Benefits and Myths | Fortified Strength

Core Program Guidelines

Qualified Supervision: Always ensure certified coaches or trainers supervise sessions to prioritize correct lifting technique.

Focus on Technique First: Emphasize proper movement mechanics and multi-joint exercises before adding heavier resistance.

Progressive Loading: Start with bodyweight movements or light resistance, gradually increasing load as motor control improves.

Myth: It Stunts Growth or Damages Growth Plates
- Fact: Decades of clinical research show that age-appropriate, supervised strength training poses no threat to growth plate (epiphyseal) integrity or linear growth. Weight-bearing and resistance exercises actually stimulate bone mineral deposition, strengthening the skeletal frame.

Myth: Children Are Too Young to Lift Weights
- Fact: Major organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Strength and Conditioning Association support resistance training for kids as young as 7 to 8 years old, provided they are emotionally mature enough to follow safety instructions.

Myth: Lifting Weights is Inherently Dangerous for Kids
- Fact: Research shows that youth resistance training carries a lower injury rate than many competitive team sports (e.g., soccer or football). Injuries that do occur are almost entirely attributable to lack of supervision, poor technique, or excessive loads.

Performance & Skill Acquisition: Improves sprint speed, vertical jump height, agility, and fundamental motor skills (e.g., throwing and kicking).

Injury Reduction & Prehabilitation: Enhances tendon, ligament, and bone resilience, significantly reducing the risk of sports-related overuse injuries and joint trauma.

Long-Term Bone Development: Increases bone mineral density during critical growth periods, creating a strong structural foundation for adulthood.

Metabolic & Psychosocial Health: Boosts self-esteem, supports healthy body composition, and improves insulin sensitivity and cardiometabolic markers in children and adolescents.

Resistance Training for Children and Adolescents — American Academy of Pediatrics clinical report (Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness; Stricker, Faigenbaum & McCambridge), Pediatrics, June 2020; reaffirmed November 2024. The AAP's official position, a revision of its 2008 statement.
Youth Resistance Training: Updated Position Statement Paper from the National Strength and Conditioning Association — Faigenbaum et al., Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2009. The NSCA's foundational position stand.
Resistance Training Among Young Athletes: Safety, Efficacy and Injury Prevention Effects — Faigenbaum & Myer, British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2010 (PubMed Central, PMC3483033). A peer-reviewed review of injury data and age-appropriate guidelines.
Strength Training for Youth Athletes — Symmetry Physical Therapy (Miami) blog, 2022. A clinician-written overview built around the NSCA position and the Long-Term Athletic Development model.
When Can My Child Start Lifting Weights? — Dr. Aaron Horschig, Squat University, 2016. A coach/PT article addressing growth-plate and stunting myths with cited research.
Why Weightlifting Is Good for Kids (and Why It Won't Stunt Their Growth) — Samantha Poeth, BarBend, 2016. An op-ed by a national-champion weightlifter making the case for early, supervised training.