Stunting Growth By Lifting Weights

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
1

I know that this myth is mostly bs but I would like some credible sources and reasons on why it is bs.

My little brother is 15 and has been lifting weights with me sometimes and eating more to put on some weight/mass, he is pretty skinny. His friends also ask me questions about how to get bigger or about weightlifting…

The thing is one of my friends is ALWAYS saying it is a bad idea for them to lift weights etc because it will severly stunt their growth

Its kind of hard for me to get my point across since I am short BARELY 5’7 and have been lifting weights since I was about 14 (now 21). I was always a small kid and believe lifting weights helped me grow if anything.

Anway I would apprecite some articles/websites I could read up on to have some good points for whenever this arguement comes up.

Thanks.

2

http://www.google.com/advanced_search?hl=en

A most excellent site. Highly recommended. Very high chance it has just what you are looking for.

In the exact phrase box, type in:

“Weight lifting” “stunted growth”

(just as you see it; quotes included).

Congratulations. You’ve just learned how to search the internet for any ol’ thing you might want to learn about. Neat thing is, it’s so simple, you can do it by your own self.

Pretty damned nifty, ain’t it?

3

Why is physical activity touted as something positive for kids but training with weights supposedly stunts their growth? If kids shouldn’t lift weights, then they probably shouldn’t be doing any number of activities that involve moving their muscles against a resistance.

With all the complaining people do about kids today being couch potatoes, I guess I don’t understand why they’d say things to discourage kids from discovering certain types of physical fitness. Why tell them to get more active and then send the message that certain types of activity are bad for them? Seems counterproductive to me.

4

[quote]Rykker wrote:
http://www.google.com/advanced_search?hl=en

A most excellent site. Highly recommended. Very high chance it has just what you are looking for.

In the exact phrase box, type in:

“Weight lifting” “stunted growth”

(just as you see it; quotes included).

Congratulations. You’ve just learned how to search the internet for any ol’ thing you might want to learn about. Neat thing is, it’s so simple, you can do it by your own self.

Pretty damned nifty, ain’t it?[/quote]

cool

in the time it took you to be an ass you could have simply stated that lifting weights at a young age(ie-under 14-15) should not be done with max weights and low reps. While I don’t believe it actually stunts your growth, potential injuries and risks v benefits suggests it is unwarranted. Bodyweight and repranges from 8-15 would be most beneficial.

5

[quote]Defender wrote:
Why is physical activity touted as something positive for kids but training with weights supposedly stunts their growth? If kids shouldn’t lift weights, then they probably shouldn’t be doing any number of activities that involve moving their muscles against a resistance.

With all the complaining people do about kids today being couch potatoes, I guess I don’t understand why they’d say things to discourage kids from discovering certain types of physical fitness. Why tell them to get more active and then send the message that certain types of activity are bad for them? Seems counterproductive to me.[/quote]

this is the argument I always bring up,
most of the people that say kids should not lift weights will say stupid things like pull ups and chin ups are ok but a kid should’nt do a lat pull down or some rows
or push ups are good but bench pressing is bad
wtf?
the sad thing is more of americans think weight lifting is bad for teenagers than think it is good.

Oh and thanks for the link to google I have been doing some searchs but I value the insight that most T-Nation members have to offer over other sources.

6

[quote]sasquatch wrote:
Rykker wrote:
http://www.google.com/advanced_search?hl=en

A most excellent site. Highly recommended. Very high chance it has just what you are looking for.

In the exact phrase box, type in:

“Weight lifting” “stunted growth”

(just as you see it; quotes included).

Congratulations. You’ve just learned how to search the internet for any ol’ thing you might want to learn about. Neat thing is, it’s so simple, you can do it by your own self.

Pretty damned nifty, ain’t it?

cool

in the time it took you to be an ass you could have simply stated that lifting weights at a young age(ie-under 14-15) should not be done with max weights and low reps. While I don’t believe it actually stunts your growth, potential injuries and risks v benefits suggests it is unwarranted. Bodyweight and repranges from 8-15 would be most beneficial.[/quote]

Um, no, I could not have simply stated such. I’ve never researched the topic.

I may have been a little flippant with my response (How difficult is it to perform a search? Something he could have done in much less time than it took him to start a thread and wait for a response), but I gave him the exact steps I would have taken if I wanted to find an answer to the question. He asked for places he could go to read-up on the topic, and that search provided many places.

