Does Weightlifting Stunt a Child’s Growth? What the Science Actually Says

Parents often hear that children should avoid lifting weights until they finish growing. The concern is understandable: young athletes have developing bones, open growth plates, and bodies that are still maturing. But does lifting weights actually stunt a child's growth?

The scientific evidence says no. Properly designed and supervised resistance training has not been shown to stunt children's growth or damage their developing skeletons.

In fact, research from exercise scientists such as Dr. Avery Faigenbaum and recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics support resistance training as a safe and ef

fective form of exercise for children and adolescents when appropriate training guidelines are followed.

At Webb Human Performance in Farmington Hills, Michigan, we believe that developing strong, athletic children starts with understanding how their bodies grow and how to train them appropriately.

Where Did the Myth That Weightlifting Stunts Growth Come From?

The belief that lifting weights stunts children's growth has persisted for decades. However, its origins are not as straightforward as many people assume.

Historical observations of children's growth and physical development, concerns about injuries to developing growth plates, and limited early research contributed to the perception that resistance training was inappropriate for young people.

A common source comes from China during the mid-20th century that compared growth data of children in rural farming and mining communities to their counterparts in more urban and developed cities. The children in the rural areas experienced less growth than those in developed areas. One of the key conclusions made that caused this lack of growth was the amount of physical labor done by the rural children compared to the urban children possibly affecting growth plates. Over time this theory was also applied to weightlifting stunting the growth of children and being harmful to growth plates. Over time both these theories have been debunked by researched and it is widely accepted that the primary causes of stunted growth in the rural children was likely due to the poor nutrition, sleep, access to medical care and overall lower quality of life they experienced compared to urban children as opposed to physical labor or lifting heavy objects being a driving factor.

What Does the Research Say About Weightlifting and Growth?

Modern research has directly examined how children respond to resistance training, including changes in strength, body composition, injury rates, and physical development.

The findings consistently support appropriately designed youth strength training.

1. Faigenbaum and colleagues challenged outdated beliefs

Dr. Avery Faigenbaum is one of the leading researchers in youth resistance training. His work has helped shape how strength and conditioning professionals approach training for children and adolescents.

In a 2009 position statement published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, Faigenbaum and colleagues reviewed the scientific evidence and provided recommendations for youth resistance training. Their work supported the use of age-appropriate resistance training to improve health, fitness, and athletic performance.

Their review emphasized that children and adolescents can benefit from resistance training when programs are properly designed, instruction is appropriate, and qualified professionals supervise training.

In a 2009 review published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, Faigenbaum and Gregory Myer also examined the safety, effectiveness, and injury-prevention potential of resistance training in young athletes. They reported that injuries associated with youth weight training were often linked to accidents, inadequate instruction, poor technique, or inappropriate training loads.

Importantly, their review noted that growth-plate injuries had not been reported in prospective youth resistance-training studies that provided professional guidance and instruction.

Read the research:

• Faigenbaum et al. (2009), Youth resistance training: Updated position statement paper from the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

• Faigenbaum and Myer (2010), Resistance training among young athletes: Safety, efficacy and injury prevention effects.

2. A review of 22 studies found no negative effect on growth

In 2006, researcher Robert Malin

a published an evidence-based review examining youth weight training, growth, maturation, and safety.

The review evaluated 22 reports involving resistance training in prepubertal and early-pubertal children.

The results showed that children could improve muscular strength through resistance training. More importantly, the reviewed training programs did not negatively influence growth in height or body weight.

Malina concluded that resistance training involving weights and machines, when performed under appropriate supervision, was relatively safe and did not negatively affect growth and maturation.

This is important because the researchers examined actual training interventions rather than relying on assumptions about what might happen to a developing body.

Read the study: Malina (2006), Weight training in youth—growth, maturation, and safety: An evidence-based review.

3. The American Academy of Pediatrics supports youth resistance training

The American Academy of Pediatrics has also addressed the misconception that strength training stunts children's growth.

Its clinical report, Resistance Training for Children and Adolescents, reviews the available evidence on benefits, risks, and appropriate training practices.

The report states that appropriately designed resistance training programs have no apparent negative effect on linear growth or growth-plate health.

It also recognizes that children and adolescents can increase muscular strength with low injury rates when training emphasizes proper technique and adequate supervision.

The report reinforces an important principle: the safety of a training program depends on how it is designed and implemented, not simply on whether a child uses external resistance.

Read the clinical report: American Academy of Pediatrics — Resistance Training for Children and Adolescents.

But What About Growth Plates?

Growth plates are areas of developing cartilage located near the ends of certain bones. They allow bones to lengthen as children grow.

Because these structures are still developing, they require appropriate care. Growth-plate injuries can occur in sports, accidents, and poorly supervised training situations.

However, the existence of growth plates does not mean children should avoid resistance training.

Research has not demonstrated that properly designed youth strength training causes growth plates to close prematurely or prevents children from reaching their normal adult height.

