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Is There an Age Limit for Weight Lifting?
The other day I received an e-mail from a gentleman named Russel, who asked:
"Is there an age limit to beginning to do body building or can you start at any age?"
My response is that you definitely can start at any age, but you need to put boundaries on the quantity of strain you put on the body, and you definitely would not want children and young youths competing in 'bodybuilding'. There's no need for a kid to need to target symmetry, isolated hypertrophy, or dieting to get lean for a show.
As far as weightlifting, I would not want my children doing much squatting, deadlifting, or Olympic lifting before the age of thirteen.
I'm of the opinion a solid foundation should be built around bodyweight exercises, concentrating on form and discipline, for younger children.
Real weightlifting most likely should not start for most boys till age thirteen, but children can do stuff like bodyweight squats, push ups, pull ups if they can manage it, and core exercises as fast as they gain correct control over their fine motor skills.
I would not need a kid or young teenager to screw up his back, neck, knees, shoulders, hips, elbow, or any other vital joint or muscle, simply because he hasn't got the motor skills, information, or experience to perform correctly.
On the other hand, there's truly no limit to when you can start a kid in martial humanities or gymnastics. I'd rather see youngsters under thirteen working on that kind of coaching whilst practicing bodyweight exercises. I know a 3 years old that does flips, handstands, break dances, and can do a full split. I know another kid who is kind of eight but can't ride a bike without coaching wheels.
With my kid, he's always trying to pick up my dumbbells, but they are just too heavy and he cannot grasp the postulate of "lift with your legs" and "don't round your back" quite yet. For now he just does not get it and I do not want him to get hurt.
Some children play hockey and soccer, which are both pretty comprehensive and dynamic sports at times. These are all fun activities to try and they do not involve lifting one hundred lbs over your head. By all means, involve your kid in whatever she wants to try, but if you plan to get a younger person into weightlifting or muscle building, I highly suggest you consult his or her doctor before attempting anything.
About the Author Steve Hanson has 10 years experience in the fields of exercise science and sports nutrition. He writes articles on all forms of athletic training and nutritional theories. View the blog to learn more about your favorite exercise and nutrition topics. Build Muscle & Lose Fat at Project Swole
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