Age

GerryRyan

Sorry if this's been covered before.

What are the pros and cons of starting serious weight lifting before 16 or 17?

I've heard different views on it:
a) It stunts growth
b) underdeveloped bones may bend ?
c) there's no need to start that early

Also, would changing to a heavy protein (shakes etc) diet at this age be a good or bad idea.
Also, does anyone know of any good sites with info on this?

Not trying to get huge, just add a bit more mass. 154lb now at 6'1, trying to get to 170lb.

Or should I wait another year or two ?

GerryRyan

Anyone?

g'em

there was a thread on this a while ago, but it wasn't great so didn't post it!!

weight lifting is fine at 16 or 17. the claims that it stunts growth etc are completely unfounded. The same rules apply for you as with anyone else who lifts- keep.. good.. form.

As long as your techniques are good there's nothing to worry about. If you want to add a bit more mass, the first and most important thing to look at is your diet. Everyone here who knows what they're at will tell you the same thing. There is no point in training if the fuel you give your body isn't adequate or correct for its needs. Base your diet around 40% protein 40% carbs 20% good fats (omega 3,6 oils ie fish oils). If you find its hard to get enough protein in your diet (about 1.5-2g protein per kg bodyweight) you can use protein shakes to supplement your diet, a lot of lifters would do this.

Read the basic blocks sticky at the top of the forum for the general guidelines for eating clean and training well, and if you need a hand with your diet or workout, post your current regime and we can give you a hand with it

GerryRyan

Ok, had this done out a while back, not sure if it suits building mass but :

Feel free to critique or make suggestions.

Also, I'm doing a lot of boxing, so I do a good bit of running.
Will that make it harder to gain mass, if I'm running every other night.

As far as protein shakes etc go, I'll probably give it a miss, too much bad press on creatine etc ...

Thanx

McGinty

I can't really say about lifting weights in a gym per ce, however as a young teenager/child, we had to carry very heavy weights for our age, lifting 4st bags of spuds,etc, and to be honest it did more good than harm, I developed muscles at a young age, and it has stood to me now that I am older. Again maybe medical advice would go against this, but it is nice to have strength at a young age, also I am a woman, and it didn't affect me in anyway at all only in a positive way, personally I would advice to lift what you are comfortable with.

Gaillimhtaibhse

Can't speak for free-standing weights, but as for the machines, I started before 18 (now) to improve my strength and power for punching (fast repetitions in sets of 10). I don't want bulk, just toning, power and speed. Was told to do this by Master TKD instructor. Well, I got toning and my punch has improved greatly. Got nice definition, but no bulk. Not sure what else I have been doing that could contribute to this, other than fast bag punching TKD workouts. Who knows?

babypink

ThatGuy wrote:

As far as protein shakes etc go, I'll probably give it a miss, too much bad press on creatine etc ...

obviously it depends very much on your body type and diet but i really wouldn't rule out protein + creatine. The reality is that it is quite difficult to get all the protein you need from your normal diet, and particularly at the right time... i.e. post-workout.

As for creatine, i believe alot of the bad press to be not much more than urban myth (g'em/dragan/easygainer et al kick me if i'm wrong). If protein is the single most important supplement then creatine is #2 for sure! It is possibly the most researched sports supplement and there is no shortage of information out there...Google it and see!

As for me....I was a stubborn f***er and refused to take either protein or creatine, after months without any progress I relented and began supplementing. In the last 4 months i've put on about 10kg, haven't had any ill-effects from supplementing (well apart from protein farts)

Bottom line is that you'll find it "easier" to put on muscle size and weight by supplementing.

Reyman

I think the original question was " Is it ok to lift seroius weights before 16 or 17?

I take this to mean should a 14 or 15 year old lift seriously heavy weights?

My reaction to this is No!

It's too young to be going down this road - too many risks. Pleanty of time when you're 18 or older to develop real strength.

Concentrate now on developing coordination, basic strength and all round fitness and build on this when your body is more mature

Dragan

Reyman wrote:

It's too young to be going down this road - too many risks. Pleanty of time when you're 18 or older to develop real strength.

