BODY BUILDING FOR TEENS
Most teenagers are not yet full
grown, so special considerations must be taken when a teen undertakes a body
building program. However, you should know that this is a great time to start a
workout program that you can carry through to your adult years. There are some
things to keep in mind before you start, though.
1. DO NOT
start lifting weights or undertaking an intense body building regiment before
you turn 13. You can exercise before this “magical” age, but limit your
exercise to low-impact workouts like push ups and sit ups.
2. Squats
and dead lifts should never be performed either before you are 16. These types
of exercises require some execution techniques that need to be performed
properly or else you will injure
yourself.
3. UNDER
NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you take any type of testosterone supplements before
you reach adult hood. You already have plenty of testosterone in your body.
Adding more could contribute to growth stunting.
After that,
you should do some serious research on different workouts and start slowly.
Don’t push your body beyond its limits. You could seriously injure yourself and
set your progress back markedly. Everyone’s muscles grow in different ways, so
try not to compare yourself to other people. Just get a well-balanced workout
routine and perform it correctly with good form.
Diet is also important to teen
body builders just as it is to adult body builders. Eat lots of protein and
vegetables as well as grains and carbohydrates. Keep yourself well-hydrated with
lots and lots of water and stay away from sugars.
Rest is
also important since, like adults, this is the time when your body’s muscles
will grow. At least eight hours of sleep is recommended, if not more. You will
be doing your body a favor by giving it time to heal from the damage you’ve
inflicted on your muscles and allow them to grow naturally while you rest and
build up your energy for the next day.
There are
certain exercises that teens can perform that can build mass in your muscles
without the risk of harming them. Some of the
adult exercises won’t be
appropriate for you, but some of them will. Here are a few that you should use:
·
Dumbbell Curls – These will work your biceps
as you lift the dumbbell from your knee up to your shoulder in a slow, smooth
motion. Alternate arms between sets and remember to breathe. Concentrate on the lift and working the muscles.
·
Dumbbell Hammer Curls – Hold the dumbbells
like you would a hammer. Alternate arms lifting from your side to your shoulder, again, in a slow, easy motion.
·
Flat Bench Press – Lay flat on a weight bench
with the barbell above you. Hold in a wide grip and slowly lower the barbell
down to your chest and up again. Pay special attention to the way your muscles are responding to
the weight.
·
Dumbbell Flyes – Hold the dumbbells like you
are doing hammer curls. Keep your
arms straight up with your elbows slightly bent. In a semi-circular motion,
lower the dumbbells slowly down to the sides of your chest. This will work your
inner pectoral muscles.
·
Dumbbell Shrugs – Hold a dumbbell in each
hand lowered to your side with your palms facing your hips. Raise your toes up
and then shrug your shoulder to work your trapezius muscles.
·
Shoulder Press – While seated, hold a
dumbbell in each hand. Sit straight and press them up. Resist when you are
lowering them down. This works the deltoid muscles.
These are
just a few exercises you can do, obviously. You may want to consult with your
P.E. instructor at school or ask someone at a local gym to help you with other
exercises that you can safely perform so that you can accomplish your goals.
Body
building is an extreme sport that can yield amazingly satisfying results. But
you must be sure that you stay committed to your goals. Unless you are sick or
there is a very, very good reason, you should stick to your workout under all
circumstances. If you want to meet your goals, you CANNOT put them off just
because you want to.
If your
parents are concerned about your body building efforts, have them take you to
your family physician and tell him or her about what your plans are as well as
the exercises you want to do. Listen to what the doctor has to say and heed any
advice that is offered. If you undertake this program in a responsible way,
your parents will be impressed rather than worried!
Once you start
seeing results in your body, you may decide that you want to enter a body
building contest. These can be great motivational tools to keep you on a
workout regimen, but there are some things that you should know.
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