I am sixteen and still growing, if I lift weights will it stunt my growth?
826637
As long as you're getting good sleep, and eating a healthy diet for your current weight, you'll be just fine lifting weights as much as you can tolerate.\n\nYou will definitely not stunt your growth.  Just the opposite, actually, as your homone laiden blood system is primed for growth right now, like at no other time.\n\nIt will not make you shorter at all.  That is a complete myth.  Cardio will not affect you negatively either.\n\nTry some of the guides at www.teenbodybuilding.com.  They will help you with both diet and workout plans.
1003283
Yes if you eat protein, it can help you grow muscles. To grow taller if you are still growing, eat lots of different foods.
65030
yep. You're not going to stunt your growth just because you slept wrong. don't woory. you'll grow up to be just as big as nature meant for you to be.
1075987
Lifting heavier weights to build muscle bulk can restrict bone growth.\n\nAt your age, I'd recommend something fun, like a dancing class to get the cardiovascular exercise and it will also be more fun (which is the #1 motivator) help you have more confidence at school dances.  They have such classes at many gyms, and even have some workout videos that teach dance moves.  It's important to find activities you enjoy, because then you'll want to keep doing them!\nhttp://www.collagevideo.com/\nFor strength and flexibility. I'd recommend yoga and or Pilates classes (or videos).  They help strengthen and tone your muscles without building bulk and while helping you with flexibility.  The more flexible your muscles, tendons and ligaments are, the more room your bones have to grow.\n\nThere are some nutritional supplements that claim to help your body maximize it's growth potential without hormones.  \nOne is http://www.heightmax.com/\nMy son was 14 when he started taking it, and he did grow about half-an-inch in the first six weeks.  He hasn't been taking it consistently, and I have a hard time convincing him to do stretches and improve his flexibility.\n\nNutritionally, the calcium recommendations are good - it can be yogurt, too -- not just milk.  Also make sure you're getting plenty of water -- hydration is SO important!  When people say don't drink coffee -- the real culprit is caffeine, which is in MANY sodas and energy drinks (not just cola).  Caffeine depletes your calcium levels AND your hydration (it's a diuretic).  Those "soft drinks" are 100% garbage any way, so limit yourself to no more than one can a day if you absolutely can't give it up.\n\nAlso avoid processed foods, and try to eat things that are a close to their "natural" state as possible.  The more a product is modified, the fewer nutrients it has.  The key is not to give up the things you love, just try to gut back more and more over time.  Instead of a huge combo meal at the fast food places, get a kids meal plus a side salad.  Then you get the flavor of the burger or chicken nuggets, but not as huge a portion and the side salad will help you fill up and digest the other stuff.  Then you can make some little kid's day by giving your "toy away!
936399
Dude, you have to be careful training at 14 because you are still growing.  The most important training you can do for yourself is to build your core muscles, ie stomach, trunk, butt upper legs.  This will make you significantly stronger and protect you from injury.\n\nIf you join a reputable gym in your area you will be able to find someone to help you.  If you can afford a professional trainer then get one.  You are underweight for your height and training for Basketball and Football are not compatible.  Be careful of your arm and leg joints.  Loosen up before stressing them in any way it is easy to break a joint at the growth plate.  \n\nDon't go for bulk you need to concentrate on power.  Powerlifting is also good for the core muscles I wrote about.  Can you approach your Football coach about this?  They are quite fanatical about weight training in my experience.\n\nGood luck.
473624
I think it does....I started martial arts and being athletic when I was 10. I'm now 5'6 but I'm the shortest in my entire family!! My brother is 6'6....\n\nHowever the answer is No. There are many athletes and bodybuilders who are tall yet started lifting in their teens (for example, Shaquille O'Neal, David Robinson, Karl Malone, Michael Vick, Dave Draper and Arnold Schwarzenegger). Weightlifting being a growth stunter is a myth.\n\nThat is absolutely false. It is a complete myth that weightlifting stunts growth.\n\nRunning and jumping alone puts a force more than 5 times a person's weight on one legs. If a man is 200 lbs, he'd have to be squatting more than 1,000 lbs in order to be putting more stress on his legs than regular running or jumping would do. If running or jumping doesn't stunt your growth, neither will doing squats.\n\nWorking out and lifting weights should not affect your reaching your potential genetic height
434970
Absolutely not!\n\nMen keep growing until about the age of 21.  Avoid smoking because that stunts your growth, eat well and be positive!  There are always shoe lifts!!!!
