Is There an Age Limit for Weightlifting?

[Steve @ Project Swole]

Every kid wants to be a pro athlete, but few kids want to be pro bodybuilders. Given that, what is the proper way to train a child who wants to excel at his or her sport? I guess I'm not the only one with that question.

The other day I received an e-mail from a gentleman named Russel, who asked:

"Is there an age limit to starting to do body building or can you start at any age?"

My Response

Well you certainly can start at any age, but you should put limits on the amount of strain you put on the body, and you certainly wouldn’t want kids and young teens competing in ‘bodybuilding’.

There isn’t any need for a kid to have to focus on symmetry, isolated hypertrophy, or dieting to get lean for a show. In fact that might even be child abuse.

As far as weightlifting, I wouldn’t want my kids doing much squatting, deadlifting, or Olympic lifting before the age of 13. I think a solid foundation should be built around bodyweight exercises, focusing on form and discipline, for younger children.

Real weightlifting probably shouldn’t start for most boys until age 13, but kids can do things like bodyweight squats, push ups, pull ups if they can manage it, and abdominal exercises as soon as they gain proper control over their motor skills.

Finish this article on Project Swole: Is There an Age Limit for Weightlifting?

[Ian Thorton]

Thanks for the great advice. Muscle fitness is not only limited to grown-ups.

For more information on lean lifting you can visit this site
www.leanlifting.com

[Doris Herrmann]

I have three boys, all over the age of 15 now. Their Intermediate School coaches really stressed to them the importance of staying away from weight lifting until they were around 14, and that the resistance of sport, and cardio would build enough muscle for them. Now that my oldest is 21 and competes at a university level it's good to know their coaches took the time to teach them proper weight lifting guidelines way back when they were 12.

[Lisa Newton]

Good advice. Body weight exercises are great for kids, as long as it's like everything else, not over done..................:)