Why Does WHO Recommend Starting 'Muscle Training' at Age 5? Won't It Stunt Growth or Hurt Joints?

Family & Kids

WHO recommends children aged 5-17 include muscle-strengthening activities at least 3 days per week. But this isn't weightlifting — it's 'games that require a bit of effort.' Learn age-appropriate strength activities and why they won't harm growth or joints.

The World Health Organization recommends that children and adolescents aged 5–17 should engage in an average of at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day, and include muscle- and bone-strengthening activities on at least 3 days per week.

Many parents’ first reaction upon reading this is: “Muscle training starting at age 5?!” This is often followed by concerns: Won’t it hurt their joints? Won’t it affect their growth?

These worries are completely normal — the word “muscle” too easily conjures images of adult gym workouts. But in reality, the “muscle strengthening” referred to here is more like “games that require a bit of effort.”

It’s not weightlifting, and it’s not about building physique. Rather, it’s about letting children learn to use their bodies better through activities like climbing, jumping, supporting their weight, throwing, and pushing or pulling.

Why Start ‘Muscle-Strengthening Activities’ at Age 5?

Five-year-olds don’t need a systematic training plan. What they need is a sufficiently diverse range of physical activities. “Muscle-strengthening” activities include climbing up and down, jumping and landing steadily, supporting their body with their hands, throwing a ball with force, and playing push-pull games with peers.

These activities may look like play, but the body is actually learning some very important things: