teens and weightlifting

D

Dutchie42

Cathlete
Hi Cathe,

Like to hear your expert opinion about teens and weight lifting.

Here in the Netherlands no gym will accept anyone younger then 16yo for weightlifting. Cardio is ok, aerobics, martial arts, etc., but no weightlifting. Has something to do with muscles building up and putting the still growing young bones under too much stress. However exercising using your own bodyweight, like in tricep dips and push ups, is considered ok.

Now I have noticed several posts here and elsewhere that in America noone seems to be bothered about teens and weightlifting. Is there maybe something off with the theory of the gyms here in the Netherlands? A friend of mine is a body pump and spinerval instructor and she keeps emphasising this to me too, as I have two boys who'd love to start lifting weights, because they see me do it all the time.

Love to hear your opinion why it seems to be OK for American teens to lift weights and there is a totally opposite opinion here in the Netherlands regarding our Dutch teens?

Dutchie
 
The link worked great, Stacy. Thanks for posting this! My daughter will soon be 13, and we just started working out together. She does very well with free weights, and I work out with her so I'm careful to make sure she's using proper form, and is safe at all times.

Dutchie, I can't say for sure why there is a difference in thinking, but I will be careful how much weight my daughter tries to lift as she progresses in her workouts. Great thread, by the way!

Carol
:)
 
Another Not-Cathe weighing in . . .:9

There is a very gratifying surge in clinical research into the health benefits of SAFE strength training for children and adolescents, both for general health and for athletic performance.

Stacy, you may want to go onto the Human Kinetics website (www.humankinetics.com) for a list of really good titles, written by clinical researches, on safe strength training protocols for children and adolescents. Perform Better (www.perform-better.com, I THINK) and Power Systems (www.powersystems.com I THINK) also have books on the subject.

A-Jock
 
Hi Dutchie! I really can't offer an explanation for the difference of opinions between the countries but I do know that even in America the topic seems to have differing opinions as to whether or not is is safe.

I have read the research and decided that this is the way I am most comfortable presenting fitness to the specific age groups.

Toddlers and up through six years of age. Encourage activity through play. Leap frog, hide n seek, gymboree, tumbling classes, swimming, riding bikes with other friends, tag, etc. Developing skills and coordination is the type of physical activity that is encouraged here.

6 through 12, I feel is the time that fitness can be introduced in a more structured atmosphere such as local team sports, dance classes, martial arts classes, swimming, biking, skating, fun outdoor games, family walks, etc. At this point using ones own body weight is the only type of resistance that is encouraged for basic exercises such as push ups, sit ups, and any other physical testing that is done in the school systems. Keeping active vs sitting in the house playing computer games is the focus for this age group.

13 through 16, I feel that now it is safe to introduce a fitness program to an individual but the focus should be cardio endurance and muscular endurance. Cardio being 3 to 4 (maybe 5) days a week of 20 to 30 minute sessions. Muscular endurance being 2 days of total body exercises using a light weight for one set of 25 reps per exercise. The weight workout should only last 25 to 35 minutes. An adult should always be present during weight training sessions to supervise and demonstrate proper exercise technique. The overall focus here is to teach the importance of maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle through exercise.

16 to 18, I feel that the fitness program can become a bit more challenging. The cardio sessions can increase to 30 to 45 minute sessions 4 to 5 days per week. The weight program can become more focused with two sets of 12 to 16 reps per exercise and possibly even begin to introduce split routines (ie: back and biceps/ chest and shoulders etc.) The weight sessions should be supervised by an adult and last no longer than 45 minutes at 3 days per week.

At 18, I feel that upon a physicians approval that all safe and effective fitness programs that are available to adults are now acceptable.

All the above is not fact, it is purely how I choose to implement fitness programs to the general public based on my interpretation of the latest research. Also, I do believe that this can vary a bit depending on the individual. Take care:)
 
Wow Cathe, this is really great advice, and I love the way you have it broken down into specific age groups! I've shared this with my daughter, and we're going to be more careful with what she lifts as she progresses with her own fitness goals. Thanks for posting this!

Carol
:)
 
Good morning Cathe,

Thank you ever so much for your answer. I too felt that my 13 yo could do short work outs based on muscle endurance and was very surprised that the gyms in my town/country din't accept them that young.

My boys used to attend judo classes (winning 1st prizes in competitions) which was becoming a major pain getting them there because more and more they were refusing to go. So after two years of moaning, whining and arguments I recently gave up and took them out of judo classes. For about six years, I have been offering them all sorts of other sports as well, from sailing to soccer, you name it, they've tried it but nothing seemed to be able to lure them away from their computer, tv and friends. Being very active in sports myself my whole life, just doesn't seem to have rubbed off on them.

I don't feel expert enough (though I have been lifting weights for the past 23 years - oh my, now I feel old) to teach my boys lifting weights myself. Besides, they are at that age where they think that friends know better then mum does ;-) So I only have them on a short programm where they use their own body weight for resistance till they can go to the gym.

Thanks for taking the time to write down your view on the matter.

Dutchie
 
Wow, this is an eye-opener. At my son's school, they introduce weightlifting in the summer before 7th grade. The kids are 11-13. Boys and girls both begin a summer-only lifting program at that age, and they lift as heavy as they can for 3 sets of 10. They also do max-outs beginning that summer. In eighth grade, they add weightlifting to the P.E. program, as well as continuing summer lifting. I'm not really worried about my son's growth (he's already 6'3" at 14), but I wonder if this is dangerous for him and the other kids, especially those who don't have his innate strength???

Shari
 
Hi, Dutchie! Hi, Shari!

We live in Tucson and my children have been introduced to weight training beginning in Middle School also. I was very interested in how they handled it since I am an advocate. They introduced the basics in 7th grade and did a fine job. I was amused to find my daughters coming home and sharing information on muscle groups and how much they enjoyed it! Our High School has a brand new facility with a wonderful weight room. Again it is offered in PE. I feel that as long as they are taught how to safely strength train, it's wonderful. Supervision is essential while they are learning the correct methods Boys typically grow an average of 8 inches during adolsecence and during growth spurts they shoot up but bone growth exceeds muscle development which can account for that gangly clumsiness often attributed to adolescents. Strength training can help them learn to control those new muscles and gain confidence and I think it's wonderful! If your gym won't allow it, perhaps you could find an indivdual at the gym willing to teach him the rudiments so he can safely learn what he needs to know.

Wow, Shari, I'll bet your grocery bill is a whopper!
http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/nosmile/peacesign.gif Bobbi http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/nosmile/peacesign.gif
 
Oh, I wish the program at my son's school was as good as yours. They received very little training, and the adult supervision is there but, and this is just my opinion, inadequate. Naturally, being fourten (boy, is he ever!) of course, he won't listen to me when I tell him what I've learned. And it would be unthinkable for me to oversee his workouts. We've gone 'round and 'round about safe weightlifting.

And yes, my grocery bill is a dilly! Not only is he 6'3", but he weighs 240! He's worth his weight in gold, though, to his football coach for the intimidation factor alone. Half the kids he plays football against hit him chest high, and he outweighs some of them by almost 3X. Someone asked us at a restaurant the other day if we put Miracle-Gro in his baby bottle! :)

Shari
 
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