Taylor
Good evening and welcome to Goose Pod. It is Monday, February 09th, exactly 23:01, and I am Taylor, joined as always by the wonderful Holly. Tonight, we have an incredible narrative to unpack about a young boy who decided to redefine what strength looks like for his generation.
Holly
It is such a pleasure to be here. Today we are discussing a truly heart-warming and impressive story. A nine-year-old boy named Jackson Mackay has deadlifted his way into the record books, and the journey behind that achievement is just as lovely as the record itself.
Taylor
The strategic focus this young man displayed is just mind-blowing. Jackson Mackay, a nine-year-old from the Sunshine Coast, managed to deadlift eighty kilograms. To put that in perspective, he shattered the previous world record for his age group, which was seventy-two kilograms. That is a massive jump in performance.
Holly
It really is quite extraordinary! Can you imagine a child that age having such poise? He only started weightlifting about eighteen months ago. He told reporters that he literally woke up one day and decided that since gyms are for weights, he was going to break a world record. How absolutely lovely!
Taylor
I love that CEO-level clarity of vision. He didn't just dream it, though; he executed. Jackson trained for three hours every single week for a year and a half. He started out using a hex bar to build core stability before moving to the standard straight bar for the actual record-breaking lift.
Holly
The footage was verified by Kids World Records for the seven-to-nine-year-old category. When he finally completed the lift, it was such an emotional scene. His mother, Cara, actually cried tears of joy. She mentioned that Jackson had written out a ten-year plan for his goals on a piece of paper.
Taylor
That is exactly the kind of narrative pattern I look for. A nine-year-old with a ten-year roadmap! His coach, Joshua Hodges, was also visibly moved. He’s been training Jackson since October, and seeing that culmination of effort, that moment of pure, raw joy, was something he described as really special.
Holly
It truly warms the heart. Jackson was so humble about it, saying he couldn't believe he actually beat a world record. But the support system around him, with his parents Brett and Cara and his coach Joshua, really highlights how a nurturing environment can help a child achieve something so spectacular.
Taylor
The technical precision required for an eighty-kilogram lift at that age is no small feat. It’s not just about pulling weight; it’s about the biomechanics and the mental grit. Jackson moved from rugby league into this space, looking for a way to rebuild his confidence after dropping out of team sports.
Holly
And it worked so beautifully! His coach noted that his confidence has grown so much that he’s actually returned to team sports now. It’s fascinating how one specific goal, like a heavy deadlift, can ripple out and improve so many other areas of a young person’s life and spirit.
Taylor
It is a masterclass in personal development. He went from a place of needing a boost to becoming a world-record holder who is already looking toward his next milestone. He’s already eyeing the ten-year-old record. That kind of forward-thinking momentum is what separates the dreamers from the high-level achievers.
Holly
I find it so sincere that his motivation was so pure. There was no complex agenda, just a boy, a gym, and a desire to see what he was capable of doing. Seeing him achieve that must have been such a radiant moment for everyone standing in that gym that day.
Taylor
It definitely challenges our traditional narratives about what children should be doing for exercise. But before we get into the science, we have to appreciate the sheer audacity of a year-four student setting a world record. It’s a brilliant example of identifying a niche and absolutely dominating it through consistency.
Holly
It really is, and the way he transitioned from the hex bar to the straight bar shows such grace in his progression. He didn't rush the process; he respected the weight and the technique. It’s a wonderful lesson for all of us about the importance of building a strong foundation.
Taylor
Absolutely, and that foundation is exactly where the broader story begins. While Jackson’s achievement is a singular event, it sits against a backdrop of decades of shifting perspectives on youth fitness. We need to look at how we got to a place where a nine-year-old breaking records is celebrated.
Holly
I agree completely. It leads us perfectly into the history and the science behind all of this. There was a time when this would have been seen quite differently, wasn't there? It’s so interesting to see how our understanding of the young body has evolved over the years.
Taylor
If we look at the historical data, specifically back in the 1970s and 80s, there was this massive wave of concern. People genuinely believed that if a child touched a weight, it would stunt their growth or permanently damage their epiphyseal plates, which are essentially the growth areas in their bones.
Holly
Oh, I remember hearing those stories! It sounded so frightening, the idea that a young person could accidentally stop themselves from growing taller just by trying to be strong. It created such a cautious atmosphere around children and gyms for a very long time, didn't it? how curious!
