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Jim Green
English 101
Professor Bolton
November 17, 2014
Can Children Handle the Weight?
As the number of childhood obesity rates continue to climb, many of the children choose
exercise as a way to reach a healthier lifestyle. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention
state that in 2012, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese
(Childhood Obesity Facts pg. 1). A popular way to maintain a fit lifestyle is to lift weights.
Weightlifting is a form of exercise that uses free weights to build muscle and to burn body fat.
Not only does weightlifting help athletic improvement but it also helps childrens attitude and
mind set. As stated in Healthy Women, Workouts such as weightlifting can keep your mood
elevated and help prevent bouts of depression. Weightlifting can also keep your spirits high,
improve sleep and appetite, reduce irritability and anger, and produce feelings of mastery and
accomplishment (Depression; Prevention par.1). Because of its mental benefits, weight lifting
is very popular in competitive sports teams and also in high schools. Weightlifting is a way for
their players and students to stay physically fit and mentally straight. As weightlifting is
introduced at a young age in school and in also sports teams, the conspiracy rises that over
training and lifting weights at a young age is dangerous. Misconceptions that weight lighting can
stunt growth, bulk up prematurely, and even cause an unwanted injury to children are misbeliefs.
As you read this, you may be thinking, can a child be physically over trained? Is weight training
healthy for children? Is weightlifting dangerous for my child? The Family Practice News states
that there is evidence that a well-designed strength training program for children produces

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enhanced cardiorespiratory fitness, greater lean body mass and less body fat, increased bone
density, and a better blood lipid profile than are found in children who dont engage in strength
training(Matos par.15 ). Weightlifting if performed in a safe and proper manner, is mentally
and physically beneficial to children.
If performed in an unsafe and improper manner, weightlifting can then be dangerous to
the health of a child. There are many factors that compose to unsafe and dangerous weightlifting;
incorrect form and technique, lack of muscle recovery, and excessive repetitions. Technique is
one key factor in successful weightlifting; if done incorrectly, it can be very dangerous to the
human bodys muscles and joints. With incorrect technique, the workout works backwards and
hurts the joints of the body instead of helping it. Putting strain on the joints and muscles can halt
all progress that the lifter has made and can even damage muscle. With improper technique,
muscle growth will deteriorate and stop completely causing an ineffective workout. Muscle
deterioration can also occur with a lack of muscle recovery. Muscle recovery is very important in
the weight room. Weight lifters should know to circulate the targeted muscle groups daily to
relieve the worked muscles. Without giving a selected group of muscles a break from the
weight, one can experience pain and may suffer from a muscle sprain or strain. Also, without the
proper break in-between recovery sessions, muscles groups cannot build and bulk at their full
potential. Furthermore, excessive repetitions are just nearly as dangerous. Authors Nuno Matos
and Richard J. Winsley from the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine state that;
Young athletes should be allowed 2 to 4 weeks of adaptation to basic resistance training
that should consist of a minimum of 2 sessions per week, with a limited number of sets,
basic exercises, moderate loads and adequate recovery (approximately 48 hours). This is
important whether it is the first time an individual has weight trained or a new

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programme is being started after weeks or months of no training. Furthermore, if
experienced, children may be able to exercise at a higher intensities and with a higher
frequency of training per week; indeed high intensity and volume training has been
shown to be effective in children. Again extremely high-intensities should be avoided,
especially during prepubertal years, as should eccentric-type of training until the later
stages of adolescence (Matos, par. 24, 25).
Weightlifting helps strengthen the muscles of your core, which are the muscles that support ones
spine. Exercise via weight lifting is safe and effective if performed in a safe manner and is
supervised by a trained professional who take all necessary precautions to avoid injury and harm.
In order to prevent harm, young children should not lift weights without the supervision of an
experienced adult.
Weightlifting has positive effects of ones mental health. Rogel, David, and Kraemer
state that exercise releases hormones such as epinephrine, norepinephrine, growth hormone, Bendorphines, sex steroids, and cortisol. Endorphines makes the individual feel better, which in
turn has a positive impact on self-esteem. High intense exercise such as weight lifting releases
catecholamices which leads to the ability to reduce visceral fat (Rogel 3). Weight lifting as
defined as anaerobic exercise reduces fat mass which improves physical fitness. A decrease in
body mass index is a positive outcome for weightlifting. Other positive health benefits of weight
lifting and are better coordination, increase in endurance, increase in circulating oxygen, and
increase in joint flexibility. Additional positive attributes are an increase in ones ability to focus,
increase in stability and balance, which aids in fall prevention.
Weightlifting helps one stay in shape by keeping the brain active and the nervous system
attune to the coordination of movement. Weightlifting also has shown to decrease