What risks?????

Come on folks, this is not the middle ages here. DOes someone want to tell me how a young and untrained kid will have enough strenght to lift something heavy enough to "bend his undeveloped bones".

Simple fact is that modern research has shown there is no risk to teenage lifting, if anything it is an adavantage. Right now this guy has more test and Growth Hormone in him that A Mr. Olympia. Get your training on dude, just train right, with good form and common sense and you can't go wrong.

If i could go back and make myself train at his age, would i???

Hell yeah!

Cravez

Dragan wrote:

What risks?????

Come on folks, this is not the middle ages here. DOes someone want to tell me how a young and untrained kid will have enough strenght to lift something heavy enough to "bend his undeveloped bones".

Simple fact is that modern research has shown there is no risk to teenage lifting, if anything it is an adavantage. Right now this guy has more test and Growth Hormone in him that A Mr. Olympia. Get your training on dude, just train right, with good form and common sense and you can't go wrong.

If i could go back and make myself train at his age, would i???

Hell yeah!

Too right! luckily i started lifting at 16 and nothing like that was mentioned anything in this thread happened to me, matter of fact iv grown a bit taller. if i knew about it now i would have trained a little bit before 16 as well.

Reyman

Over to the medical people here!

I'd say there is risks in going 'heavy' at 14 or 15 but we need an 'expert' opinion

Dragan

Once again, how does and untrained kid go "heavy"????

No kid is ever going to be able to walk into a gym and bang out 100Kilos on the bench for reps, just like adults who start training they will be at exactly the same risk of muscle, tendon and ligament damage and will need to slowly get the body used to trianing it.

Of course there are risks to going "heavy" these same risks apply to adults as well though and "heavy" needs to be worked up to anyway!

MODERN reserach has shown the there is no adverse affect on teenagers physical from training, plain and simple.

There are score of kids out there who lift more than me, thousands of teenage powerlifters and bodybuilders and why? Because they started off slow and learned what to do.

More than can be said for some adults.

Get with the times kids!!!!

"The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Sports Medicine, and the National Strength and Conditioning Association all support strength training for kids....."

quoted from http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/HQ/01010.html

t-ha

*agrees with Dragan - although Ronnie may have a slight edge on a typical teenage boy as far as test goes *

Stunting growth could happen in theory if you use up all your calories growing and maintaining your new muscle. Solution: make sure you're eating plenty of food with a good mix of protein, carbs and fats.

The most important supplement you'll probably need will be a good multi-vit. Parents aren't always keen on their kids taking alot of powders and such so trying to get the most out of what's already in the kitchen cupboards is probably a good idea. If they don't object however, there is no health reasons for not supplementing on both protein powders & creatine.

Your bones will be fine as mentioned - everyone's bones bend slightly under loading and then go back to normal when unloaded, also, they increase in thickness and density as your muscles grow. (Drink lots of milk just to be sure ).

I think 15/16 is the best time to start weight training to take advantage of your anabolic teenage hormones. Before that there is no harm in trying your hand at bodyweight stuff to get a good strong base to start with, as well as gerneral sports and such, but that's your call. If you're interested then check out these;
www.beastskills.com
http://www.warriorforce.com/meetross.html

Dragan

t-ha wrote:

*agrees with Dragan - although Ronnie may have a slight edge on a typical teenage boy as far as test goes *

Thats only because Big Country has Chris "What do you mean you need your kidneys" Aceto in his corner!!

t-ha

Dragan wrote:

Thats only because Big Country has Chris "What do you mean you need your kidneys" Aceto in his corner!!

Big Country celebrates after arresting some kids for smoking marijuana - because that's illegal

Dragan

Score.

The funny thing is, you could just run away from him! But then he'd get to shot you i suppose. Sudder to think what he carries!!!

All in all, the thought of an active Texas policeman being an 8 time Mr Olympia is still so ironically funny that it makes my nuts hurt.

I wonder if he gets his supply form the police lockdown?