Anyone got any advice for a 13 year old?

[Daniel_G]

Hi, i'm Dan!
Anyhow, straight to the point.
I'm 13, about 5 foot 9 or 10, about 9 and a bit stone, and want to get a bit of muscle on me.
I'm naturally skinny, i can eat what i want, and never put on any fat. Well, i do have a little bit of a tube, but not alot. I'm not very strong, but not weak either. I'm currently borrowing my bro's weights for a lil' bit of training, i do about 100 lifts on the 3 kilos. And around 50 lifts on the 7.5 kilos. Plus 50 so called "Bench presses" With the 7.5 kilos too.
I do a few push ups, but not many.

Really, i'd like to gain some muscle on my arms, and a six pack. My arms have great tone, but not much muscle really. And a six pack? I have more of a flat pack...

Got any suggestions? Please don't think i'm too young for this

Dan

 

[Goldfish]

Being 13 isn't a problem, so long as you can be sensible when in the presence of weights. You should learn to train the whole body: legs, chest, back and shoulders. Doing so will more or less sort out the muscle mass on your arms and legs, assuming you eat right for the goal (and, contrary to conventional wisdom, eating right does not equal eating less - in fact the amount of food most people need to eat to gain muscular weight is bordering on binge eating; but you should be eating good quality foods - get your meat, dairy, eggs, nuts, fruit and veg).

Here are some good exercises that should be staples in most exercise programs:

- Squats
- Bench Press
- Deadlift
- Overhead Press
- Rows
- Pull Ups

It's worth reading the stickies around here for more information on those exercises and for good exercise programs. If you have access to a proper Olympic barbell, adjustable bench and a power rack, you'll be in the best position you can be in. If you only have dumbbells at your disposal, they're not perfect, but they'll suffice for now.

As you train, put your ego aside and focus on doing the exercises properly. Bench pressing the empty barbell with good technique is more valuable than loading it up and doing it wrong. Good technique produces good neurological motor patterns, which teach you to use the right muscles in the right ways, which produces strength, which allows you to lift more weight in the same consistent, efficient movement pattern. You'll actually get stronger faster and get injured less if you make good technique a priority over lifting top weights.

 

[donn2012]

Hey Dan, that's really great that at such a young age you are so fitness conscious. I've got just one thing to tell ya. Whatever workout plan you choose for yourself, just stick to it. You will surely see good results.