Will Weightlifting Stunt your Growth?

[Saine]

Will Weightlifting Stunt your Growth?
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Saine says no.
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by: FortifiedIron of bodybuilding.com

Many times we hear people say that young children should not perform heavy weight training in the fact that it stunt's their growth. Many scientist have researched this and provided evidence that this theory is not true. The Soviet Union published a book known as 'The School of Height' debunking the myths that children should not do heavy weight training. Great Britain published a journal study supporting this, outlining tests they performed on young power lifters showing they had better bone density and their bones where much more durable than that of children not subjected to heavy weight training or any other form of impact loading.

It is also relevant to note that athletes subjected to heavy loading and resistance are relatively free from osteoarthritis in old age and the subjects that were not exposed to heavy loading and resistance show a much greater incidence of osteoarthritis and cartilage fibrillation. Furthermore, there has also never been a documented case that claims weightlifting has stunted the growth of a child.

What many people dont understand is everyday physical education classes and activies that have nothing to do with moving maximum weight is far more dangerous and hazardous to your child then lifting weights. The soft tissue and connective tissue injury rate is rather low in competitive weightlifting compared to that in contact sports such as football, rugby and soccer.

From 1977-1988 permanent spinal injuries in high school football players reached 96 and 15 in college during that time.

From 1984 to 1988 over 15 high school football players ended up brain dead and 3 college football players ended up brain dead.

Even martial art sports have more spinal injuries then Olympic Weightlifting who of which has recorded ZERO!

In force plate test have shown that jumping is actually six times more stressful on the knee and connective tissue then squatting with heavy weight. The spin actually will obsorb more shock from jumping then placing a heavy load on shoulders where the body supports it.

I could really keep on going on this subject throwing many figure and stuff out to you guys but why so? weightlifting is safe and will NOT stunt your growth. You have a better chance of having brain damage or some life tiem disability from playing your every day sports you play in PE class then lifting heavy loads. KEEP LIFTING AND KEEP LIFTING HEAVY!

Kc
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?threadid=151548

 

[B.A.]

He posted that article in his own board aswell (I know because I used to visit fortifiediron.com alot).

Free weights/ resistence training is one of the safest sports for teenagers (safest in ther sense that it has the lowest incidence of skeletal injuries compared to other sports).

I'll post one of my old posts from another board just for something to read over (food for thought):

Think of your typical long bone. The middle part of the bone is called the shaft or diaphysis, and the ends the epiphysis. Long bones do not actually fully ossify (become "totally bone") until early to mid twenties. At 16 years of age, located at the ends of the shaft are what are called epiphyseal plates (where growth of the long bone occurs), composed entirely of cartilage (very hard/ tough fibrous protein). Obviously, as osteocytes (enzymes which "fill" the plate with the minerals calcium and phosphorous to convert it from cartilage to bone) have not yet ossified the plate, undue (intense) stress can increase the chances of a fracture occurring there in the bone (as obviously cartilage is not as tough as bone).

Therefore, growth may be indirectly affected.

Another theory is that the plates are forced to convert to bone much earlier in life than supposed to so as to cope with the added stress of very heavy resistence training, thereby inhibiting further growth of the long bone.

Obviously not all young people who train very heavily with free weights "grow up" up to be only 5ft tall. It's more about increasing your chances of inhibiting growth by one of the following above.

B.A. "

Below was my reply to FortifiedIron when he actually posted the post quoted at the top of this thread to counter my initial post (top bit):

"In my second post I was actually discussing the possibility that the long bone is more prone to a fracture (chance wise) rather than stunting growth from any form of physical activity that puts undue stress on non fully developed long bones, rather than my point of view fully revolving around stunted growth (I made a slight reference that fractured long bones such as the femur early in life could affect growth if say perhaps not reset properly or complications arise. I certainly was indeed referring to possibility rather than fact).

I have one case study of a 14 year old 6ft 14stone prop forward who fractured both of his femurs whilst simply running full out on the rugby field. Fractures located at the epiphyseal plates. There have been many case studies documented of similar incidents such as the one described above. Again emphasise placed on sports in general. Your reference to the football players is again proof of my point of skeletal injuries, not stunted growth.

Resistence training does increase bone density but only in the sections of the long bone that have actually ossified in young athletes. Plates remain unaffected in terms of increasing density.

To round off, my argument revolves around fractures/ skeletal injuries, yours stunted growth. My argument revolves around undue/ high levels of stress placed on the long bones from any form of physical activity performed at a very intense level, yours revolving around strength sports.