Taylor
It did, and much of that fear was fueled by reports from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. In the late seventies, half of all weightlifting injuries involved people aged ten to nineteen. But here is the strategic insight: those injuries weren't caused by the lifting itself, but by poor supervision.
Holly
So, it was more about how they were lifting rather than the act of lifting? That makes so much sense. If a child is left alone with heavy equipment, accidents are bound to happen. But with proper guidance, like Jackson had with his coach, it becomes a completely different story.
Taylor
Exactly. Over the last twenty years, the narrative has shifted because the science caught up. Major organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Strength and Conditioning Association now have very specific guidelines. They’ve moved from saying 'don't do it' to 'here is exactly how to do it safely.'
Holly
It’s so wonderful that we have these clear paths now. I was reading about the Kraemer and Fleck guidelines, which break it down by age. For the very little ones, aged five to seven, it’s all about the concept of form and just moving their bodies with very minimal resistance.
Taylor
And then you move into Jackson’s bracket, the eight-to-ten-year-olds. The focus there is on expanding the exercise pool and starting light progressive loading. The key is keeping it simple. You aren't looking for massive muscle growth at that age; you are looking for what we call neural adaptations.
Holly
Neural adaptations? That sounds so sophisticated! Does that mean the brain is actually getting better at telling the muscles what to do, rather than the muscles just getting bigger? It’s like the body is learning a new, very efficient language of movement, which is just fascinating to think about.
Taylor
You nailed it. Before puberty, children don't have the high androgen levels needed for significant muscle hypertrophy, or size increase. So, when Jackson lifts eighty kilograms, it’s because his central nervous system has become incredibly efficient at recruiting muscle fibers. His brain is essentially a high-performance CEO.
Holly
How absolutely lovely! It’s about skill and coordination. And the benefits go beyond just strength. I’ve seen research showing that this kind of training helps with bone mineral density, which is so important for later in life. It’s like they are building a savings account for their skeletal health.
Taylor
That’s a great metaphor. It also helps with insulin regulation and metabolic rate. We are seeing strength training used as a strategic intervention for youth obesity. It’s not just about the elite athletes; it’s about creating a healthy physiological baseline for children who might otherwise be sedentary.
Holly
It’s also interesting how it differs for boys and girls as they get older. While they start off quite similar, during adolescence, strength training can really help girls improve their power and balance, which often helps prevent common sports injuries. It’s such a empowering tool for young women to have.
Taylor
The injury prevention aspect is huge. There’s this myth that lifting is dangerous, but when you look at the data, supervised resistance training has a much lower injury rate than contact sports like rugby or soccer. It actually prepares the joints and tendons for the stresses of those other sports.
Holly
I was surprised to learn that even one-rep max testing, which sounds so intense, has been found to be safe for children as young as six, provided there is adult supervision. It really shows that the human body, even a young one, is much more resilient than we used to believe.
Taylor
It really is. The shift in the medical community has been from a position of 'protection through avoidance' to 'protection through preparation.' We now understand that a strong child is a safer child. The focus is on the quality of the movement, which is what Coach Hodges emphasized with Jackson.
Holly
And the psychological side is just as important, isn't it? The sense of self-esteem a child gets from seeing tangible progress is so beautiful. They learn that if they put in the work and follow the plan, they can achieve things they never thought possible. It’s very moving.
Taylor
It builds a mindset of agency. You aren't just waiting for things to happen; you are making them happen. That ten-year plan Jackson wrote out is a testament to that. He isn't just lifting weights; he’s practicing the art of goal setting and achievement, which is a transferable skill.
Holly
It’s also lovely to see how it can be integrated with other sports. Jackson does wakeboarding and motocross too! It’s not about specializing too early, but rather about building a broad range of physical skills that all feed into each other. It sounds like such a balanced way to grow up.
Taylor
The science actually supports that 'multi-sport' approach. Engaging in diverse programs early on is actually more beneficial for long-term specialization later. It gives the body a wider library of movement patterns to draw from. Jackson is essentially building a very diverse portfolio of physical capabilities.
Holly
It really is a sophisticated approach to childhood. But even with all this wonderful evidence, I know there are still many people who feel quite uneasy about it. There is still a lot of tension between these new scientific findings and the older, more traditional views on child safety.
Taylor
That’s a fascinating parallel. While Jackson has a human coach, we are seeing a trend where AI can provide personalized workout and diet plans. For the next generation of lifters, we might see a hybrid model where human empathy and connection, like what Jackson has with Joshua, are paired with AI’s data-driven precision.
