13 year olds and weight lifting

[fogman]

Hello all!

This forum's got a lot of great knowledge and advice, so I wish to pick your brains some.

My 13 year old son is very health conscious and for the past year has been doing sit ups, crunches, push ups, etc...
He's shorter than his friends some. Thin, but not skinny.

Because of his age, I'm skeptical about getting him into weights as I've heard he's a tad young, or it could slow or stop his overall growth.
I would like to see him get as tall and strong as possible to avoid getting picked on at at any point.

Next year when he enters high school, I know he'll be doing some weight training in phys ed class.

So what do you think? Wait a little longer on bulking him up????

[twinrider1]

I would wait. I'd direct him towards track or wrestling activities before bulking up. I just think lean and having endurance makes for a better life than packing on bulk.

[george nada]

balance is everything.
make his legs and lungs strong by running and long distance walking.

[sausagefingers]

That's the age I started into lifting heavy weights. I never grew taller after that age. Maybe its a coincidence or in my genes, I don't know.

[guzman]

Throw him in a swimming pool.

[In Absentia]

That is when all the boys that played football started lifting in my school. They still grew. It is an old wives' tale.

[Polynitro]

I think its a good idea. A friend of mine used to get picked on a lot so he started weight training very early, like 14, well he developed such good habits that he is still today the most deisel dude I know. Most people think he was born deisel but its just a matter of his personality to want to work out a lot. Hes like 30 now.

[dantedayjob]

Heavy weights at his age can cause irreversible damage. Low impact, endurance based exercise is the thing. A martial arts school might not be a bad idea... check out some in your area.

[Gigbag]

He doesn't have to dive into heavy weights to start, and probably shouldn't yet. But, there are plenty of ways to use weight training that are safe and beneficial to develop strength, endurance, and range of motion. In combination with other sports, that should be fine.

[hodad]

The concern is damage to the child's "growth plates." Mayo Clinic sez it's ok: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/str...aining/HQ01010

Couple of other links:
http://stronglifts.com/does-weight-l...-stunt-growth/

http://www.freetrainers.com/FT/jsp/M...ix=17&t_ix=684

[Whiskeyrebel]

Increased exercise + increasing muscle mass + still growing = hummingbird metabolism. Plan on some extra trips to the grocery store. I lifted when I was a teen and it seemed like there was no such thing as enough food.

[just ken]

Originally Posted by Gigbag

He doesn't have to dive into heavy weights to start, and probably shouldn't yet. But, there are plenty of ways to use weight training that are safe and beneficial to develop strength, endurance, and range of motion. In combination with other sports, that should be fine.

Yup. There's so many more available good books on exercise and fitness than when I was a kid and in college. Seems like being knowledgeable back then was having the most recent Joe Weider magazine.

There are all kinds of ways to work with weights that don't involve the heaviest weights possible or mass building as the specific goal. You should be able to find some programs that are ideal for a 13 year old.

[Wolf Child]

My son turned 13 this year and started playing football a few months ago.

I've been taking him to the gym and teaching him the proper way to train and his body is responding amazingly.

What's most important is that you teach him perfect form and technique!
At his age he doesn't need to "lift heavy" as it can be bad for his tendons if he over does it.

If you keep his weight moderate with the proper amount of sets and reps while correctly combining muscle groups and while keeping that perfect form that I mentioned (multiple times for emphasis) he will get very strong very fast.

Also, you have to emphasize that his diet matches the level of exercise he's performing. Moderate amounts of lean protein 3 times a day to start (egg whites, chicken breast, turkey, nuts and beans). Diet goals should be low fat, VERY low sugar, high carbs from vegetables and whole grains, and low dairy (almond milk is a fantastic substitute).

Starting him off with these types of habits will teach him to be healthy for life!

Good luck!!

[Stike]

Weightgain 4000?

[JoeB63]

Originally Posted by Wolf Child

Also, you have to emphasize that his diet matches the level of exercise he's performing. Moderate amounts of lean protein 3 times a day to start (egg whites, chicken breast, turkey, nuts and beans). Diet goals should be low fat, VERY low sugar, high carbs from vegetables and whole grains, and low dairy (almond milk is a fantastic substitute).

Where did you get that dietary advice? There's no need to put a 13 year-old on any kind of special, or food-restrictive, diet. Why low dairy? Please show the science on that before advising others. Why high-carb instead of moderate carb? While you don't want your kid, or anyone for that matter, eating a ton of sugar, why VERY low sugar? Why low fat? The low fat craze has been shown to be a failure and it's popularity is (rightly) fading.

While there's nothing terribly wrong with eating the way you proscribe -- other than your bad advice to minimize fats -- there's no need for that special diet for a 13 year old. Let him eat.