weightlifting and stunted growth

[romeo1]

I need to ask all you weightlifters that started to lift early in life(17 and under)have you grown any in height since you started lifting and by how much did you grow,also did you play anykind of sports like basketball,football etc.I have heard that weightlifting stunts your growth in two ways
1.weightlifting raises testerone levels which causes your bones to fuse quicker
2.weightlifting puts alot of stress on the body and uses up alot of calories which can cause you to have lack of calories for your body to use.
I have asked two people this one said they did not grow after they started liftin and one said they grew 1/2 inch at the most but they beleived they was almost at their maximum height anyway.Need answers,it is very important.

[SS4Jelq]

If you look around for websites that talk about ways to increase your height, they say that excercises like squats cause your spine to shorten then the bones fuse. but you can reduce the effect by hanging upside down and other exercises

My old man is only 5'6 now, and he started lifting in 8th grade. He says he KNOWS he should be taller.

Just a thought, but what if right after your squats you do a static hang for as long as you can hold it? This would have two benefits: 1. strengthen your grip which is so important for all lifting and 2. stretch your back which takes a licking from squats. I've never tried this, but I might give it a go. I'm in my 40's and not worried about my height, but I'm always concerned about my back and my grip could use some extra strength.

[titanium30]

There is "anecdotal evidence" of those who perform hard manual labour at young ages not growing as tall. It's hard to get to the root of the cause assuming there is a connection. This generation is probably better fed and less physically stressed than our father's. There seem to be hormonal changes in that women appear to be reaching puberty earlier and men not as virile. Pollution? Plastics? Hormones in the meat and milk? Sorry to diverge from the original question.

Medical Doctors do talk of risk to the bone's growth plate ends caused by heavy lifting. I began weight training when I was around 16 but didn't get into the heavy stuff till I was 18 and really had reached my mature height of 6' by then. I think the general opinion is that if you are still growing, you should not lift heavy weights. You could in my opinion begin to build the base for later training by doing lighter weights at higher reps and learning correct form. Lots of kids wrestle, do gymnastics, play football, rugby, soccer, swim and exert themselves heavily without ill effects. So why not do some resistance training to gain an edge. Avoid the heavy compound movements that are the bread and butter of strength training and instead work toward muscular endurance using circuit training and 12 or more reps with little or no rest between stations (ie it's all one long superset from legs to traps, then do it again).

Titanium

I started lifting at 16 in conjuction with football. When I got out of football, I got more serious about weightlifting. I was 5'8" then, at 21, I'm still only 5'9", but then again I was never meant to be any taller than that anyway.

Peace,
Taz