June 29, 2026 //
Rob Anderson //
Gym News //
6 min read
You have probably heard it before. “Do not let your child lift weights. It will stunt their growth.”
It is one of the most common things parents say in youth sport. But does lifting weights stunt growth???
This is actually one of the most damaging myths in youth athletic development.
Because while parents are banning their children from the gym, those same children are sprinting, jumping, landing and taking tackles on the rugby pitch. All of which put far more force through their bones than any properly supervised gym session ever would.
So where did this myth come from? And what does the science actually say?
Where The “Lifting Weights Stunts Growth” Myth Came From
The concern is not completely without logic.
Growth plates are areas of soft cartilage found at the ends of long bones. During childhood and adolescence, they are more vulnerable than the surrounding bone. If a growth plate is damaged, it can affect how that bone grows.
The leap that people made was this: if growth plates can be damaged, and if lifting weights puts stress on bones, then lifting weights must damage growth plates.
The problem is that this leap was never backed by scientific or medical evidence. It was an urban myth that spread from parent to parent, coach to coach, until it became accepted as fact.
What The Research Actually Says
The science on this topic is not new. Researchers have actually been studying youth resistance training for decades. And the findings are consistent over time.
Malina (2006), in a review published in the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, found that experimental resistance training programs did NOT influence growth in height or weight in pre- and early-adolescent youth.
Falk and Eliakim (2003) concluded that “contrary to the common misconception that resistance training may retard growth, scientific evidence indicates there is no detrimental effect on linear growth.”
Faigenbaum and Myer (2012) stated that “current research indicates that resistance training can be a safe, effective and worthwhile activity for children and adolescents.”
Stricker, Faigenbaum and McCambridge (2020), writing in the journal Pediatrics, listed “resistance training stunts growth” as a myth and confirmed that well-designed programs are safe for young athletes.
Sport Puts More Force Through Bones Than The Gym
Here is the part that most parents do not think about.
When your child sprints, they are putting forces through their legs that are several times their body weight. When they jump and land, the impact is even greater. When they take a tackle in rugby, the forces involved are significant.
Yet parents who would never allow their child in a gym will happily send them to training three times a week.
The physio network puts it plainly: sport subjects your childs bones to forces that far exceed what is found in the weight room. If you ban the gym but not the sport, the logic does not hold up.
Resistance Training Actually Makes Bones Stronger
Not only does resistance training not harm bones. It actively builds them.
Research shows that resistance training increases bone density and bone strength index in young athletes. It also reduces rates of sports-related injury. Stronger muscles protect joints and bones during the demands of sport.
Why Young Athletes Get Stronger Without Getting Bigger
One of the most important things to understand about youth resistance training is that the strength gains are primarily neurological.
When a young athlete gets stronger, it is mostly because their brain gets better at activating and coordinating muscles. Not because their muscles have grown bigger. Muscle size gains (hypertrophy) come much later, after puberty, when hormones allow for that kind of adaptation.
This is why resistance training is safe and effective even for young children. The adaptations are neurological first.
What Safe Resistance Training Looks Like
Safe resistance training for young athletes follows a simple set of rules.
Start with bodyweight. Progress to light loads only when technique is solid. Focus on movement quality above everything else. Always train under the supervision of a qualified strength and conditioning coach.
Maximal single-rep lifts are not appropriate for young athletes. The goal is not to see how much they can lift. The goal is to build movement quality, strength and confidence over time.
follow instructions and concentrate for a full session
control their body competently through fundamental movements
work safely in a gym environment with a qualified coach
If the answer is yes, they are ready.
What This Means For Your Child
If your child plays football, rugby or any other team sport, resistance training is not a risk to their development. It is one of the most important investments you can make in it.
The myth that lifting weights stunts growth is not supported by any scientific evidence. What is supported is that properly supervised resistance training makes young athletes stronger, more resilient and less likely to get injured.
If you want to know exactly what your child should be training right now, try our free Bodyweight Mastery Checklist below to see what your child should be concentrating on in their training right now!
