The WGEM news station here in Quincy, IL recently did a special report on the potential risks of athletes lifting too much weight at a young age. If you haven’t already seen/read the report, you can view it here: http://www.wgem.com/story/23946627/2013/11/12/pressing-it.
In their report, “Pressing It,” they interview different high school athletes and coaches about the potential dangers of lifting weights at a young age and the risks involved with doing so. They argue (correctly) that lifting weights can damage growth plates and can impact the child's’ health as they continue to grow. This is true if the young individual has not been properly taught correct lifting mechanics prior to lifting weights. It is especially true if the child cannot move correctly to begin with. That is an entirely different matter itself.