Taylor
That tension is where the real conflict lies. Even today, the 'stunted growth' myth is one of the most deeply held beliefs in fitness. You see it in every comment section. People see a child lifting and their first instinct is fear, not admiration. They worry about those vulnerable growth plates.
Holly
It’s understandable, though, isn't it? Parents naturally want to protect their children from any potential harm. The idea of a growth plate fracture sounds so permanent and life-altering. It’s hard to let go of a fear that has been passed down for generations, even if the science says otherwise.
Taylor
The irony is that the risk of those injuries is statistically much higher in the sports we consider 'normal' for kids. For example, rugby has an injury rate of about zero-point-eight per hundred participant hours. Controlled weightlifting? That rate is as low as zero-point-zero-three-five. It’s not even close.
Holly
That is such a striking contrast! We cheer when a child makes a hard tackle in rugby, but we gasp when they pick up a barbell. It’s a very interesting double standard in our culture. We perceive the gym as a place of danger and the field as a place of play.
Taylor
It’s a failure of risk assessment. The real danger isn't the weight; it’s the lack of core strength and improper technique. Most weightlifting injuries in youth are actually soft tissue strains in the lower back, often because they were trying to lift too much without a solid foundation or proper supervision.
Holly
So the conflict isn't really 'lifting versus not lifting,' but rather 'supervised training versus unsupervised play.' I suppose the challenge is that not every child has access to a professional coach like Joshua Hodges. Without that expert eye, the risks do become much more real and concerning.
Taylor
Absolutely. The American Academy of Pediatrics is very clear: they recommend avoiding competitive powerlifting and maximal lifts until skeletal maturity is reached. Jackson’s record-breaking lift is a bit of an outlier because it’s a maximal effort. That’s where the medical community and the sporting world sometimes clash.
Holly
That’s a very important distinction. There’s a difference between a structured strength program and pushing for a world record. It must be a delicate balance for the parents and the coach to ensure Jackson stays safe while also supporting his incredible ambition and his desire to be the best.
Taylor
It’s a classic high-risk, high-reward scenario. The reward is this incredible confidence and a world-record title, but the risk is the physical toll on a developing body. Dr. Daniel Van Den Hoek mentioned that as long as it’s progressed correctly, it’s healthy, but 'correctly' is a very subjective term.
Holly
It really is. And I imagine there’s also the psychological pressure of being a record holder at nine. How does a child handle that kind of attention? There’s always the worry that the sport might become a burden rather than a joy if the expectations from the outside world become too high.
Taylor
That’s the hidden narrative. We see the victory, but we don't always see the pressure. However, Jackson’s mother mentioned he was the one who set the goal. When the drive comes from the child, the dynamic is different. It’s not a parent pushing a child; it’s a parent supporting a child’s drive.
Holly
That’s a lovely way to look at it. But I do wonder about the message it sends to other children who might try to mimic him without a coach. We live in an age of social media where a child might see Jackson and try to lift something heavy in their garage. That’s quite a worry.
Taylor
That is the dark side of these viral success stories. The strategy should always be education first. We need to celebrate Jackson while simultaneously hammering home the message that he didn't do this alone. He had eighteen months of professional, supervised preparation. You can't skip those steps.
Holly
It’s about respecting the process. The conflict between our desire for instant results and the reality of slow, safe progression is something we all struggle with, not just children. But in the case of a growing body, the stakes of that conflict are just so much higher.
Taylor
It really comes down to the quality of the ecosystem around the athlete. If you have a coach who prioritizes form over weight and parents who prioritize the child’s well-being over the record, you can navigate these conflicts. But without those guardrails, the critics’ fears become much more valid.
Holly
It’s a complex tapestry of safety, ambition, and science. It’s not as simple as a 'yes' or 'no' answer, is it? It’s more of a 'yes, but with these very specific conditions.' And I think that nuance is often lost in the louder debates about youth sports.
Taylor
The impact of this story, though, is already being felt far beyond the gym. For Jackson, the most immediate effect was a total transformation of his self-confidence. He went from dropping out of rugby because he didn't feel capable to being a world-record holder who is back on the team.
Holly
It’s just so beautiful to see that ripple effect! By finding his strength in the gym, he found his place in the world again. It shows that sometimes, to help a child feel confident in a group, you first have to help them feel strong as an individual. How absolutely lovely!
