13 yo son starting to hit the gym need some advice

[Plucks]

Hi guys, my little boy has turned into a teenager and since he plays baseball he is preping for HS in a year. We are starting to work out at the gym and wanted to see if outside of small amounts of protein and a multi-vitamin if there is anything else you guys think he should be using.... outside of gear ofcourse.

[BABY1]

Re: 13 yo son starting to hit the gym need some advice

Here is a good article for you to read. Hope it helps

Help Your Teenage Son With His First Workouts

As your son moves into his mid-teenage years, there’s a good chance that he’s going to take an interest in a weight-lifting program, particularly if he’s actively involved in sports that involve sheer strength and muscle mass as a prerequisite for performing well.

Getting your teenage son on the right type of workout program for his body type and size is important so that you can provide him with the right start to being in the gym for years to come. Misdirected teenagers will often go into the gym performing what they think they should be doing, only to end up with an injury in the process. By being there to guide him, you help set him off on the right foot to proper workouts and exercise routines.

Here’s how to get your teen started on a workout.

Start with little or no weight

When your teenage son is just starting at the gym it’s important for his body to learn the movement patterns first, as there will be a number of neuromuscular adaptations occurring. If you begin using heavy weight, you’re going to find that he’s starting to falter with the movement and his body may become overly stressed.

Using body-weight exercises to start or performing basic exercises using weight machines with 10-20 pounds of resistance is the best idea at this stage.

Practice proper form

After teaching your teen the correct technique, keep him practicing this form for at least two weeks before progressing any further with heavier weights or more complex movements. He may ask to start loading heavier weights since there is a good chance he could comfortably do so, but you do not want to risk him sacrificing his form. Heavier weight is important for muscle development, but proper form is even more important in the long run.

By waiting two weeks while he really gets used to the movement patterns, you'll prevent injuries from happening and make proper form a solid habit.

Add weight and monitor his recovery ability

After the two weeks of form practice are up, slowly begin adding more weight in 5- to 10-pound increments. Ideally, you should keep him working in the higher rep protocol, somewhere between 10-15 reps, which ultimately means a lower weight than he thinks he can handle. At this point he should avoid focusing too much on maximum strength development since his body is still growing during his early puberty years.

As he reaches the age of 17 or 18, he can start lifting heavier weights, pushing his body maximally.


Make a habit of asking your teen how he is feeling throughout the week, and if his energy levels begin to drop or he’s showing decreased performance in sports he normally plays, this is a very good sign that the weight program may be a bit too much for him, and you should either reduce the frequency of the sessions or on the volume of each session he performs.

Teach him proper nutrition

Alongside his training program, you’re also going to want to spend some time going over proper nutrition with your teenage son. Now’s the time to get him eating frequently throughout the day with balanced meals and snacks consisting of a solid source of protein and slow-digesting forms of carbs.

Many teens are still picky with their food choices, so get him involved in the process by taking him grocery shopping so he can choose items he’ll enjoy that are healthy. Encourage your teen to avoid relying on ready-to-go convenience snacks, as these will just fill his body with empty calories that won’t support regular workouts.

Good snack options include nuts, dried fruit, beef jerky, hard-boiled eggs, bagels, trail mix, or low-sugar yogurt cups. Try and lead him away from supplements such as creatine and protein powder at this time so he can instead focus on solid eating habits first. Protein powder and possibly creatine can be safe additions to your teen’s diet down the road, but only once he is eating well first.

Give him realistic expectations

The final step in helping your teenage son with his first workouts is to provide him with realistic expectations. Ask your teenage son what his goals are and make sure they are practical. In the later teen years it is possible for him to grow muscle mass quite rapidly because of all the changes going on with his hormones, but be sure he doesn’t expect to develop massive muscles overnight. A goal of 1-1.5 pounds of weight gain every 10 days would be a good approximation of what’s realistic. For younger teenagers (15-16 years old), 1 or 2 pounds a month would be a better estimate.

[daved150]

Re: 13 yo son starting to hit the gym need some advice

gret post baby1!!!

[jamescb77]

Re: 13 yo son starting to hit the gym need some advice

that's a good post baby1 but it's a bit unrealistic in todays competitive athletic world. I agree that proper form and technique should be taught and should be the main focus at the beginning. However, once form is learned i see no reason why he shouldn't be able to push him self as hard as he can. At his age he will not have the mental strength to push himself anywhere near his bodies limits. It wasn't long ago that i was his age and i worked myself very hard. One of the best and worst things that i ever did was wrestle in high school. I suggest ever athletic male to wrestle it will teach him mental strength and give him great condition and strength that you can learn anywhere. Also there is no reason that he can't start using normal amounts of protein like anyone else would. Teach him good nutrition and let him role. At his age with good nutrition and working out he can make some substantial changes.

