As I've posted before I generally go to the gym to work out while dh walks, runs and does weights in home. He upgraded his machine so that he could do more exercises and has (finally) got it put together.
Dd is really into becoming stronger and knowing she is strong. She's been doing pull ups (or are they called chin ups?) as achallenge at school and is also doing them at home on the huge bar for the weight set up. Last night she wanted to try to do rows, tricep pull downs, bicep curls and a couple other things. I was concerned about letting her do it-- ?
My question is this: Is it ok for her to go down (totally supervised) with dh and do 10# bicep curls or 15# rows or whatever? She seems to want to do 5-10 reps just to prove to us and herslef that she can do them. (She tends to be pretty competitive.) My guess is that this trend is here to stay. (This is that same girl who decided 2-3 years ago to become a vegetarian- I said the phase would pass. She's still a vegetarian.) She is WAY into being strong.
I know that kids should not be weight training- she's not doing that- she just wants to lift dad's weights once in a while.
I wondered about forbidding her from going near the equipment. Seems a little extreme...
I am not worried about her changing out weights as dh or I am always there and either do that or supervise her.
As much as I hate exercise I LOVE lifting weights. I love how strong it makes me feel and that carries over into so many other areas. I never was good at regular sports but I seem to be good at this and yoga.
Of course it doesn't hurt that I lost 4 inches off my shoulders from lifting this last month. Finding new muscles or body parts rocks.
Originally posted by GoingSkiing: QUOTE]I wasn't a strong or athletic kid
So now, it is kind of cool to lift more than some of the guys
Me too. I was usually picked last for stuff, wasn't very coordinated and definitely the worst at the team sports I tried (basketball and softball). I was always good at skiing but that was it.
I absolutely LOVE being looked at as athletic now and also really enjoy lifting more than the guys : )
Out of our beliefs are born deeds; out of our deeds we form habits; out of our habits grows our character; and on our character we build our destiny.
Originally posted by GoingSkiing: I snuck a peak at the weight that one of the guys at the gym was lifting... and was lifting more than he was... and I liked it.
*lol* Don't you love that feeling Denise.
I wasn't a strong or athletic kid. I was called "Skinny Bones" or "Freckle Face Strawberry" and always picked second to last for PE dodge ball or kick ball teams (there was almost always one girl picked after me... but she was sick a lot... and was out of school a lot... so sometimes I was picked last).
So now, it is kind of cool to lift more than some of the guys or ski black diamonds "with the guys". Entering my second childhood. (Maybe the guy had injured his knees or something... and it was AWESOME that he could do 100 lbs on the leg press... but it was still fun to look over and see... whoa... I'm lifting quite a bit more than he it! He was older than I, but not by much... and I open jars that neither ds or dh can. )
Congrats to Sandy's dd for being strong in her first childhood! (Just don't want her to get hurt doing so )
Denise
Posts: 8734 | Location: Silicon Valley, CA | Registered: March 17, 2004
Originally posted by GoingSkiing: I snuck a peak at the weight that one of the guys at the gym was lifting... and was lifting more than he was... and I liked it.
I agree with the others that the weight she's starting out at may be too much. I just started weight training last month and I always start small (usually no weight on the barbell or dumbbell) and work my way up with concentrating on the form I am doing with the weights.
Dd is 9. Dh is pretty into weights and form and has been doing this for a long time with a series of trainers. He keeps telling me that she is way off in form and that she can't do more than just try the weights at times. He agreed to place better limits on her after I showed him your responses- he agrees completely.
I am super reluctant to get a trainer involved because I don't want her to get more into this. I think that having her see a trainer will focus on it.
I am hoping the novelty will wear off soon and she will be back to the challenge at school which includes pull ups, pushups, chin ups, sit ups and running.
The nurse called and said that if this not a regular thing and if she is being supervised, not to worry so much. She talked to me about simply downplaying the weight stuff in the basement and focusing more on the school challenge. Seems like a good approach.
I am not really worried about body image stuff. She seems really healthy and not concerned about weight. Her vegetarian stuff is about animals- killing them, in her words.
Thanks for the input. It is helpful to put out these concerns.
In addition to having the trainer talk to her about form, I'd ask about weights specific for her age and get her things appropriate for her size and training, rather than sharing with her dad.
I was a strong girl. It's fun to do "better" than boys (and other girls)!
Challenge Goals: *10 minutes of unplanned exercise five times a week *Gym time twice a week *Socialize at least once every two weeks.
