Re: Children & Weight Training

[Guest guest]

>Mike Poling wrote:

> Ok...let's step back a sec. A 12 year old doing ANY exercise with

>275 lbs is Dangerous, Irresponsible and Unnecessary!!! Do you have any

>idea what that kind of weight training can do to the epiphyseal plates of

>a 12 year old!? Plus the VERY distinct possibility of rhybdomyolysis,

>ketoacidosis and permanent adhesion build on the musculotendonous

>junction. And why? Just to prove it can happen? That kind of science

>and training is based on extremely poor judgement...that of...a thing

>should be done because it can. People can be mass murdered..but should

>they? Sorry if I seem a bit strong minded here but having treated over

>2000 children with orthopaedic and physiological injuries, many of which

>caused by irresponsible training methods (and pushing by the " hockey dad "

>mentality), I have seen quite a few children have permanent impairments

>due to such a seemingly harmless thing! Let's think about WHY we work

>out....fun, exercise and enjoyment of life...not to alter the human form.

Numerous studies showed that properly supervised weight training have no

negative effect on the skeletal systems of children. My daughter was the

one who researched and found these studies and convinced me. Unfortunately

after I was convinced I trashed the studies. At any rate, I think the key

is responsible and supervised. I'm very careful. Almost three years later

Meghan is showing no ill signs and lots of positive signs from her

weightlifting.

If you had read the article here

www.stumptuous.com/meghan.html

you would have seen I initially discouraged Meghan from entering the weight

room - I'm not a hockey dad who pushed her into this forum. I had read some

articles which made the same suggestions you made. However Meghan convinced

me otherwise and in fact, Meghan was the one who got me back into the

weight room!

We work on technique and avoid skeletal system loading as much as possible.

However, as Meghan is a competitive powerlifter some loading is

unavoidable. Meghan has since also taken up wrestling, so our training has

taken a slightly different direction.

Obviously, Meghan is not a young lady who is afraid to be slightly

different. Oh yeah - for us the weight room and training is fun! Yeesh...

BTW Mike, it is possible to raise an issue and make a point of contention

without comparing someone on the list to a mass murderer and suggesting

they are pushing their children for their own vicarious pleasure. I have to

admit my initial reaction to your post was anger. For my children sports

are fun. I coach numerous sports, including baseball and hockey, and my

approach is based on the kids having fun and developing. I've experienced

some of those hockey parents you refer to and I resent the implication of

your post.

[Guest guest]

, I am sorry you took my post personally...that was not it's intent. I

did not mean to imply that you are trying to live vicariously through your

daughter...However, I have read pretty much the vast majority of research on

the subject, conducted research on the subject and have seen the LONG TERM

effects of such situations. I can assure you, there ARE very strong

implications of the training we are discussing. Again, I am not suggesting

that training is bad...but training in moderation with CHILDREN is

necessary. If you'd like...I'd be very happy to sent you LOADS of

literature (35 studies sitting in my filing cabinet to date) from

Peer-reviewed journals and pediatric journals, which specifically address

this topic.

I understand that the gym and training is fun, but 3 years is nowhere near

enough time to assess the outcome of this type of training on your daughter.

The children I have seen over the years have been 10-15 years into

training and are hitting their " prime " ...18-25 years. Some have severe

developmental issues, other have minor problems. Some area even directly

related to training, such as in-gym injuries (ruptured vertebral disc,

medial collateral ligament rupture, meniscal disclocation--this one being

particularly problematic because the parents are now suing the trainer who

failed to mention the risks of such training).

The point is, your daughter may have no problems whatsoever, and I very much

hope this is true. But competitiveness, sport and fun does not have to end

just because heavy weights aren't involved.

After reading my last post again, I do have to apologize for the analogy I

used in trying to get my point across...I see how it can be misinterpreted.

It certainly wasn't meant to compare you or anyone else to a mass murderer.

I simply wanted to get the point across that something does not need to be

done simply because it CAN be done.

I speak from the standpoint of a health care practitioner and someone who

has trained Olympic Level athletes for over 12 years. I just want the

general public to understand that what you are doing can be quite dangerous

and that I see the results in my clinics.

