16 year old wants muscles

nicky chick

Hi all

My just 16 year old son is very athletic, plays soccer, gaelic football & hurling, The problem is he is quite skinny and he wants to bulk up. I want him to do this the healthy way, through diet etc. Can any one offer any advice. Thanks

SirDelboy18

nicky chick wrote: »

Hi all

My just 16 year old son is very athletic, plays soccer, gaelic football & hurling, The problem is he is quite skinny and he wants to bulk up. I want him to do this the healthy way, through diet etc. Can any one offer any advice. Thanks

He needs to eat more. Record what he eats and find out his maintenance through weekly weigh-ins and when there is neither an increase or a decrease in weight you should look to add kcals to it.

With that schedule I'd imagine it'd be difficult enough to bulk up in the way I suggest you might be thinking. Training for the 3 as well as competitive fixtures. He is getting to the age when one might need to be dropped/sacrificed for the benefit of the other two, and you could add some sort of a weights routine.

There are probably many, many who would be able to offer a better insight though.

wersal gummage

eating more calories than you burn puts on weight. putting on muscle though I think is a bit different. Probably need to do weights of some kind. How wise that is for a 16 year old is another story. Any gym I've been in over the years has never allowed kids around that age to lift weights - I dont know if that is for insurance reasons or if its because kids shouldn't be lifting weights. Often heard it said that you're not supposed to lift heavy weights until you've finished growing - but I've no idea whether that is just a myth or not. Might just be worth you having a look into anyway.

Brian?

wersal gummage wrote: »

eating more calories than you burn puts on weight. putting on muscle though I think is a bit different. Probably need to do weights of some kind. How wise that is for a 16 year old is another story. Any gym I've been in over the years has never allowed kids around that age to lift weights - I dont know if that is for insurance reasons or if its because kids shouldn't be lifting weights. Often heard it said that you're not supposed to lift heavy weights until you've finished growing - but I've no idea whether that is just a myth or not. Might just be worth you having a look into anyway.

AFAIK the story that lifting weights stunts your growth is a myth. I am fairly sure people have posted studies on here which show it has negative effect.

OP, if he wants to add some muscle he can start with simple things at home like push ups/chinups. Search the forum for a home work out thread, I am sure there was a long one last year. He can of course join the gym if you're willing to pay for it .

Either gym or home the way to add muscle is resistance training+ a high protein diet + a calorie surplus. There's guides to all that in the stickies.

Hanley

briankeating wrote: »

AFAIK the story that lifting weights stunts your growth is a myth. I am fairly sure people have posted studies on here which show it has negative effect.

Bingo. Growth plates are far more susceptible to damage from impact/acute injury like rugby etc than thru lifting. The latter may even help growth.

As for what to do...
1) 3 meals a day minimum, protein at every meal
2) Eat less junk food
3) Snack on nuts, fruit and seeds
4) red meat, chicken, tuna and eggs, and lots of them.

nice_guy80

Hanley wrote: »

Bingo. Growth plates are far more susceptible to damage from impact/acute injury like rugby etc than thru lifting. The latter may even help growth.

As for what to do...
1) 3 meals a day minimum, protein at every meal
2) Eat less junk food
3) Snack on nuts, fruit and seeds
4) red meat, chicken, tuna and eggs, and lots of them.

body weight exercises?
push up, pull/chin up, squat, single leg deadlift, dips

Hanley

nice_guy80 wrote: »

body weight exercises?
push up, pull/chin up, squat, single leg deadlift, dips

What exactly are you questioning? Or did you just quote my post and make a statement?

Brian?

Hanley wrote: »

nice_guy80 wrote: »

body weight exercises?
push up, pull/chin up, squat, single leg deadlift, dips

What exactly are you questioning? Or did you just quote my post and make a statement?

Primary numbers?
1,2,3,5,7,11

d'Oracle

1 isn't actually a prime.

Brian?

d'Oracle wrote: »

1 isn't actually a prime.

I see. Indeed it's not

nicky chick

Thank you all for your replies, he doesnt eat much and I have been telling him he needs to eat more. The good thing is he does like meat & fish so he will be getting more of that in future!Thanks again:)

Galwayguy35

nicky chick wrote: »

Thank you all for your replies, he doesnt eat much and I have been telling him he needs to eat more. The good thing is he does like meat & fish so he will be getting more of that in future!Thanks again:)

You can get protein shakes as well. I use them myself when weight lifting. They would give him the calories he needs to gain some weight as well if he hasnt a big appetite.

nicky chick

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

You can get protein shakes as well. I use them myself when weight lifting. They would give him the calories he needs to gain some weight as well if he hasnt a big appetite.


He did want to get that originally but I wasnt so sure, with him only being 16. I dont think his appetite is going to grow much more so maybe we will try that along with the foods that others have suggested, as I have said he is always training or playing matches so I dont think he gets time to put on weight!!

Brian?

nicky chick wrote: »

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

You can get protein shakes as well. I use them myself when weight lifting. They would give him the calories he needs to gain some weight as well if he hasnt a big appetite.


He did want to get that originally but I wasnt so sure, with him only being 16. I dont think his appetite is going to grow much more so maybe we will try that along with the foods that others have suggested, as I have said he is always training or playing matches so I dont think he gets time to put on weight!!

It sounds like he's out training what he's eating. Protein shakes are just food, a very handy food if the young fella is as busy as you say.