Couple of questions

[ShotokanKid]

Hello, I've started using a GRIPMASTER light tension hand strengthener. Do you think this will really help me develop my fingers? Do you have any experience with these? Are they really good?

Also, I've been doing a lot of pull-ups. I can do 15 without stopping. I always hear stuff like it's not good to lift heavy weights when you are younger because it stunts your growth. Will doing lots of pull-ups stunt my growth?

Thanks in advance.

[orion82698]

Personally, I'm not firmiliar with the Gripmaster. As far goes at the pull-ups, how old are you?

[ShotokanKid]

almost 15

[Zapatista]

As for the pull-ups, I'm not a fitness guru or anything, but I would say that they would be fine since it is just a bodyweight excersise. The problem that people get into stunting their growth is when they lift too much weight. For example, I work at a movie theater and Friday and Saturday nights the theater has security guards work and help control the crowds. Well I was talking with one of the guards and he said that his feet don't really arch anymore because when he was around 16 he was squatting around 400+ lbs. regularly.

But as I said, bodyweight excersises (pull-ups, push-ups, dips etc.) should be fine since it's just your body weight.

[orion82698]

You should be fine. Stay away from trying to lift really heavy. Push-ups, sit-ups... cool!

You can even go to the gym and lift some weights, just don't try to pack it on. Let your body grow and develop more. You're in the prime stage at your age for development. Stay away from Creatine and all the stuff until you near 18. I didn't start taking anything like that until I was 22, and I had been throwing weights around for 5 years before that.

[TheDevilAside]

Gripmasters are an okay way to start, but the exercise will become redundant and your muscles will get used to it, probably resulting on a plateau. I'd throw in some forearm curls, and other exercises like that.

Weight lifting, no matter how much weight you use, will not stunt your growth. This is a myth, there is no evidence to support it but plenty to contradict it.

What it can do, however, is damage your joints and mess up your ligaments. But that's only if you're over training, increasing the weight too quickly and doing one rep maxes every week.

Don't 1RM, or max out, more than once a month... if I were you, I'd completely stay away from it, the only thing you'll get from it is bragging rights. Use proper form, stay away from using body motion to compensate. Use controlled movement, fast movement is fine as long as it's controlled. When starting out, begin out with low weight and increase your weight steadily for 6 months or so to avoid injury to your joints and ligaments. Also, when starting out, stay within the 8-12 rep range. Eat right.

If you follow that advice, weight lifting will only be benifical. And again, it won't stunt your growth.

[Ben Martin]

if you want to improve your grip strength try the famers walk. get 2 buckets or a container with a handle wthat will hold over 5L of water and fill them up and walk up and down your street holding them for as long as possible. you can also try doing it on one side and keeping your back straight this will also help work the muscles down the opposite side as you are trying tio keep your back straight.