13 year old daughter weight training

I don’t know of any programs strictly for kids, but I can offer some advice for what I would do. I would keep the volume on the higher side, like sets of 10, and keep the intensity on the lower side. Focus on building good movement patterns first before you start loading up with weight. So for squats, I would start of doing bodyweight squats and box step ups. Then move on to goblin squats with a dumbbell, then move on to the barbell. The pace of that progression really depends on her. I would make sure she masters each step before moving on. I would have her do pushups and pull-ups and use the dumbbells to do flat bench press and seated overhead press. Then eventually move on to the barbell. To teach pulls from the floor, I would recommend a hex bar. If you can’t get one, then I would use the barbell from an elevated starting point, then slowly work to the floor.

My program would look like this:

Monday
Squat
Overhead press
Accessories

Wednesday
Deadlift
Bench
Accessories

Friday
Squats
Overhead press
Accessories

Tuesday and Thursday would be for conditioning, and I would do stuff like sprints, farmer carries, prowler work or maybe hill sprits if possible. She’s already playing two sports, so I would not worry about being too hard on conditioning. She’ll be moving plenty. With the weight training, movement quality and mobility should take precedent over pushing heavy weights. She still has to develop and grow, which takes time. If you move too fast, it can lead to an injury.

This is what I would do personally. This is also stuff that I have heard people much smarter than myself, so I’m not just making it up. It’s kind of brief, but it’s a picture of my thought process.

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I’ll get the arse hole statement out of the way first, your pediatrician likely knows jack shite about weight training and really should not be involved in any decisions regarding her training program much less be giving “the go ahead.

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Granted the studies were old, 15 plus years ago maybe 20. But there’s been studies showing weight lifting too young can impact growth, as in getting taller. A pediatrician may very well be aware of all that. From what I read many years ago the recommended age though was to wait until 12 so regardless OPs daughter should be fine. A neurologist may not know anything about football but can tell you a 10 year old playing tackle football or competitive boxing isn’t a good idea.

Im not advocating against early weight lifting or tackle football, but nothing wrong with getting doctor’s opinion on it

Something else I wanted to mention, but I forgot. I would incorporate unilateral exercises as well. That would be things like single leg RDLs, touchdown single leg squats, things like that. They help strengthen movement patterns individually as opposed to bilaterally like squats and deadlifts. It helps prevent injury and better biomechanics. So on squat day, I would do a single leg RDL as an accessory and fo touchdown single leg squats on deadlift day.

I appreciate that man. I don’t claim to be an expert, but everything I talk about I have done myself. I try not to talk about things I haven’t tested on myself or at least learned from someone with a great deal of experience.

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That study was used incorrectly. I forgot what really happened in the study, but the notion that strength training stunts growth is false.

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It was based on the premise that heavy lifting before a certain age can cause premature hardening of the growth plates.

That’s been debunked at this point.

As someone who lifted in her teens, my only big suggestion is go lighter to start but really, really focus on technique. That’ll be the most important thing she can do to build a good base for lifting going forward. Injury from bad technique when she’s that age could cause some major issues going forward.

Then why even bring it up at all?

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I was simply saying it’s ok for people to ask a doctor’s opinion on something like this for their child.

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I stand by my comment that the vast majority of pediatricians likely know next to nothing about weight training, proper nutrition, or when it’s OK for an individual to begin training.

Thanks everyone. There is a lot of good info here from everyone. For the record, my daughter is close friends and teammates of our pediatrician’s daughter. We discussed weight training for the girls while at a recent game. I merely mentioned it to yall as added info and figured if I didn’t then one of the first comments would be “talk to her doctor first.” I am well aware doctors aren’t fitness gurus. She just turned 13, is already 5’6” and not really concerned about the stunting growth myth. Main goal is learning correct form and hopefully gaining enjoyment from excercise and fitness so it becomes a lifestyle.

We live just south of LSU.

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We are just south of LSU.

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The guy I had in mind is in the Old Metairie area. I’ll give him a call as he should know a ton of people by LSU.

my 11 yr old has been squatting and dl'ing 135 for a bit now. she's strong as shite for her age.