Ask a Question
or
Create a Poll
  1. Home /
  2. Questions /
  3. Diet And Fitness
  4. / Exercise
  5. / Weightlifting

by fireomen92 on November 17th, 2005

fireomen92

Question

Help answer this question below.

I am 13 and I want to start weights. People say at that age it can damage your growth plates and stunt your growth. Is that true?

Share:
Other

Answers. 5 helpful answers below.

  • by josh tinnon on November 21st, 2005

    josh tinnon

    I am also 13 and i started lifting about a month ago. Since then i've seen an increase in how much i could lift and muscle mass. I know for a fact that it will not stunt your growth. Just be careful and be precise with your lifting.

    • Like
    • Report

    1 comment | Post one | Permalink

  • by Athrael on April 9th, 2008

    Athrael

    Yes and no.

    SOME freeweight training is helpful - too much or in some cases even moderate weight training can have a NEGATIVE effect on the development of a teen.

    Weight training injures the muscle - that is in fact the whole point. Stressing the muscle until it 'breaks' or 'shreds' through exercise - the days following as it 'heals' is when growth comes in.

    Constant injury releases hormones and chemicals which in a full grown adult is ok, but in a developing person it can lead to problems interfering with the hormonal and chemical changes already present due to puberty.

    As a teen you need to discuss with your doctor or a trained professional - one who deals with teens - what is enough and what is too much.

    Growth only.

    Height is genetic - diet has been shown to have a largish bearing on the growth of a teen.

    Some exercise is good for strength of bones.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by lilifter on September 20th, 2006

    lilifter

    Age 15:
    I started lifting at 13. In order to stunt your growth you have to work out for an extremely long amount of time in a day(8 hours) or severely impact or rupture your epiphyseal plates. Lifting can actually be good for growing people because it can increase bone mas by over 50% if you eat a healthy(2,000 to 3,000 calories of fats, protiens, and liquids to prevent fatigue while lifting). Since you are using your muscles, bones, and joints more you will actually be increasing the activity of the epiphyseal disc(controls growth) slightly. Genetics, however, is a very determining factor in height.

    In order to prevent posture problems that may develop when you're older you should work the abdomen and back evenly. If you work the abdomen and not the back( by the back I mean the actual muscles near the spinal region) then you will develop and unhealthy outward-intead of ealthy inward- arch in the lumbar(lower region) area of your back. This will also cause the top of the back to round unhealthily. If you work the back and not the abdomen then the lumbar arch will become unhealthily extreme and this is most common among most adults, in their line of work, who lift with their backs and who do not do any abwork to compensate for the back work have this extreme arch.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by JoePob on September 13th, 2006

    JoePob

    This is a big myth in the weight lifting world. actually it doesn't stunt your growth that is genetic. It will strengthen your bones and you will receive the benifits of the training.

    God bless

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by Dreasan on January 3rd, 2006

    Dreasan

    Exercising at that age won't stunt your growth! Providing if you didn't work in a " forced labor camp ", at the age of six or seven, which would seriously damage the growing backbone vertebrae of any aspirsing athlete. So don't worry, wait until you are sixteen.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

Want to attach an image to your answer? Click here.

Did this answer your question? If not, then ask a new question or create a poll.

More Questions. Additional questions in this category.

You're reading I am 13 and I want to start weights. People say at that age it can damage your growth plates and stunt your growth. Is that true? - which can also be phrased in the following ways:

  • Does lifting weights in your early teenage years like 13 affect your growth, like ur height?

Follow us on Facebook!

Related Ads

Related Questions

Professionally Researched

ANSWERBAG BUZZ

Will lifting at 13 stunt your growth
Does psp have inbuilt light
Teenage weight lifting
Does lifting weights affect growth
Does musle building stunt growth in kids

Answerbag

a Demand Media company