As some of you may know, we have been running kids fitness class at the Lewiston gym for some time now. It started as just a Sunday class to get the kids up and moving but now it has evolved into something so much more! After adding a second day, Tuesday evenings, and familiarizing the kids with some basic movements I am proud to say that the KidsFit class has become a much more serious environment with some pretty amazing feats being performed. If you follow us on Facebook then you have seen the recent videos that have been posted; one of the kids jumping on a 3 foot high box and the second of two of our boys performing push presses, high pulls and high box jumps. I don’t care who you are, that is no small feat, and have I mentioned that those boys are only 12 and 13 years old? Have I also mentioned that our kids go as young as six years old? Now I know what you’re thinking, that these kids are too young to be lifting weights and that it will effect their growth. Well here is the thing, though I do appreciate that as parents you are concerned but, you’re wrong.
Since I know it has been awhile since biology class this is just a brief refresher as it relates to the body. Your body is a very complex organism made up of multiple types of tissues which needs hormones, regulated by the hypothalamus, to grow. One of these types of tissues I am speaking of are our bones. Our bones are made up of dense calcium and collagen material hardened throughout our lives by a process called ossification. Ossification is when the bone is broken down by osteoclasts and built back up to be stronger by osteoblasts. Now notice I said over time. Bones don’t start out as fully hardened because they need to grow. If they were hard from day one everyone would need to be born at their full adult height. But what allows bones to grow?
On the ends of the bones are epiphyseal plates, more commonly known as growth plates. The growth plates are essentially empty space that is filled up throughout our development until we reach our full growing potential. The only way to negatively impact that growth would be to directly fracture or break a bone on the growth plate. Lifting weights, under proper supervision and with good form, is one of the least likely activities a kid can do to fracture or break a bone. Lifting is a great activity for kids to be involved in. It is challenging and exciting and requires focus, all things that parents what for their kids. It develops body awareness in space, strengthens the muscles and improves athletic performance.
So lifting weights is something all kids are physically capable of, however, the next question is whether or not they are mentally mature enough to lift weight. Kids can theoretically start “lifting” as young as the age of 3, and then be lifting for the rest of their lives. That being said am I going to hand a 3 year old a pair of dumbbells and say “Thrusters, GO!” ? Absolutely not. Lifting weights is a relative term for kids so let me explain. There are 3 types of lifting: (1) un-weighted/unloaded, (2) un-weighted/loaded and (3) weighted/loaded. Un-weighted/unloaded is nothing in hands at all! Body weight motions only. We use this type of training to teach movement through space and body awareness. Un-weighted/loaded is the use of tools like a PVC pipe, dry erase markers or other negligibly weighted objects we can use to add a form of resistance. We use this mostly to get the kids accustom to having something in hand so they can learn good technique prior to holding actual weight. And weighted/loaded is good old fashion weight training. Now depending on a kids age and on maturity level it might be a while until we can progress them from one to the next but either way they are doing a type of resistance training.
Long story short is lifting is safe for kids to do with the right supervision. Give your kids a head start to a fit life and bring them into ChrisFit KidsFit!
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