One of the most common questions that parents ask regarding their children's physical activities is about lifting weights. Many think that teens should avoid lifting weights because of the belief that it will hinder their growth in height. But according to a fitness expert, it is absolutely safe for kids to lift weights.
Fatherly reports that fitness expert Mike Curtis, University of Virginia basketball team strength and conditioning coach, says that it is safe for 12-year-olds to start lifting light weights. Heavier weights can be lifted when the child reaches 14 to 16.
Curtis also discussed the perfect physical activities and exercises for different age groups. "The best thing you can do early on is to promote free play," Curtis says about 3 to 6-year olds. "Find a field, find objects, and let them throw and catch and run and play games and have fun."
For 7 to 11-year-olds, the main goal should be building competency in movements. Exercises such as squats, lunges, pull-up, chin-ups and planks as well as playing as many sports as possible to learn more movements will make the children competent with their movements.
"My response will always be, "Let's lay a foundation first and then we can build a stronger house on top. I've seen professional and high-level athletes lose that foundation and it actually shortened their careers," Curtis says about 12 to 13-year-olds. The focus of weight lifting for this age group should be on light weights to build a solid foundation for the kids.
For 14 to18-year olds, Curtis recommends training that will develop speed. "That's going to be the time you start to develop speed qualities, and in most sports, if you're the fastest person you're usually the best person." Curtis also says that teens should wait for their peak height velocity to end and for their growth plates to close before they start to lift heavy weights which usually happen at age 16 for boys and age 14 for girls.
"The most important aspects when training as a child are supervision, exercise technique, light weights and high repetitions in the 12, 15, and even 20 rep range," says Bodybuilding on how to make it really safe for kids to lift weights. "As a teen, you may gradually progress to heavier weights with lower reps, around 10 per set."