Thanks,

B.A. "

Most of you guys use free weights as the core of your physical activity, but I also know that alot of you play competative sports so the above is more for reference, rather than get you worrying, lol.

- B.A.

 

[madgame]

Im a lil bit over 6'3 "although" I worked out a lot, starting in my teens (I didnt know anything bout the right nutrtition till 17 or so so all the workouts were a complete waste of time lol)
Anyways my dads like 5'11 my moms like 5'4 my sister is like 5'8 (none of them lift(ed) weights) so I think Im livin proof of the fact that weight lifting doesnt really affect a teenagers growth. At least not much ;-)

 

[Saine]

Originally posted by madgame
Im a lil bit over 6'3 "although" I worked out a lot, starting in my teens (I didnt know anything bout the right nutrtition till 17 or so so all the workouts were a complete waste of time lol)
Anyways my dads like 5'11 my moms like 5'4 my sister is like 5'8 (none of them lift(ed) weights) so I think Im livin proof of the fact that weight lifting doesnt really affect a teenagers growth. At least not much ;-)

Lol, weightlifting help you grow.

 

[Soshyopathe]

How would something that stimulates growth hormone and testosterone stunt your growth?

I hit my growth spurt the same time I started squatting and deadlifting. Coincidence probably, but I put on 4 inches while lifting heavy.

 

[Da Irishman]

Originally posted by madgame
Im a lil bit over 6'3 "although" I worked out a lot, starting in my teens (I didnt know anything bout the right nutrtition till 17 or so so all the workouts were a complete waste of time lol)
Anyways my dads like 5'11 my moms like 5'4 my sister is like 5'8 (none of them lift(ed) weights) so I think Im livin proof of the fact that weight lifting doesnt really affect a teenagers growth. At least not much ;-)

This would be due to nutrition and comparing your height to female members of your family is rather queer as you grow for a much longer time than women.

The reasoning behind weightlifting stunting growth is that heavy lifting increases the levels of HGH in the body. HGH administered to a person who is not fully grown has been shown to fuse growth plates in critical joints such as knees and elbows.

 

[Saine]

Originally posted by Da Irishman
This would be due to nutrition and comparing your height to female members of your family is rather queer as you grow for a much longer time than women.

The reasoning behind weightlifting stunting growth is that heavy lifting increases the levels of HGH in the body. HGH administered to a person who is not fully grown has been shown to fuse growth plates in critical joints such as knees and elbows.

This is true but heavy lifting will not increase the level of HGH in the body that high. It has never been or else everybody would look young including those who still lift at the age of 70+.

 

[Neo]

lifting with BAD form and maxxing out alot stunts growth. Proper form and training encourages growth and gives u denser bones mmkay.

 

[Omega]

I hurt myself more in Football as a Running Back then I do weightlifting.


Translated:

I've only ever had 1 injurt weightlifting, and that's cause I didn't stretch. BIG MISTAKE. I'll never make it again. Weightlifting doesn't stunt growth. Egolifting does. Lift what you can with proper form, and you won't get hurt.

 

[madgame]

"This would be due to nutrition and comparing your height to female members of your family is rather queer as you grow for a much longer time than women."

Oh my gosh you're small minded dude...of course guys grow longer and taller than women. I was just trying to say, that I grew tall "despite" weight lifting ,though my family isnt overly tall in general.

 

[Da Irishman]

I'm just saying compare your height to male members of your family or you sound like a b!tch.

 

[madgame]

Bullshyt dude. First of, I did compare my height to my dads height whos the only male member of my family. Besides it would be stupid if I said my dad is 5'11 and Im 6'3 but didnt mention my moms height at all. If my mom was 6ft or so Id be pretty small for my genetics if she was 4'8 Id be damn big. but **** it

Taking a look at this and a few other posts makes me wonder if YOU r the one who isnt quite sure about his sexuality and tries to show other ppl hes str8 lol:

"By putting hetero in your name it means you are trying to show people you are straight. To me this means you are not quite sure about your sexuality yourself."

"Has anyone noticed that most teachers we dislike of seem to hold a grudge against us are often male? I can not explain why this happens but after conversing with some friends they too did not like the stand over tactics male teachers use to get work out of you. Anyone else agree?"


If u want u can take a look at my previous posts and make fun of me of course Im sure ull find somethin, but I think we should just chill

peace