Taylor
And it’s not just mental. His success in the gym has translated to his other passions like wakeboarding and motocross. This is what sports scientists call 'transferable skill.' The core stability and explosive power he developed with that eighty-kilogram deadlift make him a better, safer athlete in everything else he does.
Holly
I think it also has a big impact on how other parents view these activities. Seeing a happy, healthy nine-year-old achieve something so grand might encourage other families to look into supervised strength training. It could help dismantle those old myths and lead to a more active, stronger generation of children.
Taylor
It’s a shift in the cultural narrative. We are starting to see strength as a foundational life skill for children, like swimming or reading. The impact on public health could be huge if more kids engaged in resistance training, especially with the rising rates of sedentary lifestyles and childhood obesity.
Holly
It also brings the family closer together. Jackson’s parents were so involved and so proud. It became a shared journey for them. In a world where we are all so busy, having a common goal that requires dedication and brings such joy must be a wonderful thing for a family.
Taylor
There’s also an impact on the coaching profession. Coach Hodges mentioned how emotional he got. It validates the work of strength and conditioning coaches who specialize in youth. It shows that their role isn't just about sets and reps, but about mentorship and emotional development. They are building people, not just lifters.
Holly
It’s a very sincere responsibility. And on a broader scale, stories like Jackson’s inspire us all. When we see a child overcome their doubts and work so hard for a year and a half to reach a goal, it makes us wonder what we could achieve if we had that same level of focus.
Taylor
It’s a powerful mirror. It forces us to re-evaluate our own limitations. If a nine-year-old can plan and execute a world-record-breaking strategy, what’s stopping us? The societal implication is a move toward a more 'growth-oriented' mindset, where we focus on what the body can do rather than what it looks like.
Holly
I also think it’s wonderful for the community on the Sunshine Coast. Having a local hero who is so young brings people together. It’s a point of pride for the local gym and the school. It’s these small, local stories that often have the most profound impact on the people around them.
Taylor
Absolutely. It creates a local ecosystem of excellence. Other kids in Twin Waters will see Jackson and realize that 'world records' aren't just things that happen to people on TV. They are things you can work for in your local gym. It brings the impossible down to a very tangible, reachable level.
Holly
It really does. And seeing his mother’s reaction, those tears of pride, reminds us that at the heart of every record is a human story. It’s about more than just a number on a bar; it’s about the love and support that made that lift possible in the first place.
Taylor
Looking ahead, the future for Jackson looks incredibly bright. He’s already set his sights on the ten-year-old deadlift record. This is a perfect example of what we call 'long-term athlete development.' He isn't burning out; he’s just getting started on a very structured, multi-year progression plan.
Holly
It’s so exciting to think about what he might achieve next! And it makes me wonder how technology might play a role in the future of youth fitness. I was reading about a man in Swansea who replaced his personal trainer with an AI and achieved his strongest self yet. how interesting!
Holly
I do hope we never lose that human connection, though. The way Coach Hodges was so moved by Jackson’s success is something an AI could never truly replicate. The future of youth sports should be about using these new tools to enhance that human experience, not to replace it entirely.
Taylor
I agree. The strategic advantage of AI is its ability to monitor growth patterns and adjust loads to minimize injury risk even further. Imagine an app that can predict when a child is reaching a growth spurt and automatically suggests a lighter training week to protect those growth plates. That’s the future.
Holly
That would be so wonderful! It would give parents so much peace of mind. As we move forward, I think we’ll see more diverse sports programs that prioritize this kind of 'whole-child' development, just like Jackson is doing with his motocross and wakeboarding. It’s such a healthy trend.
Taylor
We are moving toward a more specialized but balanced approach. Jackson Mackay is the vanguard of a new type of young athlete—one who is scientifically informed, highly focused, and emotionally supported. He’s not just breaking records; he’s setting a new standard for what childhood potential looks like in the twenty-first century.
Holly
It has been such a joy to discuss this today. Jackson’s story is a reminder that with a little bit of courage and a lot of heart, even the smallest among us can do very big things. Thank you so much for sharing this journey with me, it was truly lovely.
Taylor
It was a pleasure. Jackson’s eighty-kilogram lift is a testament to the power of a plan and the resilience of the human spirit. That’s the end of today’s discussion. Thank you for listening to Goose Pod. We will see you tomorrow for more stories that find the patterns in our world.
ABC
