How does weights stunt your growth

Human growth hormone is a peptide hormone produced by the pituitary gland which stimulates growth, cell reproduction, and cell regeneration. Growth hormone is essential to increasing muscle mass and bone density. In children and teens, HGH spurs growth because their growth plates aren't closed. Resistance training naturally stimulates growth hormone in our bodies. The weight lifting will simply provide more HGH in your body to support you reaching your full height potential.

Strength gains were lost during detraining. Experimental resistance training programs did not influence growth in height and weight of pre- and early-adolescent youth, and changes in estimates of body composition were variable and quite small. Teens can reap many internal and external benefits from strength training. Other than the obvious muscle strength benefit, "resistance training may yield some health-related benefits including bone health, body composition, and sports injury reduction," says Neal Pire, MA, a certified exercise physiologist and health coach.

This means he or she will have a reduced risk of breaking bones and getting injured at practice or during games. He or she will also be improving gross motor skills, known as coordination and fluidity of movements.

In addition to physical health benefits, improving body awareness, building a healthy body image and self-esteem, and overall confidence can also result. All of which are critical for teens as they develop lifelong healthy lifestyle skills.

Pire also says, "research supports incorporating resistance training in youth with medical conditions including obesity, diabetes, cancer, severe burns, and physical limitations, and intellectual disabilities. The first rule of thumb for parents is to seek out a knowledgeable youth coach as teens should always be supervised. In fact, the National Strength and Conditioning Association has reported it's when teens are not supervised that the risk of injury increases due to playing around and not following their program properly.

To be safe and effective, your teen should learn about a proper warm-up and cool down, proper pace, form and technique, and appropriate progression. Improved motor skills and body composition, in terms of increased fat free mass, reduced fat mass and enhanced bone health, have been extensively documented, especially if sport practice began early, when the subjects were pubescent.

The few which have, found that, contrary to the common misconception that resistance training may retard growth. Scientific evidence indicates that resistance training results in increased serum IGF-I and that there is no detrimental effect on linear growth.

Instead, the research suggests that when resistance training is programmed appropriately and performed with good technique that it actually provides numerous BENEFITS for youth athletes. Some of these benefits include:. So if you can follow instructions, and understand the inherent dangers of being in a gym environment:. Meet the Physio Network Research Reviews!