training at a young age

[musclemanwannabe]

ok i need help i have a 12 year old who is interested in working out seriuosly over this summer . now he is a big kid(5'8" 125lbs.) but i worry what is to much for a kid this age....any advice is welcome...
he already runs about 3 moles at least three days a week and wrestles intensely about 8 hours a week

[Mr. Intenseone]

ok i need help i have a 12 year old who is interested in working out seriuosly over this summer . now he is a big kid(5'8" 125lbs.) but i worry what is to much for a kid this age....any advice is welcome...
he already runs about 3 moles at least three days a week and wrestles intensely about 8 hours a week

There's nothing wrong with kids working out at all, I've been training kids for years with only positive results.

go to my site www.joelocalpt.com and read my philosphy and kids fitness page.

[Bluto]

why he wanna work out if he allready do wrestling every day

[pumpster]

No problem, that's around the age that many start.

If he adds training to running & wrestling, tell him to buy bulk, relatively inexpensive protein powder to use to make protein shakes consumed between, not with, meals. Those levels of activity will require more sustenance to repair and build tissue. If he's not fat, even a weight-gain powder would make sense given that he'll need and will burn off the calories & carbs.

He should start by hitting each muscle 2-3 times a week, going to failure most or all the time. Workouts not more than an hour-intense rather than lengthy, moderate sets in the 6-10 range per muscle covering basic bodybuilding and power moves like box squats, bench, curls, lying extensions, dips, chins, rows, military press. Clean & jerk is excellent for  sports applications.

[musclemanwannabe]

thanks for the info .. he is deffinitely not fat . he wants to get to 135 by next fall(sept) so i think the weight gain is a good idea and the protien shakes he has just started.

[JPM]

Might suggest a year of building up a foundation for future lifting. The basic Big Three, squat, bench & BB rows for the first six month. Nothing too demanding as of yet.  Those all important muscle inserts, joints, tendons, etc are still in the growing stages and not nearly as developed and strong as would be in a adult. You never want to go to a point of failure on a young and inexperienced trainee, could cause more damage to all those immature body parts.  The next six months add the overhead press and chins. Throw in a couple sets of curls for the boy's ego.
Would not have him do any of the serious quick lifts like cleans, clean & jerks,Hi-pulls, snatch, etc.  If he does than just have him use a light exercise bar (no plates on it) just to get the form and style down. Even staying away from the DL might be a good idea for the first full year of break-in workouts. All these may be a little too demanding on those young joints and connective tissue for now.
Workouts should be the old standard of monday, wednsday and fridays. Three sets of each (squat, BP & BB row) after the first month of training and nothing morethan 3 sets the whole year. And again, using weight well with-in his capacity. Just advance the weight on the bar a little each workout, as little as 2 1/2 each side for example.  Good Luck.

[pumpster]

Please. Next, white gloves will be prescribed until age 15. 

I started around 12 with a full routine, not just a few exercises. There were *no* downsides, only considerable advantages as an athlete, as a direct consequence of the full training routine. Gymnasts are in very rigorous routines well before 12 with no physical probs.

Always just warm up well and keep the reps minimum 8-10 so that the weight doesn't overpower the joints, something that makes sense at any age (here's a little secret: the rules don't change much at all with age). Someone else named Arnold got into a full program around that age and seems to have done just fine. 

[Arnold jr]

Might suggest a year of building up a foundation for future lifting. The basic Big Three, squat, bench & BB rows for the first six month. Nothing too demanding as of yet.  Those all important muscle inserts, joints, tendons, etc are still in the growing stages and not nearly as developed and strong as would be in a adult. You never want to go to a point of failure on a young and inexperienced trainee, could cause more damage to all those immature body parts.  The next six months add the overhead press and chins. Throw in a couple sets of curls for the boy's ego.
Would not have him do any of the serious quick lifts like cleans, clean & jerks,Hi-pulls, snatch, etc.  If he does than just have him use a light exercise bar (no plates on it) just to get the form and style down. Even staying away from the DL might be a good idea for the first full year of break-in workouts. All these may be a little too demanding on those young joints and connective tissue for now.
Workouts should be the old standard of monday, wednsday and fridays. Three sets of each (squat, BP & BB row) after the first month of training and nothing morethan 3 sets the whole year. And again, using weight well with-in his capacity. Just advance the weight on the bar a little each workout, as little as 2 1/2 each side for example.  Good Luck.

