Heavy Lifting Stunting Growth?

Training Powerlifting
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[quote]SinewNotSize wrote:
i don’t know whether there is scientific proof, but i have a hypothesis. In cave man days we evolved to get bigger muscles when exerted so that we can handle our lifestyle (say if it involves lugging dead mammoths around) also i thought that if weightlifting did stunt growth then it would be because we might have evolved this way as a shorter body is stronger to lift aorund large heavy weights in most circumstances, due to torque on your body.[/quote]

Ronnie Coleman is six feet tall. Arnold is, what, about 6’2"? Gunter Schlierwhatthefuck is tall as hell too. Whatchoo-talkin’-bout, Willis?

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[quote]Professor X wrote:
SinewNotSize wrote:
i don’t know whether there is scientific proof, but i have a hypothesis. In cave man days we evolved to get bigger muscles when exerted so that we can handle our lifestyle (say if it involves lugging dead mammoths around) also i thought that if weightlifting did stunt growth then it would be because we might have evolved this way as a shorter body is stronger to lift aorund large heavy weights in most circumstances, due to torque on your body.

Ronnie Coleman is six feet tall. Arnold is, what, about 6’2"? Gunter Schlierwhatthefuck is tall as hell too. Whatchoo-talkin’-bout, Willis?
[/quote]

and? thats two out of millions of beef cakes. chances are they’re only famouse BECAUSE they are both muscly and tall. There are plenty more short muscled people doubt you would have heard of them though. And anyway my hypothesis is right as is the growth plate thing. I mean its only a few scientists that say that but who’s more chance of being right . you or a few scientists?? (don’t even bother saying you)

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[quote]SinewNotSize wrote:
you or a few scientists?? (don’t even bother saying you)[/quote]

I have done work as a research scientist. I helped conduct thrombomodulin gene research which is documented in scientific journals. Not only that, but you don’t have to be a “scientist” to be able to understand and question data found in studies. You sound young, so I will assume you are. Many people on these boards have careers and backgrounds in research.

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Your avatar just makes you all the more annoying.

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Maybe that’s why I’m only 5’9", dang I shouldn’t haven’t started so young. Well at least it doesn’t stunt muscle growth!

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[quote]Basso wrote:
Maybe that’s why I’m only 5’9", dang I shouldn’t haven’t started so young. Well at least it doesn’t stunt muscle growth![/quote]

Just for personal interest (as i am young also) at what age did you start heavy lifting? And do you think from the look of your parents and relatives that you would have been taller otherwise?

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Hey Guys & Gals,
My sister’s boy friend is six foot or something and he only started lifting weights when he was 20 or so, but his parents are shorter than he is: mom is 5’4", dad is 5’7". Is he just a freak of nature, or what?
My problem right now is, I want to lift heavy weights for limit strength. I am trying to improve my 100m sprint and I plan to hit 42" VJ by high school senior year. This friday I went to a gym with my dad, he saw me squat 220 lbs (I weight 142 lbs., 15, 5’ 6.5", and a relative newbie to lifting). As I expected, my parents during dinner today were telling me to stop lifting heavy weights because of the saying it stunts your growth and plus the potential injuries that could occur, such as that of my sister’s boyfriend (mentioned above). He has lumbar problems now; he is staying away from squatting. His lumbar is straight, not curved like normal people.

So this issue influenced me to do some research on the topic. Some say it is proven that weight lifting speeds up the maturity of growth plates, but some say it is all a myth. AHHHH, what do you recommend for me? I really love lifting heavy weights, and they are addicting to me like how a chinese kid loves rice =)

So here are the “if’s” and what I think would likely result if I do lift heavy or what if I don’t:
If I do lift heavy now: Improved limit strength, possibly have more potential force available for inreased vertical and maybe run faster, become a freak? But maybe regret that I wasn’t taller? MAN! I hate it when parents keep telling children not to lift heavy! Anyways, if I don’t lift heavy now: become a sissy. Possibly grow more? Maybe. I feel like if I don’t lift 80%-100% now and for a few years, I’d regret it. I wouldn’t be as fast and strong as I have planned myself to be. I think the chances are, because of me being 5’6.5" and having relatively short legs, I probably wouldn’t break my school’s 100m record, not get sports scholarships, therefore I’d have less options, I would probably would just be average, and worse, probably not have 42" VJ by then as I have religiously and obsessively planned.

By comparing the pro’s and con’s I’d think it’s best for me to stop worrying. I feel it is best to risk injury and possibly have my growth stunted and live life to the fullest. It is better to risk something, and possibly get a whole lot of benefits from it. If I did get injuries and stunted my growth to 5’7" because of lifting heavily, at least I know I tried. It is better than not risking anything at all and not trying, and not gaining or losing anything, isn’t it? It’s just a passion of mine to lift.

Hopefully that all makes sense. I am confused. HELP. What do you guys recommend? Keep lifting heavy, or limit heavy-weighted exercises and focus on bodyweight and just be happy by improving RFD and reactive strength with plyometrics?

Thank you,
Wu Gong Heng

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At 15, you are ok to begin lifting heavily, in my un-scientific, un-personal trainer experience.

It is likely given your age and training age that 1RM’s are not going to do as much for you as 3 or 5RM’s since you probably won’t be able to activate all your motor units as effictively.

I’m pretty sure that is in one of the old DeFranco Q&A’s. Read through them because he has a lot of good stuff in there for high school athletes. Or go to EliteFTS and ask him a question in their Q&A section.

Try to keep it a little briefer though or I don’t think it will get answered.

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SizeNot…

If you have a 4’ person weighing in at 200lbs he will clearly look more muscular than a 8’ person weighing in at 200lbs. The surface areas are slightly different. Hence why you see more built shorter people. It just takes longer for the unfortunate tall ones.

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I started when i was 14 and i was about 5 ft 7. three and a bit years on and im 6ft 1 and weigh about 212 lbs, so doing weights hasnt stopped my growth

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its funny how people still believe this.

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[quote]Rookie21 wrote:

Are you sarcastic? I am 13 5’4, 160lbs of pure muscle, have been training for 2months and deadlift and squat over 400 as a 5RM.
[/quote]

Your also 160lbs of pure bullshit mate

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awesome bro! lets dig up some more 5 year old threads!

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[quote]Wu Gong Heng wrote:
Hey Guys & Gals,

I plan to hit 42" VJ by high school senior year.  This friday I went to a gym with my dad, he saw me squat 220 lbs [quote] ....

[/quote]I feel like if I don’t lift 80%-100% now and for a few years, I’d regret it. I wouldn’t be as fast and strong as I have planned myself to be. I think the chances are, because of me being 5’6.5" and having relatively short legs, I probably wouldn’t break my school’s 100m record, not get sports scholarships, therefore I’d have less options, I would probably would just be average, and worse, probably not have 42" VJ by then as I have religiously and obsessively planned.
[/quote]

lawl. you plan on getting a schoarship and jumping 42 inches while weighing 148 pounds and squatting 220? is it for math team?

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The reason he wants to lift is to no longer weigh 148 pounds and squat 220 you cock jockey.