Is Strength Training Safe for Children? A Coach Explains

Your 10-year-old wants to do push-ups like the footballers on YouTube. Your 13-year-old has asked for dumbbells for their birthday. And somewhere in the back of your head is that old warning: “Lifting weights will stunt their growth.” So, is strength training safe for children? I get asked this a lot by parents in my Archway classes, and the short answer is yes, when it is done properly. The longer answer is all about the word “properly”.

I am a personal trainer, not a doctor, so I will point you to the guidance as well as sharing what I see when I coach families. If your child has any health condition, speak to your GP first.

Is strength training safe for children? What the guidance says

The NHS physical activity guidelines say children and young people aged 5 to 18 should take part in a variety of activities across the week to develop movement skills, muscles and bones. You can read them on the NHS physical activity guidelines for children and young people page. Strengthening muscles and bones is part of the plan, not something to avoid.

The children’s health site KidsHealth (run by Nemours, a US children’s health organisation) explains that strength training is generally safe for children when it is done properly and supervised, and that it will not hurt growing bones. It also says there is no set starting age, and that readiness matters more than age. Their guide to strength training for children is worth a read.

The old “stunted growth” fear mostly comes from injuries caused by poor technique, too much weight, or no supervision. That is why the rules below matter so much.

Strength training is not the same as weightlifting

This is the bit that confuses most parents. Strength training (also called resistance training) means making muscles work against a resistance. That could be body weight, a resistance band, a light medicine ball or light dumbbells. It is about good movement and gradual progress.

Lifting the heaviest weight you can for one rep, or copying an adult gym routine, is a different thing. That is not what younger children need. KidsHealth specifically warns that a child’s programme should not be a scaled-down version of an adult routine.

Safe bodyweight options by age

For most children, body weight is all the resistance they need for a long time.

Ages 5 to 8: strength through play

• Climbing frames, monkey bars and trees
• Animal walks: bear crawls, crab walks, frog jumps
• Tug of war with a towel
• Hopping, skipping and jumping games
• Wheelbarrow races

At this age, there is no need for sets or reps. Play is the training.

Ages 8 to 12: learning the basic moves

Children this age can start learning proper technique on a handful of movements, two or three times a week, with a rest day between:

• Squats: 2 sets of 8 to 12, feet shoulder-width, chest up, knees tracking over toes.
• Push-ups: start against a wall or a sturdy table, then knees, then full. 2 sets of 5 to 10.
• Glute bridges: 2 sets of 10, squeezing the bottom at the top.
• Plank: 2 holds of 10 to 20 seconds with a straight body.
• Lunges: 2 sets of 6 each leg, slow and controlled.

KidsHealth suggests starting with one or two sets of 8 to 12 reps, with a weight or resistance your child can lift comfortably with good form for at least 8 reps. If they cannot, it is too heavy.

Teenagers: adding light equipment

Teenagers who have learnt good form can begin to add resistance bands, a light kettlebell or light dumbbells. The rule stays the same: technique first, load later, and small increases. A qualified coach who works with young people is a very good investment here. For ideas you can do together, see my post on workouts for parents and teens.

Supervision rules I use with children

1. An adult is always present when kit is involved, even light kit.
2. Warm up first. Five to ten minutes of easy movement, like skipping and arm circles. The NHS has a simple guide to warming up.
3. Form over numbers. If the form breaks, the set ends.
4. No maximum lifts. Children should never be testing how heavy they can go.
5. No adult machines unless they fit the child properly and a qualified instructor is supervising.
6. Rest days matter. Two or three short sessions a week is plenty.
7. Pain means stop. Sore muscles the next day can be normal. Sharp pain, joint pain or pain that does not go away means stop and see a GP or physio.

Also keep an eye on the bigger picture. A child who already does football three times a week, swimming and PE might not need extra training. I have written about how much sport is too much for a child if you are worried about overdoing it.

Where a bootcamp class fits

Children copy what they see. If they see you squatting, lifting and moving well, they think it is normal. That is one of the best reasons for you to train, too.

My SYP Built To Last functional strength class teaches the same basic patterns, squat, hinge, push, pull and carry, at an adult level. Once you have learnt them properly, you can help your kids learn them at home. If your teen is asking about joining a gym, my guide to what age kids can go to the gym in the UK covers the typical rules.

FAQs

Does lifting weights stunt a child’s growth?

Current guidance from children’s health organisations says properly supervised strength training does not harm growing bones. Injuries tend to come from poor technique, too much weight or lack of supervision, which is why those rules matter.

What age can a child start strength training?

There is no fixed age. Young children build strength through play. From around 7 or 8, many children are ready to learn simple bodyweight exercises with good form, if they can follow instructions.

How often should children do strength training?

Two or three short sessions a week, with a rest day between, is a common recommendation for children doing structured strength work. Active play on other days is great.

Should my child see a doctor before starting?

If your child has a health condition, such as a heart problem, high blood pressure or seizures, or has had an injury, check with your GP first.

Book your first class

Want to learn the basic strength moves properly so you can show your kids? SYP Bootcamp runs 45-minute small-group classes in Archway N19, indoors in a church hall, with a maximum of 10 people and an easier and harder option for every exercise. Classes are £15 each. Book your £15 class here or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215. If you are working around an old injury of your own, have a look at injury-safe personal training in Archway.

About the author

Artem Olekhnovych is a personal trainer in Archway and the founder of SYP Fitness and SYP Bootcamp. He has coached clients in Archway, Highgate and across North London for over 10 years, and runs small-group bootcamp classes for busy mums and dads. Read reviews from his 1-1 clients.