Always good post from JPM, but this one is by far some of the best advice I've seen given on this board in a long time.

[pumpster]

Interesting pattern seen repeating itself again, in which one of the cronies invariably comes on immediately afterwards and congratulates him on "the best post of the last year".  Looks staged.

*If* you're indifferent to progress and want to retain a swimmer's body while avoiding added muscle, never stress the system. Don white gloves and take it easy by never pushing the envelope into new territory, because it's "icky".

*If* on the other hand, you want to explore your full potential, follow the lead of guys like Coleman & Schwarzenegger, who have regularly pushed the envelope.

[JPM]

Pumpster: I'm begging you please, seek mental help now. Paranoia (delusions and irrational suspicions) is not a healthy state of mind. By reading some of your past post, it looks like that mental disorder is gaining the upper hand with you. Our prayer's are with you. Good Luck.

[pumpster]

What's funnier still is that this guy's not smart enough to understand that he's in fact making arrogant, absolutist black & white statements that are delivered as if they are fact. No one has all the answers, yet the posts are *never* qualified as opinions.

Time to get a grip and climb down off your soapbox, mr. "expert".  You are in fact rendering highly-debatable opinion that should always be framed as such.

I want you to fire out some of your crap in letters to Coleman & Schwarzenegger so that you can set them straight.

[Bluto]

Please. Next, white gloves will be prescribed until age 15. 
I started around 12 with a full routine, not just a few exercises. There were *no* downsides, only considerable advantages as an athlete, as a direct consequence of the full training routine. Gymnasts are in very rigorous routines well before 12 with no physical probs.
Always just warm up well and keep the reps minimum 8-10 so that the weight doesn't overpower the joints, something that makes sense at any age (here's a little secret: the rules don't change much at all with age). Someone else named Arnold got into a full program around that age and seems to have done just fine. 

so what.
arnold is like 00001% of the worlds population. all gymnasts are genetically gifted otherwise they wouldnt be gymnasts to begin with.
that's a useless reference.
and i dont think 12 year olds should start with protein powders etc either when normal food is enough.

[pumpster]

Your rationale is nothing but your opinion. That's all it is, with not a shread of fact in support of your conjecture. Do you have actual experience to support your theories? I do, started training and supplements at that age that made significant differences in various sports. The intensity of that training was no surprise at age 12, as it was no different than that already encountered in school-sponsored track & field training .

Empty speculation from the one Bluto groupie on the planet.

[Bluto]

Your rationale is nothing but your opinion. That's all it is, with not a shread of fact in support of your conjecture. Do you have actual experience to support your theories? I do, started training and supplements at that age that made significant differences in various sports. The intensity of that training was no surprise at age 12, as it was no different than that already encountered in school-sponsored track & field training .
Empty speculation from the one Bluto groupie on the planet.

what theories? all i did was pointing out that's it's of NO value to use genetically gifted people as a reference to what works and what is harmless.
in fact, that is a potentially dangerous practice.

in fact, i wonder why you even do it all? please explain.

[GoneAway]

I have mixed opinions on young training. I fear that it can stunt growth, with the cartilage and whatnot being scraped on each joint movement, especially squats and deadlifts, but this is based on very small knowledge. If he's already 5'8, his genetics will probably cancel that out. Stretching should be done each day to help prevent injuries.

As for spending a whole year going light and just cruising, learning form, I think it's a waste of membership. Spend every rep and set concentrating on form, and in between that, practice with no weight. If you want to "push the envelope" like pumpster said, then he should fail on every set except warmup and train like a beginning adult. Whether that prevents bones from growing to full potential, maybe someone can shed some light on that side of things.

