lay flat on your back holding a 5lb weight straight in the air. Now get up keeping your arm straight in the air. (shoulder pump and coordination)

 

[Nemesis RR]

BJJ, Judo and beginning of Mau Tai. Yes there are forces in the sport that cannot be avoided (getting slammed from overhead). And yes striking has forces greater than say a dumbell curl. BUT kids are not cordinated enough to do wieghts properly is one. Also I do not wish to compound the toil on young joints at a young age. Also every kid that has lifted at the gym has regressed in skill by depending on strength and losing flexibility. When he turns 13 tor right before thou he will start with the weights if he still wants to.

 

[thick]

surely you are joking? Kids lack the coordination to lift weights properly???? Have you seen wrestling matches b/n kids? I am telling you there are some 7-8 year olds that are just plain awesome. You know why? B/c they practice it. They know the moves. They are fluid. They are fast. They are strong.

So you dont want to put a toll on young joints but admittedly allow judo/bjj etc that we both agree actually has GREATER forces than regular lifting.

Finally, you say that EVERY kid that has lifted at a young age has regressed in skill. Where are u pulling this stuff out of. Can you show me all of these great studies that show this? Common sense says how wrong this actually is

BJJ, Judo and beginning of Mau Tai. Yes there are forces in the sport that cannot be avoided (getting slammed from overhead). And yes striking has forces greater than say a dumbell curl. BUT kids are not cordinated enough to do wieghts properly is one. Also I do not wish to compound the toil on young joints at a young age. Also every kid that has lifted at the gym has regressed in skill by depending on strength and losing flexibility. When he turns 13 tor right before thou he will start with the weights if he still wants to.