7

on a side doing a google search has resulted in reading a ton of the most annoying and stupidst newbie questions you could imagine the worst is the answers given on so called medical websites and health forums.

I feel bad for any of these misinformed kids that take this advice get no results and never find a good source of information such as T-Nation.

8

[quote]Rykker wrote:
sasquatch wrote:
Rykker wrote:
http://www.google.com/advanced_search?hl=en

A most excellent site. Highly recommended. Very high chance it has just what you are looking for.

In the exact phrase box, type in:

“Weight lifting” “stunted growth”

(just as you see it; quotes included).

Congratulations. You’ve just learned how to search the internet for any ol’ thing you might want to learn about. Neat thing is, it’s so simple, you can do it by your own self.

Pretty damned nifty, ain’t it?

cool

in the time it took you to be an ass you could have simply stated that lifting weights at a young age(ie-under 14-15) should not be done with max weights and low reps. While I don’t believe it actually stunts your growth, potential injuries and risks v benefits suggests it is unwarranted. Bodyweight and repranges from 8-15 would be most beneficial.

Um, no, I could not have simply stated such. I’ve never researched the topic.

I may have been a little flippant with my response (How difficult is it to perform a search? Something he could have done in much less time than it took him to start a thread and wait for a response), but I gave him the exact steps I would have taken if I wanted to find an answer to the question. He asked for places he could go to read-up on the topic, and that search provided many places.

[/quote]

[quote]am4100
Newbie

Joined: 09 Jun 2006
Posts: 1

Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2006 2:03 pm Post subject: Weight Gainer

I’m a 16 year old male, im about 165 lbs and my squat is 340 and my bench is 260. If I take weight gainer how fast will I see results and how will it help my bench and squat? Thank You
[/quote]

the great kind of dribble you have to sort through when using a search engine

9

imo, weight training, especially powerlifting became moderately taboo because people tend to be pantywaists anyway. “I don’t wanna get too big.”

As if it were that easy…
what else do we have?
weight training makes you bulky
protein is bad for the kidneys
wt is bad for the heart
Original from my mother:WT can shrink your penis
It raises your blood pressure (does the opposite)
It makes you stupid
Squats are bad for knees
Another from mom:The increased testosterone will make you go bald sooner.

Who wants to be strong and fit anyway? They’res more important things in life. Like my hair.
Mom:Since you’re shorter, if you get big, it’ll look like you’re trying to make up for something
Look, you’ve lost all your motor skills!

Well, that’s all I can come up with for now. lol

10

If you have you brother check in with his doctor they can do an mri to see if his growth plates have closed. Sound excessive…ha…it is.

But once the growth plates (aka epiphyseal plates) have closed and hardened then it is ok to start strength training lower body with some weight. Dammage to the GP can cause stunted growth. Check out Kraemers book about strength training for kids.

11

After about 16 you are probably OK to start going heavy. Prior to this the growth plates are still open, and can “slip”. One of the most common types is called a slipped capital femoral epiphysis. Prior to 16, as mentioned above, you probably ought to go with lower weight and higher reps.

Lifting shouldn’t stunt your growth, per se, but if you do any damage to one of the growth plates prior to the time of normal closure, it is possible to disrupt normal growth. You could end up with one limb shorter than another. This is HIGHLY unlikely, however. Tell the guy who says it’s bad to just shut up and lift, unless he wants to stay a panzy all his life.

Of course, if you wanna start going heavy, you can do a couple of cycles of aas and that’ll close those growth plates right up.

12

Just a lame exuse kids use to have a verbal advantage of thier buddies who lift.
and parents not to get a gym membership.

13

And the case of my twin cousins? One, a High-School Football star, the other a normal joe. Years later the weight lifting football pro is 4 inches shorter than his twin brother.

Can it be explained? I don’t know.

14

It can’t however when I started lifting at 14 my groth was already stunted , nevertheless a year into lifting I have gained over 3 inches…

15

[quote]TheBige wrote:
And the case of my twin cousins? One, a High-School Football star, the other a normal joe. Years later the weight lifting football pro is 4 inches shorter than his twin brother.

Can it be explained? I don’t know. [/quote]
I would have 2 questions:
Are they fraternal or identical twins?
Did aas have any role in making one a football star?