weight lifting for the young

love2run	weight lifting for the young Written 17 March 2008 22:38
From: virginia beach Posts: 2 Member: 24774	Well, i am only 14 and i would like to get some meat on these things i call arms. The problem is that i am young and i dont know if that will change things. Please post back.

User wallryder

Re: weight lifting for the young Written 18 March 2008 8:30

From: Tyresö
Posts: 145
Member: 22561

Hi there, For starter; There is absolutely no need to worry about your age. If you hear something telling you different, i can almost guarantee you that it is one of many myths around weightlifting :) Building bigger arms is a fetish amoung many of the youngsters. Hopefully you will later realize that a proportionate body is what matters, not big a** arms. If you really feel that your arms are lacking in volume, even after a year with good weight lifting. Then you might consider adding another day/month focusing on the arms. Just remember that your triceps should as it is made, cover ~70% of your total mass on the upper arms. Hope this helps. Cheers

"Training must be like a bloodless battle so that battle is just like bloody training"

Masson	Re: weight lifting for the young Written 18 March 2008 16:43
From: Halmstad Posts: 70 Member: 24833	Your age is not a problem at all. The only thing that might worry is that you dont know how to perform the excercises in a right manner. If I were you I'd speak to someone who has experiance, this is so that you will learn the right way of the excersises so you don't get hurt. Good luck.

User DCHammer Bullet_star

Re: weight lifting for the young Written 28 March 2008 21:54

From: Dauphin
Posts: 20
Member: 25723

There's nothing to worry about. I started when I was 13 myself as a Junior High School wrestler. I'd suggest using machines to begin with because there is considerably less risk than freeweights. If you don't have access to machines, I'd suggest simple exercise motions rather than complex. And as another member suggested, arm size is an interesting thing. I just read an article this week. Forgive me if I quote the numbers slightly incorrectly but they are close enough for you to get the point. Percentage of men that admitted focusing on their biceps and ignoring triceps: 25% Percentage of arm diameter that is made of of tricep muscle: 67% Pounds of lean muscle mass that must be added to the body to add an inch to arm measurement: 10 In short, lift weights. You'll grow everywhere.

User wallryder

Re: weight lifting for the young Written 29 March 2008 21:45

From: Tyresö
Posts: 145
Member: 22561

I agree with the previous author on almost every aspect. Except - starting of with machines. I personally cant find any sane reason for this, hence:

machines won't let your muscles nor joints move completely as they are meant to, just linear and monotonous movements are possible. We are all different and no machine fits everyone.
machines often isolates your muscles -> less weights -> less muscle stress -> less muscle growth.
lifting with free weights improves not only muscle growth, but balance, functionality and coordination, as well. I understand what you are saying, and why you recommend it. But, I cant agree. With this said, Im not telling you that you should find the bigest dumbell there is, and start swinging it in pure desperation :) Im telling you to start of slowly and carefully with light weights and preferably with a gym coach. Machines has its place in a decent schedule, but should never replace free weights. But then again, this is my personal reflection and based on my experienceses and knowledge. Sincerely, Daniel

"Training must be like a bloodless battle so that battle is just like bloody training"

User Hönke

Re: weight lifting for the young Written 31 March 2008 7:04

From: Göteborg
Posts: 101
Member: 16648

love2runWell, i am only 14 and i would like to get some meat on these things i call arms. The problem is that i am young and i dont know if that will change things. Please post back.

Of course it matters that you are 14, your body is(or will be very soon) in puberty. And there's alot of hormones going around in your body and you are growing very fast. But you can lift weights, but with very light weight and many reps. Your body needs to have a good ground before you hit the heavy weights. Technique is the most important thing, so find a good instructor beofre you start. And you should have a full body workout. Not only your arms. In your age it's important to exercise the core and feet. /Henke (Sorry for the bad eng..)

User tonyp321

Re: Re: weight lifting for the young Written 15 April 2008 17:43

From: Watertown
Posts: 7
Member: 27237

wallryderHi there, For starter; There is absolutely no need to worry about your age. If you hear something telling you different, i can almost guarantee you that it is one of many myths around weightlifting :)

Its not entirely a myth and the reason is is that around his age is when most guys are hitting puberty and going through growth stages. Hormone balances change etc. If all he is going to do is weight lift thats fine but if he is going to even think about adding in supplements thats a big NO NO at that age. To the OP since your close to HS, alot of HS's have weightrooms for part of gym class. Pick that block for PE and ask the instructor lots of questions regarding proper lifting and techniques to building certain muscle groups. You should always want to get a full body workout in but you if you see one group of muscles falling behind then you can add extra routines to develop that group. Its never a good idea to concentrate on just 1 group other wise you start looking deformed.

