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Can A Young Girl Start To Gym With No Harm?

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Posted on Sat, 7 Jul 2012
Question: what is the disadvantages if a girl who gym at 12 years of age. Is it good or bad
doctor
Answered by Dr. Hema Yadav (1 hour later)
Hello XXXXXXX ,
Thanks for posting your query.
In the past, weight training for children and adolescents was not recommended. Delicate bone developmental processes could be disrupted, leading to growth abnormalities, some studies said. It now seems that if children are given a well-designed and supervised program, trained in the essentials of good form and technique, and the weights aren't too heavy, few problems arise during gym workouts or in the longer term.For less than 10 year olds,they’re almost certainly better off running around and playing ball games and developing spatial, movement and balance skills at that age. But girls in the range 10-15 years are usually the group for which this type of exercise may benefit rather than harm.
However, if you encourage or allow your children to lift weights, always be aware of safety requirements including proper technique and appropriate weight selection. Competition between friends or other children in the training group can lead to selection of weight that is too heavy, or the use of poor technique that could lead to injury.

Children may benefit in the following ways:
Muscle strength and endurance
Improved sports performance
Physical fitness
Weight maintenance
Strong bones
A fitness habit for future benefit.
Strength training for children is not weightlifting, powerlifting or bodybuilding in their purest forms, which are aimed at competition. These distinctions, and the distractions, should be clear to parents, trainers and children.
So if a twelve year old wants to go for gym, its nothing wrong, provided the appropriate measures, well trained instructors and experts are taken into consideration.
Hope this answers your query.
Wishing you good health.
Regards

Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Hema Yadav

Pediatrician, Infectious Diseases

Practicing since :2005

Answered : 1528 Questions

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Can A Young Girl Start To Gym With No Harm?

Hello XXXXXXX ,
Thanks for posting your query.
In the past, weight training for children and adolescents was not recommended. Delicate bone developmental processes could be disrupted, leading to growth abnormalities, some studies said. It now seems that if children are given a well-designed and supervised program, trained in the essentials of good form and technique, and the weights aren't too heavy, few problems arise during gym workouts or in the longer term.For less than 10 year olds,they’re almost certainly better off running around and playing ball games and developing spatial, movement and balance skills at that age. But girls in the range 10-15 years are usually the group for which this type of exercise may benefit rather than harm.
However, if you encourage or allow your children to lift weights, always be aware of safety requirements including proper technique and appropriate weight selection. Competition between friends or other children in the training group can lead to selection of weight that is too heavy, or the use of poor technique that could lead to injury.

Children may benefit in the following ways:
Muscle strength and endurance
Improved sports performance
Physical fitness
Weight maintenance
Strong bones
A fitness habit for future benefit.
Strength training for children is not weightlifting, powerlifting or bodybuilding in their purest forms, which are aimed at competition. These distinctions, and the distractions, should be clear to parents, trainers and children.
So if a twelve year old wants to go for gym, its nothing wrong, provided the appropriate measures, well trained instructors and experts are taken into consideration.
Hope this answers your query.
Wishing you good health.
Regards