Should This 9 Year Old Girl Be Deadlifting? | What the Fitness | Biolayne

Why It Matters

Debunking the growth‑stunt myth opens the door for safe, evidence‑based strength training, improving children’s health and reducing injury risk compared to many traditional sports.

Key Takeaways

• Lifting does not stunt growth or close growth plates.
• Youth resistance training improves bone density and metabolic health.
• Injury rates in weightlifting are lower than many contact sports.
• Myths persist despite lack of scientific evidence against child lifting.
• Proper coaching enables safe strength training for children.

Summary

The video confronts the long‑standing myth that weightlifting harms children, using the example of nine‑year‑old Lucy Milgram deadlifting roughly 180 lb at the Arnold Sports Festival. The host argues that the belief that resistance training stunts growth lacks scientific support and that proper supervision can make youth lifting safe.

Research cited in the discussion shows that adolescent resistance training enhances bone mineral density, metabolic health, and overall strength without impeding linear growth. Injury statistics indicate that power‑lifting poses a lower risk than many popular youth sports such as soccer, baseball, or basketball, where contact and rapid directional changes cause more frequent injuries.

The presenter highlights real‑world cases: Lucy’s impressive lift, a friend’s daughter squatting 240 lb at age 15, and his own daughter deadlifting 108 lb while remaining one of the tallest in her class. He also references a comment about a child breaking a leg playing soccer, underscoring that the perceived danger of lifting is often exaggerated.

The broader implication is a call to shift parental and cultural attitudes, encouraging strength training as a component of a balanced, active lifestyle for kids. By dispelling myths, families can leverage the proven health benefits of resistance exercise without fearing growth‑related harm.

Original Description

Except… the actual scientific literature says the opposite.

This video of 9-year-old Lucy Milgram deadlifting ~180 lbs at the Arnold got flooded with comments claiming:

❌ it will damage growth plates

❌ stunt growth

❌ cause arthritis

❌ destroy her body long-term

These myths have been around for DECADES. And they’re not supported by the evidence. When properly supervised with appropriate technique and loading, resistance training is SAFE and BENEFICIAL for youth.

In fact, resistance training in kids has been shown to improve:

✅ strength

✅ bone mineral density

✅ motor skills & physical literacy

✅ confidence & self-efficacy

✅ cardiovascular health

✅ long-term participation in physical activity

And no… lifting weights does NOT stunt growth. Ironically, many sports parents happily sign their kids up for activities with FAR higher injury rates than supervised resistance training… while panicking over a deadlift.

The key is supervision, coaching, and age-appropriate programming. Not wrapping kids in bubble wrap and teaching them to fear strength training.

And for young girls, especially? Teaching them to be strong early in life may be one of the best long-term investments in their health, confidence, and resilience.

Strong girls become strong women.

Citation PMIDs: 19620931, 18461111, & 24055781

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