Originally posted by Gunslinger
that is SOOOOO not healthy for a kid. Kids should not start "lifting" till they are at least teenagers. that dad needs to be shot.
Starting out that young could cause countless abnomal developments in his growth
as far as creating a superrace.....well I think that's wrong as well. Creat kids the old fasion way 
Actually Gunslinger there is a new book out that was written by Avery Faigenbaum, Ed.D., C.S.C.S., that states "when most boys and girls are ready for sports participation they're ready for some type of strength training." The book is titled "Strength and Power for Young Athletes". Here is his
website and it has research links and articles posted on it as well.
I have recently started my oldest son on a strength program that includes running, push up and crunches. Each week he has two days that he does weight workouts with 5 lb. dumb bells in each hand. He does military press, bench press and lunges with them for 3 sets of 8 each. It is all about teaching him proper form and not pushing him to be a bodybuilder. My major in college was Exercise Science with minor in Physiology.
I helped administer some studies on weight training at different ages and the most dramatic showed that if a child was pushed early (under 5 years old) there was significant damage to the growth plates on the bones. However with light weights and "aerobic" exercises the children showed an increase in strength with no reactionary damage to the growth plates on the bones.
Still though its up to the parents to be responsible in how they teach and work with their children. Just putting some kid out there and pushing them harder to make them the chiseled boy wonder does them nothing but harm.
There is a position paper linked there that I might still have a copy of at home from the National Strength and Conditioning Association that I can drop in the mail to you when I find it or at the very least scan in and email.
