Does weight lifting really stunt your growth?

Question

How could it stunt your growth. I've just seen comments on yahoo answers that it can but a trainer at my school said it doesnt and that they have done tests on kids.

Answer 1

Only if you're trying to grow breasts -- "Bill"?

Answer 2

That trainer was right, weight lifting doesn't stunt your growth at all. The only way it could, would be to lift weights like 22 hours per day, day after day for years. That would use up all your energy causing you to never grow.

Answer 3

It's possible, but normally from extreme weight lifting - where your muscles are growing more than your body can support. Most likely, the people have heard the stories which were associated with steroid use, which can stunt your growth.

Have fun and hit that gym!

Answer 4

It depends the way you do your exercises. If you do them carefully.. it wont stunt your growth but if you do it without care you could get injured or MIGHT stop growing. I recommend you hire a personal trainer or someone that can help you with your exercises so that you lift the right amount of weight etc... :)

Answer 5

It will not stunt your growth if you are past puberty, however, lifting a lot prior to your muscles and body being fully formed I believe can affect growth patterns. Not positive about this though, usually you are told not to lift earlier than age 15.

Answer 6

If its done during actual growth.... then its possible, though the effect would be small....

Lets put it this way: A person with more weight to carry, even on a temporary basis, is going to put more stress on their bones... and in the case of bones growing upward, that means less progress per energy expenditure.

I'm not only referring to the lifting of the weights themselves.... but since they build up muscle, and muscle weighs quite a bit.... the weight is still there.
They'd need stronger bones to compensate for the extra mass, ideally... and thats not really practical, since the strength of the bones is largely dependant on diet and hereditary factors.

Answer 7

Weight lifting will not stunt your growth. But if your bones have not totally ossified and you're lifting incorrectly or lifting with a too heavy of a weight your epiphyseal plates(soft ends of non-matured bones)can be fractured leading to growth disturbances.

Answer 8

If you start to weight lift while you are going through puberty, there is a possibility that it can stunt your growth.

Answer 9

Actual studies are inconclusive, but ponder this: your body makes the hormones and proteins that make you grow. If you try to get your muscles to "overgrow" before your bones have finished growing, can you be sure that your body will make enough of the hormones and proteins to handle the extra demand you are putting on it? And if you miss the chance in your teen years for your bones to grow to their full extent, will you have that chance again?
I think it is safer to be moderate about body building until your bones have finished growing. You know from your own experience that what you do has a direct effect on how your body grows. I have seen several young men who started body building early and didn't get very tall, even though they did get wide.
There isn't an actual field of real science to give you definite answers about this. Trainers have opinions and doctors have opinions. Your body belongs to you and your decisions need to be your own.

Answer 10

The key to weight lifting at a younger age is to avoid any attempts at maximum lifts. Use lighter weights for greater repetitions, follow the advise of a certified trainer and never lift by yourself.

You will be able to lift heavier weights as you get older, your muscle size and tendon/ligament capacity will adapt to your body growth.

Please don't try to speed up development by using "steroids", they can lead to major health problems and even death at a young age.

Answer 11

No it does not stunt your growth. You should wait until puberty to lift though. Your joints can become deformed if you start too early.