BTW, some of the articles on this subject in support of my viewpoint are

published by the NSCA...I note that many members on this list are CSCS

people. I'm sure they can review these articles and give you another

opinion.

Good luck and health to you.

Mike Poling, M.Sc., P.F.L.C., C.K.

>From: Hobman <khobman@...>

>Reply-supertrainingegroups

>supertrainingegroups

>Subject: Re: Children & Weight Training

>Date: Sat, 12 Aug 2000 08:55:07 -0600 (CST)

>

> >Mike Poling wrote:

>

> > Ok...let's step back a sec. A 12 year old doing ANY exercise with

> >275 lbs is Dangerous, Irresponsible and Unnecessary!!! Do you have any

> >idea what that kind of weight training can do to the epiphyseal plates

>of

> >a 12 year old!? Plus the VERY distinct possibility of rhybdomyolysis,

> >ketoacidosis and permanent adhesion build on the musculotendonous

> >junction. And why? Just to prove it can happen? That kind of science

> >and training is based on extremely poor judgement...that of...a thing

> >should be done because it can. People can be mass murdered..but should

> >they? Sorry if I seem a bit strong minded here but having treated over

> >2000 children with orthopaedic and physiological injuries, many of which

> >caused by irresponsible training methods (and pushing by the " hockey dad "

> >mentality), I have seen quite a few children have permanent impairments

> >due to such a seemingly harmless thing! Let's think about WHY we work

> >out....fun, exercise and enjoyment of life...not to alter the human

>form.

>

>

>Numerous studies showed that properly supervised weight training have no

>negative effect on the skeletal systems of children. My daughter was the

>one who researched and found these studies and convinced me. Unfortunately

>after I was convinced I trashed the studies. At any rate, I think the key

>is responsible and supervised. I'm very careful. Almost three years later

>Meghan is showing no ill signs and lots of positive signs from her

>weightlifting.

>

>If you had read the article here

>

>www.stumptuous.com/meghan.html

>

>you would have seen I initially discouraged Meghan from entering the weight

>room - I'm not a hockey dad who pushed her into this forum. I had read some

>articles which made the same suggestions you made. However Meghan convinced

>me otherwise and in fact, Meghan was the one who got me back into the

>weight room!

>

>We work on technique and avoid skeletal system loading as much as possible.

>However, as Meghan is a competitive powerlifter some loading is

>unavoidable. Meghan has since also taken up wrestling, so our training has

>taken a slightly different direction.

>

>Obviously, Meghan is not a young lady who is afraid to be slightly

>different. Oh yeah - for us the weight room and training is fun! Yeesh...

>

>BTW Mike, it is possible to raise an issue and make a point of contention

>without comparing someone on the list to a mass murderer and suggesting

>they are pushing their children for their own vicarious pleasure. I have to

>admit my initial reaction to your post was anger. For my children sports

>are fun. I coach numerous sports, including baseball and hockey, and my

>approach is based on the kids having fun and developing. I've experienced

>some of those hockey parents you refer to and I resent the implication of

>your post.

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[Guest guest]

Mike wrote,

>, I am sorry you took my post personally...that was not it's intent. I

>did not mean to imply that you are trying to live vicariously through your

>daughter.

I realized this from the subsequent posts you wrote on the subject Mike.

Not a problem...

I also realize that it is very possible to damage children through weight

training. Which is why we are cautious. As a general rule I don't believe

it is necessary to subject young children to the stresses of heavy weights,

although from what I have read here I'm prepared to accept that moderate

training can be beneficial, if properly supervised. I also realize that

three years is too short a period to address the effects of Meghan's

training on her. I do know that Meghan's fitness routine, including her

weights, is far less likely to inflict long-term problems than a lot of

programs used by gymnasts, figure skaters, hockey players, equestrians and

a lot of other young athletes.

So we are going to continue. My wife and I believe active children who lead

balanced lives (physical, mental, social and spiritual) are more likely to

become healthy, well-adjusted adults. Meghan so far is showing good balance

- we like what she is doing!