# Young Body - Damaging Growth Plates??



## BulkBoy (Dec 8, 2006)

I am asking this because I have had my concern raised about damaging growth plates while lifting weights. I am 15, about 6'1-6'1.5'' 235-250 lbs. (weight fluctuates) I do have quite a bit of BF. My parents have always been in the medical profession, although they don't know anything about weight training, they insist that if I don't watch the weight I use I could be damaging my growth plates in certain areas. I am looking for a person who can give me a view from both the medical and PT point of view. 

Here are my areas of concern:
Leg Press - 550 lbs. (500 in plates + 50lb carriage weight)
Decline Bench - 200-225\300-350lbs.
Deadlift - 315 lbs. - "straddle" the bar
I would be doing these exercises on 4 sets of 8, 5 sets of 5 (heavy decline), or 5 sets of 4 (deadlift)

I just want to know if I could be damaging myself in anyway by using this much weight, I myself, believe my body can handle it fairly well, but my parents insist differently. Another thing - I am lifting for strength, so I keep my reps generally low, and it has worked very well for me, so please ignore my reps, I just need info on growth plate damage.


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## Witchblade (Dec 9, 2006)

You're 15 and you're doing a 350lbs decline bench press 5x5?!

Also, your deadlift pr is lower than your bench pr?!


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## largepkg (Dec 9, 2006)

BulkBoy said:


> I am asking this because I have had my concern raised about damaging growth plates while lifting weights. I am 15, about 6'1-6'1.5'' 235-250 lbs. (weight fluctuates) I do have quite a bit of BF. My parents have always been in the medical profession, although they don't know anything about weight training, they insist that if I don't watch the weight I use I could be damaging my growth plates in certain areas. I am looking for a person who can give me a view from both the medical and PT point of view.
> 
> Here are my areas of concern:
> Leg Press - 550 lbs. (500 in plates + 50lb carriage weight)
> ...




If you're lifting the weight you've said you are, you had to start lifting years ago. Pressing 350lbs at your age is not natural IMO. I'm more concerned with this than anything.


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## Yanick (Dec 9, 2006)

juicing will fuse your epiphyseal plates (due to estrogen), as well if you crack the plate for some reason. nothing that i have learned about the epiphyseal plates has ever suggested that some stress on them will cause them to fuse.


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## Dale Mabry (Dec 9, 2006)

From what I have read, weightlifting will not have an effect on the growth plates.  To cause harm, the force would need to be perpendicular to the bone, I would think.  As Yan stated, juicing would because they fuse once test levels get to a certain level , I didn't know it was from the aromatization, though..

I would nix the leg presses, though, but I s'pose that is a personal preference.


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## BulkBoy (Dec 9, 2006)

Yes, I am pressing more than I am deadlifting. I have a very weak back due to mild scoliosis in my mid-back. And, yes, I have been lifting for 3 years, and I have a very large body frame.

I have added a pic of an example of the "straddled" bar deadlift.

I'm sure theres probably another name for it but I have never heard what it is called.


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## BulkBoy (Dec 9, 2006)

Yanick said:


> juicing will fuse your epiphyseal plates (due to estrogen), as well if you crack the plate for some reason. nothing that i have learned about the epiphyseal plates has ever suggested that some stress on them will cause them to fuse.




Sorry, but I don't juice. I am too concerned with my cardiovascular health as I was born with several heart problems which I have just recently in the past few years been able to overcome through growing and doing things to strengthen my heart.


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## Mudge (Dec 9, 2006)

There was a boy who started doing clean and jerks at 5 years old until he eventually got to something like 500 pounds @ 22 years of age. He has complete records of his lifts, starting at 45 pounds going back to when he was 5 years old.

He is doing just fine.

I started lifting at 11 years of age and I was in no way at all strong, I didn't bench bodyweight for awhile - but I am fine and taller than my father.


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## BulkBoy (Dec 9, 2006)

Dale Mabry said:


> From what I have read, weightlifting will not have an effect on the growth plates.  To cause harm, the force would need to be perpendicular to the bone, I would think.  As Yan stated, juicing would because they fuse once test levels get to a certain level , I didn't know it was from the aromatization, though..
> 
> I would nix the leg presses, though, but I s'pose that is a personal preference.



Ok, thanks for your time and interest. I greatly appreciate it.


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## P-funk (Dec 9, 2006)

I believe the lift you are refering to is called the Jefferson Lift. g


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## Dale Mabry (Dec 9, 2006)

P-funk said:


> I believe the lift you are refering to is called the Jefferson Lift. g









Yur damn skippy, Buffalo Butt!


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## Witchblade (Dec 9, 2006)

Fucking hell. Is that 350 5x5 or 350 ME?

Either way you're going to be a titan if you continue lifting.


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## PWGriffin (Dec 9, 2006)

If I was over 6 foot, I would say fuck it....lift heavy as hell.


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## ATOMSPLTR (Dec 10, 2006)

I don't think you have anything to worry about growth plate wise.  But I would mix up your routine instead of just going heavy all the time.  The p/rr/s program that Gopro laid out is great.


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## BulkBoy (Dec 11, 2006)

Witchblade said:


> Fucking hell. Is that 350 5x5 or 350 ME?
> 
> Either way you're going to be a titan if you continue lifting.




I start around 200 and build up then on last 1-2 sets of 5 I do 300+, depending on what exercises I have done and if I am having a good/bad day my personal best was last 2 sets of 5 using 365lbs. ( I didn't say 365 because I was having a really good day and it was my first lift)


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## Sexybeast777 (Dec 13, 2006)

BulkBoy said:


> Yes, I am pressing more than I am deadlifting. I have a very weak back due to mild scoliosis in my mid-back. And, yes, I have been lifting for 3 years, and I have a very large body frame.
> 
> I have added a pic of an example of the "straddled" bar deadlift.
> 
> I'm sure theres probably another name for it but I have never heard what it is called.



Awesome picture!


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