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Youth Training Program Suggestions

<<I recently met a young man who after seeing the change in my shape over the past months asked me if I could introduce him to the gym. I agreed, but then thought that at 13 years of age, training with heavy weights could be detrimental to his growth. I'd be grateful if you could give any well informed opinion - especially any of you medical people in the group. Og>>

Hi Og,

I pulled this off dd.com/bomber talk, FYI:

"A good age to start a youngster exercising is any time you get their attention, starting off with running, jumping and freehand exercise; chins, dips, pushups and crunches are fantastic. Show them the right way, the basic way to perform and why. Exercises done randomly is okay early on, but giving them logical order and purpose is priceless in the development of the body, discipline, awareness and appreciation. Further direction is achieved as they matriculate to weight training.

"Age 12-13 is just right, again if interest is keen and instruction is wise. The whole world would be a better place, don't you agree? dd"

I'll also pull the "youth exercise" report from the IDEA convention and put it in the IOL archives, which will be reassuring to you in your concern. For getting started tomorrow, I remember that Wayne Westcott's suggestion was for 2 to 3 days a week with the weights and other activities on the other days. The main concern is related to bones not being fully developed and while the weight training is terrific for young people, the bones are not strong enough for heavy weights.

Og, I know you got a leg press with a poster hanging over it. Start there - light - and move on like this:

Leg Press, 1 set x 15 reps
Leg Extension, 1 set x 15 reps
Leg Curls, 1 set x 15 reps
Calf Raises, 1 set x 20 reps

Chest Press (any type, machine, Smith, db, empty bar), 1 set x 15 reps

Wide Grip Pulldowns, 1 set x 15 reps
Seated Lat Row, 1 set x 15 reps

DB Shoulder Press, seated, 1 set x 15 reps

Barbell Curls, 1 set x 15 reps

Bench Dips, 1 set x 15 reps

I haven't seen the kid, but most beginning women start in the same weight ranges, which *seems* to me might be appropriate for a 13 year old. If I were you, I'd set the leg press to empty if it's a sled type, or #2 if a weight stack. Extensions and curls will probably be on number 2. Calf raises, 10 lb on each side if free weight, pulldowns probably #3 or 35 pounds, lat row, same, DB shoulder presses - this is a little harder - 7.5's? - barbell curls 25 lb bb, bench dips are with bodyweight only. After a couple of reps, just ask him how it feels. As he gets to rep 10, start watching to see if he's straining at all. Tomorrow, day one, straining in the face or muscles shaking or quivering is not an appropriate goal.

Then send him home. Call and check on him the next day, when if we're lucky, you'll find that his muscles are a little tight but not aching. If that's the case, we did real good. If he's not sore AT ALL, move to 2 sets of everything on Wednesday - don't up the weight or lower the reps....this addresses the youth/bone/age issue. Don't go past 2 sets per exercise for a few weeks at least (meanwhile, we'll dig up more data for you). If he's very sore, we guessed wrong on the weights - too heavy of weights for the 15 reps. Let him rest on Wednesday and come back on Friday to repeat the exact exercises, set and rep ranges, but lower the weight a little.

That should get you going for the morning at least. Have fun - bet the kid has a blast!

Laree

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