Watching my six year old deadlift 35kg was pretty cool': meet the children who work out

"People tell me it will stunt their growth or that it's dangerous, she says. She is also often accused of forcing her children to train, when actually it all started the other way round. What child doesn't look at their parents and want to do what they're doing?"

"Strength training is having a moment. In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of its benefits: it supports our health and mobility as we age and, according to one study published by the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2022, even helps us live longer."

"Where once strength training content was considered fairly niche and for a mostly male, aesthetics-focused demographic, now a new generation of fitfluencers is promoting #Gymtok and #strongnotskinny. According to data from the health body UKActive and the fitness business Les Mills, it's a trend that is having a positive impact, particularly on younger generations, with 75% of gen Z lifting weights twice or more a week, followed closely by millennials at 74%."

Eve Stevenson, a personal trainer and former British weightlifting champion, involves her young children in resistance training, with her six-year-old daughter deadlifting and three-year-old son participating in strength exercises. Despite criticism that such training stunts growth or is dangerous, Stevenson emphasizes children naturally want to emulate their parents' activities. Strength training has gained significant popularity recently, supported by research showing benefits for health, mobility, and longevity. This trend is particularly evident on social media through #Gymtok and #strongnotskinny content, with 75% of Gen Z and 74% of millennials lifting weights twice weekly or more, representing a major shift from strength training's previous niche, male-dominated demographic.

Read at www.theguardian.com