A controversial topic among people is whether or not lifting can be safe and healthy for young people. Advocates for the argument that lifting is healthy are Craig Mager and Antonio Madero. Mager and Madero are the creators of a social media page known as CT Lifting. They emphasize the lifting experience through their posts when they show themselves working out and wrestling.

          Mager says, “Antonio and I started lifting a lot after wrestling and we noticed we made some progress and we thought a fun way to track our progress would be to post about it.”

          According to a study from the Mayo Clinic, lifting at a young age can increase a child’s muscle strength and endurance. Additionally, it can improve the performance of a kid in nearly any sport, from skating to football. Lifting at a younger age can also develop proper techniques that any child can continue to use as he or she grows older. More information can be found here.

          Mager continues, “I think lifting is a great way to keep your body strong and when you start seeing results you feel better about yourself as well.”

          In the case of lifting at a young age, it’s very important to know how much someone should lift and when they start. As a matter of fact, weight training is directly related to health benefits, including brain health, reducing potential risk of disease, and helps improve people’s abilities to do everyday activities. 

          Additionally, a study conducted in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that people who reported lifting weights once or twice a week—without doing any other exercise—had a 9% lower risk of dying from any cause except for cancer. People who paired 1-2 days of weekly weight lifting with aerobic exercise fared even better; their risk of dying was 41% lower than those who did not exercise.

          Madero states, “Craig and I went to the gym most days a week in the offseason, in order to prepare for wrestling. I believe that working out is helpful, especially for student-athletes who are preparing for or currently playing a sport.” 

          While there are many benefits to lifting at a young age such as increased endurance, or strength as previously mentioned before, there are equally important risks of weight/strength training. In many circumstances, lifting irresponsibly such as not having a spotter or not knowing the right techniques, can result in injuries. These injuries might include muscle strains and tears, bone fractures, and more. 

          Friend of CT Lifting, Mason Hallstrom explains, “Eventually, weight lifting just becomes a part of your day and that takes discipline. It also sets a routine in your day which also helps with mindset.”

          Not only does lifting and strength training have many physical benefits, but it also has many mental benefits. A study released in 2018 by JAMA Psychiatry connected strength training with stave off depression. The study was a meta-analysis, meaning researchers looked at 33 randomized studies on depression in the context of weight training. The study concluded that people who were depressed before the study showed improvement and weight training benefitted mood. More information can be found here.

          Hallstrom continues, “Mentally, weight training gives confidence to people and pushes your mind to your limit and past it. A lot of people that lift weights are very satisfied with their body aesthetics and that is good for self esteem and confidence.”

          Going to the gym and working out has several benefits, especially for those who participate in other extracurricular activities, such as wrestling. For those who may be unsure, or even scared of the potential downsides of working out at a young age, poor technique and lack of knowledge are main contributors to these downsides. It is always important to be aware and to know what one’s goals are when it comes to working out.

          Jason Leydon, owner of CrossFit Milford says, “Strength training, when performed in a controlled, supervised environment, can help children and adolescents of all athletic abilities safely improve their strength and overall well-being.”