Question about lifting weights

[GrnBay007]

Never let your boy lift weights before he becomes a teenager, and never let your boy throw a curve ball before he can shave. Things to live by--no matter what the coach says.

Let him go out and be a kid. Instead of having him concentrate on lifting weights, push him to become a "gym rat."

Now you have to expand on this Harv.....why no lifting before being a teenager?
I'm not worried about the curve ball.....he plays 1st and shortstop.

I'm not worried about him being obsessed with this weight lifting.....he's well rounded.....bike riding, practicing sports in the yard, video games.....all the usual kid stuff. But if he's interested in it.......what's the harm in it?

[Homer Jay]

I checked a few places online and found 2 main rules.

1. If it's something he wants to do and isn't being pushed into it 10 is not too young.
2. Make sure he has supervision and that he isn't just trying to lift as much as he can. That's where injuries occur.

[GrnBay007]

Harv, I think I know what you mean by adults treating their kids like they have an adult body. The parent behavior once your kids get into organized sports is unbelievable. That's not me. The only thing I "push" my kids at is good grades. I might be right or wrong, but in our home the discussion of college has never been optional.

As far as sports go...or other outside school activities ....there are two main rules. If you want to try something, that's great.....but you won't quit 1/2 way through...you'll stick it out. Second, it can't affect your grades.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Never let your boy lift weights before he becomes a teenager, and never let your boy throw a curve ball before he can shave. Things to live by--no matter what the coach says. That's from friends of mine who played college sports. The worst thing that can happen to a young kid is for adults to treat him like he's some athlete with a mature body. Let him go out and be a kid. Instead of having him concentrate on lifting weights, push him to become a "gym rat." He'll end up liking the sport a lot more. Ideally, at a young age, your son will take an interest in several sports that he can fill the calendar year round with (e.g. football in the fall, basketball in the winter, baseball in the spring, tennis in the summer).

I'm with you Harvey.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Wow, thanks for all the great information and suggestions.



Oh yeah...B, he thought your comment on looking good for the chicks was gross! (whewww )

Umm, so he wants to look good for the boys?

[Anti-Polar Bear]

Why lift as a kid when you can always start using steroid as a teenager? I wonder how much better I would be in high school if I used steroid. Alas, my football legacy ends with shutting down Darren Charles.

One of my few regrets as a teenager is that I've never used steroid. I could've been the Travis Jervey of CBs, or better, another Jason Sehorn; or even better, the Barry Bonds of football.

[Little Whiskey]

Wow, thanks for all the great information and suggestions.

I .....and let him know you guys are all almost professionals....so he should pay attention.

so what did he think of proper shoot'n form????

great the kid can throw a baseball, hit a golf ball, but can he shoot??? teach him the fundementals!!! shotgun, rifle and a 4 wheel drive!!

[mraynrand]

One important thing to remember is that a ten year old boy most likely has not gone through puberty. A lot of young boys, expecially if they are smaller, want to get bigger and stronger to match the guys growing up fast around them. If they haven't gone through puberty, they just won't build much muscle mass. They are bound to get a little frustrated at putting in a lot of work and seeing no great results. I think Harvey is right on the money. Encourage a ten year old to try a lot of different sports, until he (or she) finds one or several that they really like. The exercise will keep them in shape and will establish a life-long pattern of physical activity, that is more important than getting bigger.

If they want to get stonger, just encourage them to do a lot of push-ups and situps (crunches) and definately teach them how to stretch (best after a warm up) and again after exercising.

[Deputy Nutz]

Wow, thanks for all the great information and suggestions.

I asked him why he wants to lift weights and he says because he wants to be stonger. He doesn't watch any of those wrestling shows so I'm sure it's not that he's fascinated with them. This was the first year he tried wrestling and he told me 1/2 way through the only reason he wanted to wrestle was because he thought it would make him stronger.

Whatever you do, keep him wrestling. You would be amazed at the strength, body balance, coordination, and quickness that he will develop on the mat. Wrestling also teaches kids about personal responsibility and understanding how to take both winning and losing. Besides you live in Iowa, if he is not wrestling, he ain't living!!!

