“Lifting weights stunts growth.”
You’ve heard that before. Everyone has. It gets passed around like it’s fact. No one questions it. No one asks where it came from. It just… sticks.
Meanwhile, kids are:
But yeah… the concern is strength training. Interesting.
Let’s Clear This Up
This isn’t one of those topics where “there’s two sides.” There aren’t.
Every major organization in sports medicine agrees on this:
- National Strength and Conditioning Association
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- American College of Sports Medicine
All of them say the same thing: when it’s coached correctly, strength training is safe for kids. Not risky. Not “only in certain cases.” Safe. And not just safe—beneficial.
NSCA Position Statement on Youth Resistance Training, updated 2021
So Where Did The Fear Come From?
Old stories. That’s it.
Years ago, kids got hurt in weight rooms that had no coaching, bad equipment, and zero structure. And people blamed “lifting weights.”
That would be like saying: “Basketball is dangerous” because someone tore their ACL playing on a wet driveway. That’s not the activity. That’s how it was done.
What The Research Actually Shows
Not opinions. Not guesses. Actual findings:
- Kids in supervised strength programs have lower injury rates than most sports
- Strength training improves bone density during key growth years
- It improves coordination, balance, and control
- It can reduce sports injuries by up to 50%
And the big one: there is zero evidence that strength training stunts growth. That myth should’ve been gone a long time ago. It just never got updated.
American Academy of Pediatrics clinical report on strength training in youth, 2008 with ongoing reaffirmations
The Part Nobody Talks About
Parents worry about the risk of training. Fair. But almost no one talks about the risk of not training. And that’s where things actually go wrong.
Kids today are playing year-round, practicing more, traveling more, competing more. But physically? They’re underprepared.
So what happens? The body takes on stress it can’t handle. And eventually:
Playing The Sport Isn’t Enough
Most people think: “If my kid plays more, they’ll become more athletic.” That’s not how it works.
Sport builds skill. It does not build:
Those things have to be trained. If they’re not, you’re stacking stress on a system that isn’t ready for it.
People will say “Strength training is too much for kids” — then sign them up for 6 games in a weekend and year-round club schedules. But yeah… the structured, coached session is the concern.
What Good Training Actually Looks Like
Not random workouts. Not maxing out lifts. Not copying something off social media.
Good training is simple. Not easy — but simple. It’s:
When Should Kids Start?
Earlier than most people think.
Around 7–8: learn movement, control their body, build coordination.
Around 11+: structured strength training becomes a huge advantage. This is one of the biggest windows for development. Miss it, and you’re trying to build it later under more pressure.
How We Do It At Take5
We don’t guess. Every athlete starts with a movement evaluation. We look at:
Then we build from there — structured phases, clear progressions, testing every 6 weeks. Everything has a reason. No wasted reps. No random workouts.
See what that looks like in practice: what to expect your first session. Or jump straight to our youth performance program.
The Bottom Line
Strength training isn’t the problem. Poor coaching is. Lack of preparation is. Doing more and more without building a foundation is.
The research has been clear for years. The only question left is whether people are willing to let go of outdated beliefs long enough to actually use it.
Most parents don’t see what proper training looks like until they experience it. That’s why we start with a full evaluation — no pressure, no guessing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is strength training safe for a 12-year-old in Clackamas, Oregon?
Yes — when properly supervised by a certified coach, strength training is safe and beneficial for 12-year-olds. The key is age-appropriate programming that prioritizes movement quality over heavy loading. At Take5 Athletics in Clackamas, every young athlete starts with a movement evaluation before any weight is introduced.
Will lifting weights stunt my child's growth?
No — this myth has been thoroughly debunked by decades of peer-reviewed research. Age-appropriate resistance training does not damage growth plates or limit height. In fact, controlled loading during development actually promotes healthy bone density and skeletal strength.
What age can kids start strength training near Portland, OR?
Children as young as seven or eight can begin bodyweight and movement-based training safely. Structured resistance training with external loads is generally appropriate from ages 11 through 18. Our youth performance program serves athletes ages 11 to 18 across the Portland metro area.
How does strength training help youth athletes avoid injuries?
Young athletes who participate in structured strength training show up to 50% lower injury rates in their primary sport compared to those who do not. Building strength, stability, and body awareness prepares the body to handle the demands of sport — reducing overuse injuries, stress fractures, and ligament problems that are increasingly common in specializing athletes.
What should I look for in a youth strength coach near Clackamas or Happy Valley?
Look for nationally recognized certifications (CSCS, NASM-PES, CPPS, or FMS), a structured progressive program, small group or 1-on-1 supervision, and a coach who conducts movement evaluations before training begins. Avoid large, unsupervised group settings where form correction is impossible. You can learn more about what our first session looks like in our first session walkthrough.