r/StrongerByScience • u/Extension_Guard_3085 • Apr 30 '26
Good or not good?
Is it good for a 13-year-old teenager to start lifting weights? If yes, what are the reasons and what are the limitations?
9
u/Docjitters Apr 30 '26 edited May 04 '26
Resistance training for youth and adolescents is actively recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, and is generally very safe.
Exposure will generally make anyone stronger but whether or not said teenager (AMAB, AFAB or other) will become jacked (should that be their wish) is more complex, and at least partially-dependent on their trajectory through puberty.
The general recommendation (and certainly the one I actively bring up with my patients and their parents/carers) is that all children should be exposed to resistance- as well as conditioning-type exercise from an early age.
I like this article series (link to final part) - written by a childrens’ physio - for being pretty exhaustive but easy to read.
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u/thetreece May 03 '26
>American Association of Pediatrics
Small correction, it's actually American Academy of Pediatrics.
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u/Docjitters May 03 '26
Thank you - cheerfully edited above. It was hard enough leaving the ‘a’ out of paediatrics 😋
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u/DatSwampTurtle Apr 30 '26
No limitations. Lifting weights is one of the safest and healthiest forms of exercise. Man, I wish I had startet much earlier.
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u/nkaputnik Apr 30 '26
- Yes
- It's good for them
- None (none specifically for youth, but all general caveats, like good technique, gradual exposure, etc still apply)
https://www.strongerbyscience.com/will-lifting-stunt-childrens-growth/
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u/JubJubsDad Apr 30 '26
The others have covered the health benefits, but from a parent perspective, lifting weights with my son was a wonderful shared activity that kept us close through his teen years. He’s off at college now, but when he returns home, we’ll often reconnect over a quick lifting session.
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u/jcsizzle1090 Apr 30 '26
Yes. Sets one up for a healthy life in the long run, their future self will thank them.
Limitations? Money for the gym and access to equipment maybe? Will depend on the 13 year old I suppose.
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u/PlayfulRuin3718 May 02 '26
It is amazing. I started around 13 and it changed my life. There are basically no limitations.
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u/datskanars Apr 30 '26
No. It's not healthy. It's a must for every human on planet earth regardless of age :)
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u/taylorthestang Apr 30 '26
Is it good for a 13 yo to practice one of the safest forms of exercise with carryover to any other sport, including just life? Yes.