Is he too young?

[LeslieJo]

I have an almost 9 yr old that is a little different from most. He is pretty big for his age, actually very defined for a 9yr old. He is very active in football, baseball and soccer. He eats like a man so he is constantly running, doing pushups or situps to keep trim.

My question is this...every time I go to the gym he begs me to go. Working in the medical field I have always been told that lifting before the age of 12 is bad. I am curious abo9ut this though since he lifts his own body weight daily climbing trees and such.

Is he too young to start with just small amounts? I have a bowflex that he wants to use. Can I hook up 20lbs and show him the proper way to do it or should I continue to tell him no. I have to do something as I am finding that he sneaks into get daddy's free weights to do curls.

[Kidrok (Hop)]

as long as he is using "light" weight, and not pushing the intensity then there's no problem at all. But it needs to be viewed more as a liesure activity for him as opposed to something to push hard and try to build muscle.

[saturn]

I don't think letting him work out with light weights will be bad for him at all. My old work out partner got his son and nephew training when they were real young and both of them are now in thier late teens and still have a very active life syle (ones an all conference wrestler and the other is going to college on a baseball scolorship). I think him letting them train helped them have a closer relationship keeping them out of trouble and benifitted them later when the got into sports seriously.

[Heckman]

My son has been lifting since age 12. He's 13 now. I go along with the lifting light weights for now. :showoff:

[ncsports]

light weights and strict form.

it has to just be fun for him and not something that he has to do no matter what type of thing.

[LeslieJo]

Thanks for the info guys. I seem to have a very determined child. He has motivation out the wazoo. I have told him that being in sports and any kind of cardio was fine, but he is insistent that he wants to lift. So I guess as long as he is having fun I will let him go with me. I will get him started on light weights and keep it at a minimum. We will see how it pans out.

[IM^]

This question has been asked before. It's OK to start children off into weight training, even at that young age. The odds are almost zero that young children are going to train intensely enough to harm themselves physiologically and/or biomechanically, providing, of course, you keep a close eye on them at all times and emphasize strict to very strict form (this will, in itself, ensure the use of a lesser weight).

The ways he can get hurt obviously include being careless with a dumbbell and dropping it on his toes, or getting a finger caught in a machine by mistake, for example. Other than that, the wee lad just wants to vent his excess energy and I can't think of a better way to channel it than weight training. It might instill in him a love of bodybuilding at an early age, and...who knows? We might be fostering a future Olympian there yet.

[IM^]

Incidentally, I have just realized about 10 mins ago (this post being a major indicator) that LeslieJo is actually a lady. I thought she was a he. Ooops. Sorry. The name stumped me there.

[Kidrok (Hop)]

Incidentally, I have just realized about 10 mins ago (this post being a major indicator) that LeslieJo is actually a lady. I thought she was a he. Ooops. Sorry. The name stumped me there.

*sigh*

[heavy hitter]

i wish i enjoyed lifting at that age. it's an obsession now but when i was younger i just really didn't enjoy it. now i gotta try to catch up

[BuffD]

My fiance actually started working out with her brothers in their basement when she was 9. She copied what they did but obviously lifted much lighter. I think it can be very beneficial as long as he's not trying to max out or even go to failure on anything. A few days week will be fine.

[LeslieJo]

Incidentally, I have just realized about 10 mins ago (this post being a major indicator) that LeslieJo is actually a lady. I thought she was a he. Ooops. Sorry. The name stumped me there.

Oh wow...I must work on my femininity. LOL I am usually darlin_msbelle on most places but I thought I would be me!! Lesliejo is short for Leslie Joan. Just to make sure no one else is mistaken..... :boobies: hehe

[TheLil'Missus]

Isn't that cute? IM must not be from the south, huh? That's as southern a name as you can get - LeslieJo. Very girly. Come on down here, IM. We'll culture shock you.

[Salmon]

Honestly I can't imagine how it could be harmful as I lifted weights at 12. I don't think there was any harmful side-effects other than confused looks in the locker room.

[Syn]

KR bout 2 and 3 lb dumbells for the kids when they were little. Even made a bar out of a broom handle & put small weights on the end.

Our kids seem to go back and forth in regards to lifting.