I started lifting weigths when I was 14, about a year and a half ago. I used extremely light weights and di very high repitions. This toned me up pretty good, but a few months ago I got a YMCA membership and started going to the gym once or twice a week, usually for 1.5 to 3 hours. a few weeks ago i started coming five times a week for about an hour each time, working 2 or three muscles per day. I have gotten much stronger and gained about 10 pounds of muscle. i have heard that lifting too heavy weights while still growing can speed the closing of the growth plates. Is there certain exercises to avoid , or limit weight on?, such as benchpress, shoulder press, or leg press. Is there a general rule like not using more than your own body weight?According to The Y teen weight training program the weight is not too heavy if 13 to 20 repititions can be completed with good form. Is this true?, I can leg press, (machine) 400 lbs 15 times, benchpress 120 lbs 16 times,shoulder press 35 lbs dumbells 15 times, and bicep curl 60 lbs 13 times. I am 5'11" and about 170 lbs. Do any of these exercises sound harmful for my age, and size? is ometimes experience pain in my left shoulder, when performing benchpress or other chest exercises, I stretch it after and it subsides, I don't think this is damaging my growth plate, but could it be grinding away cartilige in my shoulder socket? I think it might be because when I was younger it used to pop forward oout of place, not painfully, when I would flex My shoulder. I had kind of a compulsive habit of doing this. I stopped doing this and it went I no longer could do this. I know an X-ray can tell if your growth plates are closed, but is there another way? My back is sometimes sore the day after a hard workout, and I feel inclined to slouch, and when I straighten it it makes cracking sounds. is this just tired muscles, or am I doing irreversable damage? sorry for my rambling but I tried to give you a clear understanding of my questions.
i started lifting when i was 15 and i was 5'6" 120lbs. i pressed 330 on my legs and benched 160, curled 40 and did 60 on my upright rows. i dont think it affected me because im 5'10" now and 190lbs. check with your doctor though, just to be safe.