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cardiovascular disease and blood sugar, which decreases the likely hood of developing diabetes.
Studies have shown that after 45 minutes of moderate-intensity strength training, there was up to
20 percent decrease in blood pressure. Increased blood flow persisted for approximately 30
minutes after the end of training and as long as 24 hours in people who trained regularly, 30-45
minutes a few times a week. Weightlifting also can decrease ones stress level. Stress has shown
to cause high blood pressure and premature aging. Any form of exercise that decreases stress is
very beneficial. Weightlifting has been shown to decrease depression, fight osteoporosis. As
one weigh lifts, the muscles become bigger and stronger which in turn puts stress on the bones.
When the bones are stressed, more bone is deposited in the bone marrow which is a positive
health benefit.
Weightlifting will aid in better performance in sports. It improves dexterity, endurance,
and hand-eye coordination which keeps the athlete at the top of their game.
The aging process occurs in two phases. Phase one is the growth phase which is when the body
develops; muscles grow larger, bones grow dense, and organs mature. This phase last until the
age 25 to 35. Phase two is the decline phase, which is when muscles weaken and bones thin
down. This occurs between the ages of 30-70. Also one percent of the bodys physical capacity
is lost annually. If one is sedentary, its two percent or more. The older one becomes, the more
likely the will contract diseases or incur injuries. This decline translates onto the loss of muscle
strength, endurance, flexibility, coordination, agility, and balance. This can be measured by a
reduction in ones maximum heart rate and its stroke volume, the amount of with one can lift and
the range of motion of ones joints and the circumference of ones bones. About one half of the
changes in the decline phase are inevitable and cannot be helped by exercise such as thinning of
the hair, wrinkling of ones skin, hearing loss, and weakening eyesight, The other half, however

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can be slowed down or even reversed by exercise. With regular exercise, one can significantly
arrest the decline phase by increasing cardiovascular health through the strengthening of and
expansion of ones lungs. One can also increase the size and strength of ones muscles and bones,
so there is more development to chip away during the decline phase (Yanker 13,14).
As you read this, are you still thinking can a child be physically over trained? Is weight
training healthy for children? Is weightlifting dangerous for my child? Weight lifting can be
dangerous and harmful to ones body if performed inappropriately and done without the
supervision of a trained expert. The sport of weightlifting should be taken seriously. Ones does
not want to injure their back which could have long lasting effects. When weightlifting is
performed in a systematic manner, with down time to rest the muscles, injury is avoided. There
are numerous health benefits in weight lifting. Improvements in the bodies cardiovascular,
pulmonary, muscular, skeletal, and endocrine systems are proven benefits of weight lifting
(Yanker 13, 14). If weight lifting decreases stress, decreases aging, and increases self- esteem,
everyone should participate in some form of the exercise. We all know that diet, exercise, and
low stress is the formula to good health. Weightlifting is not harmful to children if performed
appropriately. It does not stunt their growth. Weight lifting has a multitude of important health
benefits besides improving muscle tone, muscle density and reducing body fat. By incorporating
weight training into your daily routine one can look better, feel better, and reduce ones risk of
developing diseases. Wouldnt it be great if some form of weight lifting was incorporated into
schools routine physical fitness programs? Girls and boys could work out to relieve stress that
is brought on by school. They could gain more muscle mass which would help them in their
sports which in turn helps with their competitive nature and also helps with their-esteem. Weight
lifting is not just for boys who play sports. It is for everyone, with all different shapes, sizes, and

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weight. Regardless of being in or out of shape, weight lifting is beneficial to everyone if
performed in a safe manner and is supervised by a trained professional.

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Works Cited

Depression; Prevention. NWHRC Health Center- Depression. Healthy Women, 2006. Health
Reference Center Academic. Web 16 Nov. 2014.

Matos, Nuno, and Richard J. Winsley. Trainability of young athletes and overtraining.
Journal of Sports Science and Medicine 6.3 (2007): 353. Health Reference Center Academic.
Web 16 Nov 2014.

NA. "Childhood Obesity Facts." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention., Aug.-Sept. 2014.
Web. Oct.Nov. 2014.

Rogol, Alan David, and William J. Kraemer. The Endocrine System In Sports And Exercise.
Malden, Mass: Blackwell Pub, 2005. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 17 Nov. 2014.

Yanker, Gary. Saving Your Life Through Exercise. Exercise Rx: The Lifetime Prescription
for Reducing Medical Risks and Sports Injuries. New York: Kodansha International, 1999.
13-17. Print.