A growing body of medical research now suggests that weight training before puberty can be of some benefit. These investigations have shown that preadolescents can respond to a strength-training program with an increase in muscle mass roughly 50% of that seen in adults who undergo the same strength training. Besides the improvement in strength, there is a decreased risk of musculoskeletal overuse injuries while participating in sports. Furthermore, a marked improvement in self esteem and self confidence was seen in those preadolescents who took part in strength-training programs.
On the downside, weight training injuries did occur more frequently in preadolescents. They usually resulted when improper techniques were used, the child was not supervised by an adult, or the youngster attempted to lift too much weight. These include acute musculoskeletal injuries (sprains and strains), damage to the bone's growth plates, overuse injuries (particularly of the elbow and knees), stress fractures, and a general disruption or slowing of skeletal maturation. Another concern of some physicians is that children and adolescents involved in weight training might turn to anabolic steroids and other preparations in order to increase muscle strength and/or muscle size.
Experts in the field now recommend the following for parents of preteens who allow their youngster to participate in weight training:
The equipment should be of appropriate design to accommodate the size and maturity of the preadolescent. It should be located in an uncrowded area free of obstructions with adequate lighting and ventilation. Avoid home workouts. They tend to be unsupervised and the child often takes needless risks. A pre participation physical exam is mandatory The child must have the emotional maturity to accept and follow instruction from a trained adult. This means that some 8-year-olds are ready, while many 14- year olds are not. In addition, the child should have the balance and coordination needed for weight lifting. Adequate supervision by trainers who are knowledgeable in strength training and the special problems of preteens Strength training should always be preceded by a warmup period and followed by a cool-down period Competition in weight lifting should be prohibited No maximum lift should ever be attempted There should be a discussion about the misuse of anabolic steroids and other illegally obtained medication used to increase muscle strength and size. The youngster should train for the right reason. He should not be motivated by an overzealous coach or aggressive parents. Maintain perspective. Cardiovascular fitness should be part of the total program and weight training is no substitute for general fitness. It is important to emphasize that weight training is probably the last thing preteens should do to help their performance. Muscular training is not the most vital part of a physical fitness program and a strong person may not necessarily be physically fit. Aerobic exercise - the kind that makes kids sweat and breathe hard (like basketball, running, swimming, or soccer), is the best way to improve cardiovascular endurance, balance, agility, and flexibility. Yet the evidence is now in that prepubescent and adolescent resistance training is safe, that it is effective in developing muscular strength and endurance, and that numerous benefits are possible following such training when done with proper supervision.
Out of our beliefs are born deeds; out of our deeds we form habits; out of our habits grows our character; and on our character we build our destiny.
I do not have the experience to comment on whether or not she should use weights but I must say she sounds like a pretty strong girl already. To make up her mind to become a vegetarian, stick to it, and now want to increase the strength in her body is quite admirable. Are you concerned about her injuring herself with the weights or are you concerned about her becoming overly focused on body image,? Also, I do not recall how old she is.
Jill
Summer Challenge Goals: 1) Walk 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week 2) Plan weekly menus
One more thing - generally nautilus types of machines are not manufactured to accomodate children so your dd may not fit on it safely. A trainer will be able to assess that.
PS Even I have that problem on a couple of pieces of equipment at our gym and I'm 5'3.
Out of our beliefs are born deeds; out of our deeds we form habits; out of our habits grows our character; and on our character we build our destiny.
We have kids training at our gym as young as 8. We start them off doing body weight only type exercises - pull ups, push ups, tricep dips, free squats (no weights), lunges - stuff like that.
Once they have the proper form down, then we start adding weight but they start out using 3 and 5 lb weights. Again, they need to get their form down 100% before we start increasing their weights.
Doing 10 pound curls/15 pound rows sounds like an aweful lot to me to start out.
My advice would be to have a session or two with a trainer who specializes in working with kids come to your house and show her how to warm up and stretch, proper technique and review safety issues and then how to cool down. The trainer should also work with your dh on spotting techniques which he will need to use.
I'm concerned about your comment that she wants to prove that she can do them - that's how people get hurt!
PS My dd (6 1/2) comes to the gym with me every now and then. She is perfectly capable of using the 5, 8 and 10 pound weights but her form isn't correct so I don't let her near the weights. When she participates in my class, she does the body weight only stuff and then mimics the range of motion without the weights. Eventually she'll get it but I'm not willing to risk her developing muscles to let her show me she can do it.
Out of our beliefs are born deeds; out of our deeds we form habits; out of our habits grows our character; and on our character we build our destiny.