[Charles Woodson]

Never let your boy lift weights before he becomes a teenager, and never let your boy throw a curve ball before he can shave. Things to live by--no matter what the coach says.

Let him go out and be a kid. Instead of having him concentrate on lifting weights, push him to become a "gym rat."

Now you have to expand on this Harv.....why no lifting before being a teenager?
I'm not worried about the curve ball.....he plays 1st and shortstop.

I'm not worried about him being obsessed with this weight lifting.....he's well rounded.....bike riding, practicing sports in the yard, video games.....all the usual kid stuff. But if he's interested in it.......what's the harm in it?

I started lifting weights around 11. You just have to becareful though. I mean im 14 now and im perfectly fine. But i would only give him dumbells. Also if he wants to get stronger, Teach him the proper way to do pushups, Pushups are very good for getting stronger, althought only if done the correct way.

[Charles Woodson]

Wow, thanks for all the great information and suggestions.

I asked him why he wants to lift weights and he says because he wants to be stonger. He doesn't watch any of those wrestling shows so I'm sure it's not that he's fascinated with them. This was the first year he tried wrestling and he told me 1/2 way through the only reason he wanted to wrestle was because he thought it would make him stronger.

Whatever you do, keep him wrestling. You would be amazed at the strength, body balance, coordination, and quickness that he will develop on the mat. Wrestling also teaches kids about personal responsibility and understanding how to take both winning and losing. Besides you live in Iowa, if he is not wrestling, he ain't living!!!

Its also bad for your body. Depending on the coach. At my school, kids go days without eating, I know one Junior who said before a match, so he could wrestle at his weight, he sat in the car, with the heater on high, and 3 layers of close, and made himself throw up.


Also, an excersie that i would not do at his age, is squats.

[Joemailman]

Looks like 007 used those weights for herself!

[GrnBay007]

Oh my! What big boobies she has.

I must be lifting the wrong weights.

[Guiness]

I'll try not to repeat too much of what others have said, but mention

-at 10yrs old, grade 5, he's probably sharing a school yard with the grade 6-8. Whoever mentioned that the older boys have hit puberty is right. This might be part of the reason he's looking at this.

-make sure he's doing high reps, not the old SNL skit 'how much can ya bench'

-calistenics, or exercises that use your body weight for resistance are good. Chinups, pushups and situps will increase his strength a lot. Different kinds of chinups, wide grip, narrow grip.
Before you get him the weights, tell him you want to see 3 sets of 10 chins, 3 of 20 pushups and 3 of 30 situps. See if you can do the same with him!

-core strengthening is really neat too. Isometrics and pilates.

Oh ya, lastly, if you do get him weights, avoid the cement filled plastic things. They're awful. And get a proper bar a knurled surface, not a cheap one with a collar.

[GrnBay007]

I'll try not to repeat too much of what others have said, but mention

-at 10yrs old, grade 5, he's probably sharing a school yard with the grade 6-8. Whoever mentioned that the older boys have hit puberty is right. This might be part of the reason he's looking at this.

-make sure he's doing high reps, not the old SNL skit 'how much can ya bench'

-calistenics, or exercises that use your body weight for resistance are good. Chinups, pushups and situps will increase his strength a lot. Different kinds of chinups, wide grip, narrow grip.
Before you get him the weights, tell him you want to see 3 sets of 10 chins, 3 of 20 pushups and 3 of 30 situps. See if you can do the same with him!

-core strengthening is really neat too. Isometrics and pilates.

Oh ya, lastly, if you do get him weights, avoid the cement filled plastic things. They're awful. And get a proper bar a knurled surface, not a cheap one with a collar.

Actually he's one of the older kids....won't move to middle school until grade 6. He's not small....actually tall for his age, thin but not skinny. He does push ups, sit ups a lot.....not sure how he does with chin ups. I can hang with him on the sit ups, not push ups......lol

I'm not clear on what you mean by....get a proper bar with a knurled surface, not a cheap one with a collar. what is a collar?