Fitness Gear: When Is It Ok For Your Kids To Start Lifting?

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Saturday, March 28, 2009

When Is It Ok For Your Kids To Start Lifting?

Weight lifting is a crucial part of development and staying fit. Whether your kids are involved in athletics or are simply trying to stay in shape, lifting weights is a great way to do so. However, a question many parents have is when the right age is to start lifting. After all, starting them too young can be detrimental to their growth.

The first thing you need to know is that it is never too early to start your kids with lifting. The key is understanding what lifts are ok to do and how many reps and sets are feasible for their body. You do not want to put too much strain on certain parts of their body.

For the most part, you are going to want to stay away from squatting, deadlifting and Olympic lifting until they are at least thirteen. The reason for this is because there is far too much pressure put on their back and legs that can deter their overall growth.

What you want to focus on is form and discipline with your children. This is why you want to keep the weight light and the reps fairly high so your children can begin to develop strength and form together. Some types of lifting and workouts they can do include bodyweight squats, push ups, pull ups and crunches.

The last thing you want is for your child to mess up his back, neck, knees, shoulders, or arms. The whole point of early lifting is to gain an understanding of how to lift effectively and safely while building muscle. At such a young age your child does not yet have the motor skills, information or experience to perform these lifts correctly.

If your child is adamant about lifting dumbbells, you can work with them with small weights. Again, it is all about gaining an understanding and learning the correct form. Do not let your child go to the gym on their own and try to do certain lifts. It is vital you are with them to guide them and show them what weight to start at. Depending on the age of your child and the muscle they are working out, you will not want to go much higher than five or ten pounds.

While many parents are concerned about when the right time is to start their child on weight lifting, it is important you realize any age is ok. As long as you are with them and start them out on extremely low weights, they will be able to develop technique and form.

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