User wallryder

Re: Re: Re: weight lifting for the young Written 15 April 2008 19:15

From: Tyresö
Posts: 145
Member: 22561

tonyp321

Hold your horses... with supplements you mean ....? Supplements as in protein/carbs/vitamines? Is that what you are saying? Well if that's the case, I question your knowledge sincerely, mate! Im not even gonna start debate it untill you've explained what you are saying. Regards, Daniel

"Training must be like a bloodless battle so that battle is just like bloody training"

User tonyp321

Re: Re: Re: Re: weight lifting for the young Written 16 May 2008 17:53

From: Watertown
Posts: 7
Member: 27237

wallryder

tonyp321

No. protein, carbs etc are a necessity for essentially any type of exercise and are included in foods, but by supplements I mean things like hydroxycut, creatine etc.

golfpyramid	Re: Re: weight lifting for the young Written 21 May 2008 14:35
From: ahmedabad Posts: 1 Member: 28658	MassonYour age is not a problem at all. The only thing that might worry is that you dont know how to perform the excercises in a right manner. If I were you I'd speak to someone who has experiance, this is so that you will learn the right way of the excersises so you don't get hurt. Good luck. This is what i am writing thanks

User michaelsneddon

Re: weight lifting for the young Written 17 July 2008 17:46

From: Brooklyn
Posts: 1
Member: 31619

I'm 18 and I just started lifting weights about 5 months ago. My father is a body builder and has been since he was my age, so I've been wanting to join a gym for a while. For some nonsense reason, my gym doesn't allow youngsters to even join. Now that I'm 18 you can't get me out of the place. My advice is as follows, and I was lucky enough to have a father who is highly educated in this activity - so I'm no expert but I know what I'm talking about. First off, if you're in pursuit of complete fitness, chances are you're going to have to change your diet. Start drinking water like a pack mule. Buy a few Muscular Development magazines from your local store, and educate yourself. Read them. Cover to cover, ignoring the appealing ads for NO supplements and testosterone boosters, at least for now. After that you should be able to figure out; based on your body type, what type of foods you should be eating. Hit the gym and take it slow. Work with free weights so light that you could bang out 20 reps if you wanted to. Work on your FORM. I would start of very light, and with ultra slow negatives (the returning of the weight back to its starting position). You're going to want to get your balancing muscles stronger before really exerting yourself to your max. Your also going to want to really get them warm and lubricated, with very light warm up sets, especially because lifting is a completely foreign thing to your joints and muscles. I can almost guarantee injury if you decide to step it up and go for that heavier dumb bell. Never be embarrassed, because we all started somewhere. No one in your gym is going to poke fun at you or laugh amongst their partners at you, because all those huge macho lifters all started lifting light just as you are. I recommend you check this out, http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/beginnerbuild.htm, as it looks to be very informal and just what your looking for. It includes a simple workout that you should try and after a week or two of doing it, make a few changes and make it your own. Dabble around and always ask for a spot when working with free weight. Bring a bottle of water, and pound a protein shake once your done. Your young, like me. Our bodies are in their prime for building muscle mass. A man in his middle age will have a much harder time gaining size in 40's than we will now. After 5 months, I'm not the person I used to be. I'm HUGE compared to when I started. With strength gains that you would not believe. Recently I have started using super pump, and creatine, but work out naturally for now and try out that stuff later. I got jaw dropping results with just weights, Myoplex, water (lots and lots of water) and some motivation. You made a great, great choice to start now, but just be careful. It is a dangerous lifestyle to lift heavy steal above your face all the time, so just know your plateaus and stay true to them. Slowly but surely you will break through them. Its not time to push yourself too hard. Another thing, some people may not fully agree with me, but this is something I firmly believe in- a workout routine is all good and dandy, but muscle building can become stagnant if you are always doing the same exercises. Every 2 times or so you work out a specific muscle group, change the exercises you use to target them on the 3rd time, and then back to your normal procedures. This keeps your muscles guessing, and doesn't let them get too comfortable at a certain size. Also, even after a few months or, and you will feel like you know everything, its best to never lift ridiculous amounts. There are bodybuilders that always complain about repeated mistakes they made as kids while lifting, and it has stuck with them. Dexter Jackson used to stick as many 45's he could fit on the bar at his gym to do shrugs each time he went, and now, preparing for Olympia, he is concerned about their resting height on his shoulders in proportion to the rest of his torso. Also, Jorge Betancourt talks about his daily consumption of a joint-support formula pre-workout, because of his horrible knees due to his extremely heavy lifting as a teen. Just be careful, train consistently, and give it a few months before you really attack the weights. After you break through the whole new guy stage, train mercilessly, and be sure to let us all know how things have been going for you. Mike.