Teenagers and Bodybuilding (part 1)

Teenagers often come to a crisis in their lives whan it comes to physical appearance and an acceptable self image. These can be troubling times as they strive to reach their objectives, defeat is painful. This combined with the effects of adolesent hormones and subsequent appearence of spots and pimples, they are no doubt in an up hill struggle to reach that acceptable physical image.

Clothes and habits are copied to give that secure feeling of belonging to the gang, and large numbers are attracted by various adverts or images to take up for the first time, training with weights, with the sole object of rapidly building up some respectable muscles. The accent always being on "RAPID", far too many quit. For every ten teenagers taking up bodybuilding, seven will quit and drop out within the first three months. (i.e. just as does adults who attend slimming classes ) Disillusioned or disgusted, they quit because results fail to show as quick or as easy as they were led to believe, perhaps by the over hyped adverts and promises.

These resulting failures can only be put down to poor training or perhaps we should say OVERTRAINING. Teenagers need to follow a concrete and well paced out program and this is where I hope to be of some assistance so that a larger number of teenagers can reach their goal of self-image. There isnt really a right or wrong age to begin with weights but it goes without saying that exercise should be encouraged from an early age.

Children from the word go should be encouraged to take up Sporting activities such as running, jumping and swimming, which all help to produce fitness and help muscle development. With the correct training these skills can be learnt within one week. As well as toning their muscles, training ensures healthy lungs and cardiovascular systems. Only under these condtions can Teenagers even begin to think about taking on training with weights.

Providing the youngster has a real desire to train, then they certainly should be encouraged and also closely coached. The first essential when training with weights is to avoid using too much resistance or poundage in the initial schedules. Anyone below the age of fourteen years should have definite and controlled supervision. The earliest age I would envisage purposeful use of light weight training would be about ten years of age. Between the ages of ten to fourteen weights should be very light.

Repetitions on average about a dozen or so, concentrating on doing full range basic exercises with the weights fully under control at all times. Training schedules should be of short duration, e.g. half an hour is plenty. And not more than three times a week. Correct safety measures should always be followed. Warm up and taper off. Always use collars on the barbell and dumbbells and the adult coach or spotter should always be within reach, to take control of the weights at all times.

Avoid exercises such as dead lifts, good morning exercises or heavy squats or bouncing squats. On no account should young trainers use heavy weights or exercises which compress the spine. Serious bodybuilding can commece as early as the teens. Providing all safety precautions are taken, good continued progress can take place. The high energies of youth can be channeled positively into fine muscle building potential. We repeat it is unwise to practice heavy power lifts until the trainee has finished his or her natural growth potential and bones, joints and tendons stabilize.

Now training programs can begin to increase to one or two hours, three times a week. Trainers should work on controlled muscle development which could be focused on sporting activities such as gymnastics agility exercises or martial arts, just two examples of muscle put to a purpose.

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