Weightlifting Essay

1031 Words5 Pages

Over the past few years, weightlifting has become a very popular hobby for many teenagers. Reasons for weightlifting include wanting to gain strength, improve sports performance, gain confidence through changing their body, and relieve stress. One in every four people report lifting weights regularly but, many wonder what effects it will have on the developing body and mind (Upham). Weightlifting can help teenagers in many different aspects of their lives and is a way for many people to stay in shape. Along with helping the body weightlifting may also have some negative effects. Weightlifting has many effects on the teenager's body that are both positive and negative.
Weight training can affect a teenager's muscular and skeletal systems as …show more content…

Adolescents who engage in regular strength training often see improvement in their cholesterol levels, blood pressure, blood sugar, and body weight (Stricker). These health parameters are influential in helping a teenager to live a healthy and active lifestyle. Even if a teenager isn’t intrigued by the life of competitive sports, weight training can have a positive effect on their overall health. Engaging in a weightlifting program as a teenager will create a habit that can continue and will likely improve their health into …show more content…

Injuries may occur in teens who are unsupervised and unsafe in the weight room. In one study, the most commonly reported adolescent weight training injuries in the United States were muscle strains (Kerr). The most commonly injured body areas were the hand, lower back, and upper back. Most of the hand injuries were in younger children (under 12) and more foot injuries occurred in girls (Kerr). Although weightlifting injuries are seen in teenagers, the rate is low. The rate of adolescent injuries reported in supervised competitive weightlifting and weight training was far lower than the rate of injuries in a number of common teenage sports such as soccer, basketball, tennis, and football (Hamill). It is essential to learn the proper techniques as injuries may occur if one is unsafe in the weight room. The rate of injuries is low, with the most common injuries related to inadequate supervision or instruction, using improper technique, or trying to lift too much weight. Being safe in the weight room is essential to prevent