[Ledd]

I have mixed opinions on young training. I fear that it can stunt growth, with the cartilage and whatnot being scraped on each joint movement, especially squats and deadlifts, but this is based on very small knowledge. If he's already 5'8, his genetics will probably cancel that out. Stretching should be done each day to help prevent injuries.
As for spending a whole year going light and just cruising, learning form, I think it's a waste of membership. Spend every rep and set concentrating on form, and in between that, practice with no weight. If you want to "push the envelope" like pumpster said, then he should fail on every set except warmup and train like a beginning adult. Whether that prevents bones from growing to full potential, maybe someone can shed some light on that side of things.

I don't think that his genetics would cancel anything out, I mean he should still grow to heights beyond average (considering he's only an inch or so away), but he may not reach his full potential.  I'd love to see someone post some scientific research regarding this subject, I have been curious whether this "growth stunting" is fact or myth.

[Bluto]

it's still up for debate, if you google the subject you will find both people for and against it. with his current 8 hours wrestling a week etc it sound like he's allready doing a lot for a 12 year old.
thats more than most adults. even on competing levels.

[pumpster]

Intuitively, bone growth has nothing to do with resistance training. This is another one of those old assumptions with no basis in fact, like the one we don't hear anymore about becoming "muscle bound". 

Studies are all over the place, so you have to make your own judgements. Just use common sense. Lifting weights doesn't affect growth in any respect, it probably helps it. At any age, keep the reps at 8 or higher, to mitigate joint stress and emphasize tissue growth.

At an early age with that energy, more activity is fine. Wrestling, weight training, running, all of it..

[Peaking at 45 !!!]

ok i need help i have a 12 year old who is interested in working out seriuosly over this summer . now he is a big kid(5'8" 125lbs.) but i worry what is to much for a kid this age....any advice is welcome...
he already runs about 3 moles at least three days a week and wrestles intensely about 8 hours a week

Been there done that .
I started training around the age of 11, and back then the routines were full body workouts 3 sets 10 reps per exercise (one exercise per bodypart), and it was 3 times a week.
I didnt really get a lot bigger from training so young, but I did get a lot stronger in my lifts----------------that was the most noticeable.
Since he is already so active, I would not go overboard on training, but definitely get it going !!!!!!!!!!  It can only help.
Its very impressive that your son is so dedicated to what he is doing now for such a young age. Thats great !!!!!!!!!!
P.S. one of the things training so young helped instill in me is committment and working towards a goal and a focus on a  positive healthy lifestyle-------------which is arguably the most important benefit of all from training !!!!!!!   

[musclemanwannabe]

i find all of your responses helpful... some also entertaining! i decided to ask my son's peds. doc. about it and she said something that made me really think... she said " He has gotten this far without any training or extra work (not that what he does is not extra, as not many if any kids on his teams work at the same level but not extra for him ,) why we want to even consider adding a training program, so   i asked my son and he said because while girls like guys with big muscles he is tired of having to compete againist high schoolers because there are no 6th graders his size he has to find an advantage somewhere.and his final answer was what does not kill you makes you stronger!

[pumpster]

Your son's ambition should be appreciated. It's that kind of drive that can make the difference between being good and great. At an early age, he's already comprehends Darwinism.

I received about the same speech from my doctor in my teens. Their position has nothing to do with any specific health concerns regarding training. Rather, it is always centered on the principle of converservatism-if the body's already healthily in equilibrium, don't change the recipe.

Useful, but doesn't factor in ambition or a desire to enhance one's performance or physique. These added benefits are meaningless from a doctor's perspective, no matter what the patient's age.

[Arnold jr]

I'm glad he wants to hit the weights, it's a lot better then what most kids his age want to do. You know, sit on their ass's all day playing X-box eating Doritos. If he starts a solid training regimen and sticks with it, down the road he'll be light years ahead of his peers.

[JackCheze]

just be careful... pumpster has good motivation but his facts are skewed.

think about how many little league pitchers have fucked up their arms, blowing out growth plates and shit.

I'm old school as fuck... I say get the guy a paper route or have him help a farmer out. Stuff that will help with overall body strength AND earn him some cash and responsibility... he'll never forget it