Nowadays, young people are increasingly confronted with idealized bodies of others. Whether they are top athletes or models of certain clothing brands, the young people see the success that it brings and decide to take the initiative to receive such training. Often, shaping an idealized body requires a lot of effort and a strict diet. Is this responsible for the young people? Could this have possible negative consequences regarding growth?
Weight training
Athletes are often advised to do strength training to help their muscles grow in size. During training, tiny tears occur in the muscles. These tears must then be filled after training, otherwise the muscle would remain permanently damaged. Proteins fill these cracks. Once this happens the muscle grows in size.
However, the question remains whether strength training is useful for children at a young age and whether it is safe. The problem has several aspects:
Diet
The first aspect of the problem mainly concerns the confrontation of young children with tips tailored to adults. To achieve an idealized body, you often need to lose weight, as the muscles only become fully visible with a low fat percentage. Adults who want to lose weight are therefore advised to eat below their calorie needs. All kinds of products such as milk, cheese and bread will then be banned. The problem, however, is that children need these products to grow. If these children adapt their diet to that of an adult, this may slow down the child’s development and growth.
A reverse scenario would also be possible. Namely that the child eats what he or she wants. This is often not the intention with heavy strength training. During training, tiny muscles are formed in the muscles, which need to be filled with proteins. If this does not happen, the muscle will break down to accommodate the tear, resulting in muscle loss. For example, you could say that the child will lag behind in (muscle) development.
Growth plates
The second aspect of the problem is the growth plates. Growth plates are located between the middle and ends of bones. Because the cartilage cells can multiply, the bone grows. The growth spurt (in boys around the age of fourteen and in girls around the age of 12) is a period in which the cartilage cells multiply one after the other. As a result, the bone will grow. However, these growth plates are vulnerable. Of course they can withstand some form of strain, but not too great a strain as occurs during strength training. The consequence of heavy strength training is that the growth plates slowly wear away and thus prevent the division of cartilage cells, causing growth to fail.
Injuries
The third and most disturbing aspect of the problem is that irresponsible strength training significantly increases the chances of various injuries. Certain strength exercises, such as the squat or deadlift, require a strict posture that must not be deviated from. If this is the case, it will not be the muscle that will be loaded, but the joint. In the case of the squat or deadlift, this would be the cartilage between the vertebrae. The cartilage between these vertebrae provides suspension and also acts as padding. If this wears away due to incorrect posture, the result is that the nerves could become stuck between the vertebrae or that the cartilage presses against the nerves. This is called a hernia.
Conclusion
Starting strength training early can be disastrous for the growth and development of the body if it is incorrect or absent. Not only the growth of muscles, but also that of bone and cartilage are disrupted by improper maintenance. This has everything to do with a wrong diet and/or wrong attitudes. If, despite this article, there is a need for strength training at a young age, it is advisable to always have a personal coach and also a dietician. The article the basic recipe for muscle mass could possibly help you put together a diet. Please note: The nutrient requirements in the article are tailored to those for adults and not for children, so the article does not apply to young people/children.
