Weightraining.....stunts.....growth!!!???

Weight lifting does not stunt growth. That is one of the oldest myths that revolves around lifting. Height is encoded into your DNA which makes it genetically predetermined what height you will reach. Boys and girls as young as 5 or 6 and younger possibly have trained with weights. They have also had 5 and 6 year olds compete in weightlifting and powerlifting events. It is a subject that has been studied very much and not one study has shown that weight training stunts growth. Although, the studies do not involve major injuries with kids your age but even still, most injuries that stunt growth are usually involved with sports that involve running and jumping that can create extremely high forces on ones joints. Drugs such as steroids and medications can also stunt growth. There are actually even some studies that show weight training to be a stimulant for height (not proven completely true yet) and it is shown that lifting weights for young kids can be a great benefit to have stronger bones and muscles. Your body releases significant growth hormone and testosterone and it will not let the tearing down and building up of muscles inhibit your growth. Shaquille O'Neal, David Robinson, Karl Malone all started lifting in their early teens and are all way over 6 feet tall. Arnold and Lou Ferrigno also started lifting when they were as young as 14 and both are over 6 feet. I also started weight lifting when i was 11, then powerlifted for a few years when i was 14, and started bodybuilding when i was 17 and I am taller than most in my family. My brother was competing in powerlifting when he was 10 and he is the same height as me. So do not believe this myth, it is very untrue and you will not have your growth stunted. Just make sure you are taught proper form and always use a reasonable weight. Using an extreme amount of weight that you are unable to handle will eventually cause injury. Remember, do not let anyone tell you that this bad rumor/myth is true, because it is far from being true.

One final thought is that anybody who says that a relative or whoever is shorter because of weightlifting, they have no clue what they are talking about. Bones grow longer because of the fusion of epiphyseal growth plates in your long bones and are not all affected at once. They are fused together with the help of hormones (growth hormone, insulin, thyroid hormone, androgens, and glucocorticoids). Therefore, it is impossible to work out during or before puberty and somehow stop all growth plates from fusing together. So do not believe people, they have no clinical evidence. And saying this person I knew isn't as tall as his parents or siblings is not a clinical sign.