703907
I would say, eat healthy, lift and make sure you get enough protein.  Also, make sure you don't progress too quickly.  You are fairly young and your bones are still growing.  If you push it too hard, too fast, your risk damaging the growth plates in your bones.  \n\nIf you belong to a gym see if they can help you, if not see if your school has some sort of program that you can participate in.  Good luck!  \n\nI don't know what the age limit is, but www.sparkpeople.com may be able to give you some extra advice.  Also, talk to your doctor.  They may give you advice on doing this without injury.
835534
NO, smoking does not stunt your growth, I have been smoking seance i was 13 and i am 47 now and i am 6 foot tall,
402422
There is no evidence that weight training will stunt growth.  The theories suggest that heavy weight bearing exercises affect the growth plates of bone, but all are just that...theories and belief and not based on any scientific findings.\n\nStrength training improves the bone mass density of children and teens such as yourself. By exercising at your age, you are giving your bones a head start in the fight against osteoporosis and many other diseases. \n\nScientific findings have clearly established that weight training has a postive effect on bone health, and those who indicate otherwise are only supporting myths.\n\nMy best advice to you is to not overdo it.  Take it easy on the squatting and benching as you do not want an injury that is irreversible or hamper your training ability for life.  Until your body is mature (16+) stay away from power movements (less than 6 reps) and stick to enhancing your strength (8-12 reps) and endurance (15+ reps).  You will then build a solid foundation for technique which you can then advance with power movements later.\n\nhttp://preventdisease.com/news/articles/strength_training_children_and_adolescents.shtml
750461
First of all, creatine is for adults who have been lifting for a while.  After lifting for many years, a person reaches a limit of strength.  He uses the creatine to see new muscle.  But your still growing and a beginner such as yourself can build new muscle just the same  as if you were on creatine. Basically it's a waste for you.  Plus your still growing lifting heavy weights will stunt your growth.  Go ask your baseball coach or any doctor.  They will tell you the same thing.
63131
Don't worry, you may not be through growing yet.  When I turned 16 I was 5'2" and weighed 95 pounds.  I hit my growth spurt at around age 17. I am now 6'3".  BE PATIENT!!!!!!!!!!!
95916
That is very impressive!  I think at 15 you are probably ok to be lifting weights.  Its really pre-teens that need to be careful with working out.  You may want to ask your doctor for a professional opinion, though.\nIn any case, keep up the good work and stay away from the juice.
937718
well if you want to gain weight, weight lifting will make your body more tone, but it wont make you look bigger.
619131
Be very careful here...Yes, tremendous growth if you work out like a banshee. No muscle will develop without being forced to. Steroids (testosterone) will enhance the effects of working out, but there are some nasty side effects: Shrink your nuts up like made, and destroy sex drive. Take the wrong kind long enough and you may develop breast tissue. You have to know what you are doing to play with this stuff...I do not advise touching it if you do not have a good coach on the subject. AND, this stuff is now classed as a nasty substance that can land you in jail if you are caught. Trust NO one when buying it...they may be narcs! And, there is one heck of a lot of counterfeit stuff out there. Almost no way to get it any more.
702597
I've always been a firm believer in the body's ability to adapt. In this case, physical stress caused by lifting may cause a young man, body to compensate. In other words, if he wants to try and do work like a man, his body may kick into maturity quicker in order to compensate and strengthen itself. \n\nIn this case, you most definitely do not want to push heavy weight training on him at such a young age. I would suggest waiting until he starts his growth spurt before doing waits. Also, I've never seen weight training greatly benefit junior high athletes (or fr/soph athletes either). I myself was mature at a freshman, and weights did very little to strengthen my muscles.\n\nThat said, push ups, pull ups and light weight training is great. I would say for ANY WEIGHT LIFTING, a great rule of thumb for him is not to lift more than his body weight. If he weighs 100 lbs, bench no more than 100 lbs, etc. Here's a suggested breakdown of common lifts:\n\nbar bench press : BW \nbar shoulder press : 2/3 BW\none arm curls : 1/3 BW per arm\nsquat : BW\nleg extension : 1/4 BW per leg\npullups/pushups : as many as he wants\n\nThat at least gives you a starting point. I've heard numerous parents and myself give that kind of advice. In general, his athletic peak should be JR/SR year anyways, so he should'nt push too hard before then. Enjoy!
924700
depends. Are you athletic? And since your still growing your body might be taking in extra pounds for growth.