Should there be an age limit on bodybuilding?

If you haven’t heard of Giuliano Stroe and his brother Claudio, then you’re going to be in for a shock. Whether or not the reaction is positive or negative – there will no doubt be strong opinion either way.  These two kids are both child bodybuilders with the ripped, striated, and shredded physiques that many grown men would be envious of.  Yeah, a 10 year old kid is just as ripped as you, if not more. So the question becomes, is this a good thing?  Check out this video below and judge for yourself:

Weight training during high school is a pretty common practice. Droves of teenagers enter wrestling, basketball, football, and a slew of other sporting activities that require more than just skill to compete at a high level. It also takes strength and endurance that can’t be acquired through just training technique. Weightlifting is therefore a no-brainer for gaining such physical abilities.

So why the concern for the Stroe brothers? Well, to an extent, their young minds are still being molded as they’re raised by their parents. If their parents put some 50 lb. dumbbells in their hands, it’s highly unlikely that you’re going to disobey and refuse at 10 and 7 years old. An argument could be made that a 14 year old is in no better position to make that call, but the fact that these kids are lifting heavy weight before puberty is a bit concerning. They’ve been lifting since toddlers and at that age there’s no way you could make a firm decision on what you want to do, how you want to look, and how to go about it.

Ultimately, the decision to lift at this extremely young age, lies with the parents and these parents are obviously all for it.  Many doctors believe that weightlifting this early is unhealthy, and could have a negative effect on the growing process.

That said, the Stroe brothers seem to look pretty happy and extremely healthy in these videos and it’s probably healthier than having your kids gain a ton of weight by eating cheeseburgers and french fries, while playing video games – so as the new Pope says, “Who are we to judge?”  In any case, when you see these extremely young boys flexing their adult-like muscles – it just doesn’t feel right.

So what’s your view on lifting heavy at a young age? Is it safe and healthy or a recipe for disaster? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.