It is also important to acknowledge that no physical activity is completely risk-free. A child can be injured while playing soccer, jumping, running, or participating in gymnastics. Resistance training is no different.

The goal is not to eliminate all physical challenges. It is to provide children with the instruction, supervision, and gradual progression necessary to manage risk.

Allowing children to develop strength and movement competency under qualified supervision is fundamentally different from having them attempt maximal lifts without instruction or appropriate equipment.

What Are the Benefits of Strength Training for Kids?

If properly supervised resistance training does not stunt growth, the next question is why children should participate in it.

Strength training offers several benefits beyond simply lifting heavier weights.

Improved muscular strength

Children can improve their strength before puberty. These improvements are largely driven by adaptations in the nervous system, including better motor-unit recruitment and coordination.

This means children can become stronger by learning to coordinate their muscles more effectively, even before substantial increases in muscle size occur.

Developing these abilities early provides a foundation for more advanced physical training as children mature.

Better athletic performance

Strength is a fundamental physical quality that contributes to acceleration, jumping, throwing, changing direction, and producing force.

For hockey players, developing strength can help build the physical foundation needed to accelerate, maintain body position, and compete for space on the ice.

Strength training does not replace sport-specific practice. Instead, it develops physical qualities that complement skill development.

Stronger bones and improved physical fitness

Appropriately prescribed resistance exercise can support musculoskeletal health, including bone development. It can also improve muscular endurance and other components of physical fitness.

Building strength during childhood can help establish habits and physical capabilities that remain valuable throughout adolescence and adulthood.

Improved movement competency and coordination

Well-designed youth training programs teach children how to squat, hinge, push, pull, jump, land, balance, and control their bodies through different ranges of motion.

These skills contribute to general athletic development and help children become more capable movers.

Rather than specializing exclusively in one sport from an early age, children benefit from developing a broad range of physical abilities.

How Should Children Begin Lifting Weights?

Although the research supports youth resistance training, that does not mean children should train exactly like adults.

Training should reflect the child's developmental stage, experience, coordination, attention span, and ability to follow instructions.

At Webb Human Performance, our approach to youth athletic development prioritizes building a broad foundation of physical skills before emphasizing advanced training methods.

Here are several principles parents should look for when selecting a strength training program for their children.

1. Prioritize technique before increasing resistance.

Children should learn to control their movements and maintain appropriate positions before adding more weight. Bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, medicine balls, and appropriately loaded free weights can all have a place in a well-designed program.

2. Use qualified coaching and supervision.

A coach should teach proper exercise technique, select appropriate loads, monitor fatigue, and provide feedback. Children should not be left unsupervised to attempt challenging lifts.

3. Progress gradually.

Training loads, exercise complexity, and total workload should increase in response to demonstrated competence. Maximal lifting is not a requirement for building strength.

4. Make training age-appropriate and enjoyable.

Younger children may benefit from games, crawling, jumping, balancing, bodyweight exercises, and simple resistance movements. As they develop better coordination and training experience, their programs can become progressively more challenging.

5. Account for the child's overall activity and recovery.

Strength training should complement sports practices, physical education, and recreational activity. Adequate nutrition, sleep, recovery, and time away from organized sports are essential components of healthy development.

Children with certain medical conditions or a history of significant injury may require individualized guidance from a qualified healthcare professional.

Should Parents Wait Until Their Child Finishes Growing?

No. There is no evidence-based requirement for children to wait until their growth plates close before participating in appropriately designed resistance training.

The National Strength and Conditioning Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics recognize the potential benefits of youth resistance training when appropriate guidelines are followed.

Read the NSCA's position statement: Youth Resistance Training: Updated Position Statement.

Waiting until adulthood to develop basic strength and movement competency is unnecessary. Children can begin learning age-appropriate strength exercises well before they finish growing.

The important distinction is between training appropriately for a child's developmental stage and exposing a child to training demands they are not prepared to handle.

A well-coached program emphasizes learning, gradual progression, and long-term development rather than chasing impressive numbers on a barbell.

The Bottom Line: Weightlifting Does Not Stunt Kids' Growth

The belief that lifting weights stunts children's growth has persisted despite decades of research challenging the claim.

Studies by Faigenbaum and colleagues, Malina's evidence-based review, and guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics all support the conclusion that properly designed and supervised youth resistance training does not appear to impair normal growth or growth-plate health.

That does not mean every lifting program is appropriate for every child. Poor technique, inadequate supervision, excessive loads, and uncontrolled lifting can cause injuries.

But avoiding strength training altogether because a child is still growing is not supported by the available evidence.

Children deserve the opportunity to develop strength, coordination, movement competency, and confidence in a safe and supportive environment.

At Webb Human Performance in Farmington Hills, Michigan, our youth sports performance training emphasizes long-term athletic development. We help young athletes build foundational strength, speed, power, coordination, and mobility through age-appropriate programming designed to support their development.

If you are looking for youth strength training in Farmington Hills, Novi, or Northville, contact Webb Human Performance to learn how structured athletic development can help your child build a stronger foundation for sports and lifelong fitness.