Teenage Bodybuilding

Congratulations!  You have chosen to start lifting weights.  Lifting weights is a very smart move on your part and can improve your overall health tremendously!  When you begin teenage bodybuilding it is very important to know what you are doing.  The bones of a teenager are usually not developed fully and injury can occur if using improper form.

There are many concerns among beginner teenage bodybuilding and they are all very common.  You’ve probably been reading all of the fitness magazines and gathering information to get started on getting in shape.  There is nothing to be afraid of, but many things you should consider when beginning.

Now, to get started I must mention just a few of the new rules which you must follow when beginning teenage bodybuilding:

• Get plenty of rest, it is during sleep that your muscles rebuild stronger and your whole body recovers.  You must make every effort to get 7-8 hours of sleep per night.
• Get an exercise diary and write down what you do each new day.  Keep track of your settings for the machines in here, the weight that you lifted and how many times you lifted it.  Small changes all add up.
• Wear a pair of good foot supporting cross training shoes.  You can find these shoes at any athletic store.
• Drink plenty of water.  The key to successful workouts is keeping well hydrated before, during and after exercise. The length of your workouts, heat, humidity and the amount you sweat are all major considerations for keeping your body in proper fluid balance.
• Talk to a nutritionist about proper nutrition which your body will need to recover from your workouts and rebuild the muscle that you are working so hard to gain.

There is much value in a proper warm-up in fact I would say it is a necessity when looking at teenage bodybuilding.  A warm-up before weight lifting should be done on a cardio machine such as a treadmill or a bike.  The warm up should last approximately 7 minutes and should be a gradual increase intensity.  The point of the warm up is to get your body and mind ready for the hard work ahead. 

After you complete your warm up you are ready to begin your lifting.  In week one you should familiarize yourself with the area and the weights.  Do only one set of 10-12 repetitions with a very light weight.  Note:  the weights may seem too light while you are lifting, but the soreness will come to you a couple of days later and you will be glad that you stuck with the light weights.   Do your workout only three times this week, skipping a day in between workouts to let your body recover.

Please talk to your doctor before beginning and make sure that you get a trainer’s guidance on proper form.  Once you learn the proper form, the only way to go is up. Good luck on your teenage bodybuilding!