[IronpumpedLady]

Re: 13 yo son starting to hit the gym need some advice

I know alot of our members, as well as staff have children, and recently I responded to a members question about kids training on another board. So I thought I'd bring the information I gave him and post it up for all parents who may be in need of the same information and guidelines~
Strength training for kids? You bet! Done properly, strength training offers many bonuses to young athletes. Strength training is even a good idea for kids who simply want to look and feel better. In fact, strength training can put your child on a lifetime path to better health and fitness.
For kids, light resistance and controlled movements are best — with a special emphasis on proper technique and safety. Your child can do many strength training exercises with his or her own body weight or inexpensive resistance tubing. Free weights and machine weights are other options.

Don't confuse strength training with weightlifting, bodybuilding or powerlifting. These activities are largely driven by competition, with participants vying to lift heavier weights or build bigger muscles than those of other athletes. This can put too much strain on young muscles, tendons and areas of cartilage that haven't yet turned to bone (growth plates) — especially when proper technique is sacrificed in favor of lifting larger amounts of weight.

Done properly, strength training can:

Increase your child's muscle strength and endurance
Help protect your child's muscles and joints from injury
Improve your child's performance in nearly any sport, from dancing and figure skating to football and soccer
And strength training isn't only for athletes. Even if your child isn't interested in sports, strength training can:

Strengthen your child's bones
Help promote healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels
Boost your child's metabolism
Help your child maintain a healthy weight
Improve your child's self-esteem

When designing strength training programs for children it is important to remember that children are anatomically, physiologically, and psychologically immature. Adult strength training guidelines and training philosophies should not be used for kids. Although all participants should understand the risks and benefits of strength training, a young child should not be expected to comprehend the intricacies of muscle action. Focus on lifetime fitness and teach kids how to exercise properly. Above all, provide a stimulating program that develops in children amore positive attitude towards strength training and a healthy lifestyle. Generally speaking, if 7 and 8 year old children are ready for participation in organized sports or activities (e.g. little league baseball or gymnastics), then they are ready for some type of strength training.

Strength Training Guidelines for Kids:

An instructor to child ratio of at least 1 to 10 is recommended to provide adequate supervision and instruction. When children are learning exercises for the first time, closer supervision may be required.
Children learn best by doing. When teaching a new exercise to a child, have the child perform the exercise under your watchful eye.
Ensure that the training environment is free of hazards. Be aware of the exploratory nature of children and remove or disassemble any broken equipment from the exercise room before classes start.
The exercise room should be well lit and adequately ventilated. Since children are more prone to heat illness than adults, encouraged them to drink water even if they are not thirsty.
Perform calisthenics and stretches before and after every strength training class
Begin with 1 set of 10 to 15 repetitions on 6 to 8 exercises that focus on the major muscle groups of the upper and lower body. Start with a relatively light weight and high reps and increase the load and decrease the reps as strength improves. Beginning with relatively light loads will allow for appropriate adjustments to be made.
Maximal lifting is not recommended for general conditioning purposes.
Two to three training sessions per week on nonconsecutive days is sufficient.
Increase the weight gradually as strength improves. Generally a two to five pound increase in weight is consistent with a 5% to 10% increase in training intensity.
Progression can also be achieved by increasing the number of sets ( up to 3) or number of exercises.
Multijoint exercises such as squats may be introduced into the program based on individual needs and competencies
Treat children with respect and speak with them in a language they understand. Remember that children should feel comfortable with the program and should look forward to the next workout.
Strength training should be one part of a total fitness program. Keep the fun in fitness and promote lifetime health.



Hope the information I have supplied helps some of you parents with the same questions~



Stay Strong~~!!!
IPL

[Doink the clown]

Re: 13 yo son starting to hit the gym need some advice

Immpeccable form on bodyweight exercises for 3 weeks, and the same on basic lifts after that will do wonders.And oh, buy him good protien powders.

[deepsouth]

Re: 13 yo son starting to hit the gym need some advice

all good info here- My 12 yr old is now lifting w/me and I'm onl;y concentrating on form at this point