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I have read the benefits of weight lifting in this thread. I hope this questions isn't too off topic, but here goes: At what age should one begin weight lifting? Our 8th grader and even our 6th grader wants to "hit the weights" because they hear and read how important weight lifting is. We've allowed them to do very light weight and lots of reps. I'm a little afraid of all this weight lifting.

Someone mentioned injuries, I worry about proper form, I worry about getting in a room with other boys and by trying to show off (as boys do), somebody gets hurt. I worry about not stretching before or afterwards and how that will affect thier flexiblility and speed. To be honest, I worry more about the weight room than being injured on the field ..at the level they are playing right now.

I would suggest around 13 years old. It is very important to stretch before and after to keep the muscles loose. Low weight and high reps should be okay as long as they are using the proper form. It has been proven that lifting too early can stunt the growth of a child. Just be careful with them and I would suggest asking your new head coach, he is one of the best coaches in the state.