My brother is thirteen, and intersted in training with me. What I’m wondering is if I should just start him off on the weights (probably starting strength) or get him to do some bodyweight stuff first.
Like maybe get him up to doing 15 or 20 pull ups/dips, and get him to do some sprinting (kid is fast as hell). Then start teaching him how to back squat, deadlift, bench, overhead press, and row.
Does getting a srength base established with bodyweight exercises make sense??
[quote]Smith K wrote:
My brother is thirteen, and intersted in training with me. What I’m wondering is if I should just start him off on the weights (probably starting strength) or get him to do some bodyweight stuff first.
Like maybe get him up to doing 15 or 20 pull ups/dips, and get him to do some sprinting (kid is fast as hell). Then start teaching him how to back squat, deadlift, bench, overhead press, and row.
Does getting a srength base established with bodyweight exercises make sense?[/quote]
yes it does. There is no point for him having a barbell on his back if he can’t do bodyweight squats correctly. Also his body won’t get nearly so messed up after the first few weights sessions because he’ll be more used to resistance training.
Remeber you’re first week of hard lifting? I left a friend bed ridden for 2 days once becuase he was so sore. He never lifted ever again. It’s a good break in period.
[quote]zephead4747 wrote:
Smith K wrote:
My brother is thirteen, and intersted in training with me. What I’m wondering is if I should just start him off on the weights (probably starting strength) or get him to do some bodyweight stuff first.
Like maybe get him up to doing 15 or 20 pull ups/dips, and get him to do some sprinting (kid is fast as hell). Then start teaching him how to back squat, deadlift, bench, overhead press, and row.
Does getting a srength base established with bodyweight exercises make sense?
yes it does. There is no point for him having a barbell on his back if he can’t do bodyweight squats correctly. Also his body won’t get nearly so messed up after the first few weights sessions because he’ll be more used to resistance training.
Remeber you’re first week of hard lifting? I left a friend bed ridden for 2 days once becuase he was so sore. He never lifted ever again. It’s a good break in period.[/quote]
That is amazing. I would love to know how you did that, but this is not the time or place.
With the question regarding a strength base, yes, I would recommend that. I started out in martial arts. We did a lot of push-ups and body weight squats. It also helped me with flexibility (which most people find out is a lot more important in lifting than they thought a little to late). A bodyweight routine would be smart, but I don’t think you would have to make it too long before he starts lifting.
[quote]
With the question regarding a strength base, yes, I would recommend that. I started out in martial arts. We did a lot of push-ups and body weight squats. It also helped me with flexibility (which most people find out is a lot more important in lifting than they thought a little to late). A bodyweight routine would be smart, but I don’t think you would have to make it too long before he starts lifting.[/quote]
Ya, I didn’t plan on having him doin calisthenetics for to long. I would say it will take him 2 or 3 weeks to get to 15-20ish dips/ pull-ups as he use to do them a lot last year before we got the xbox 360.
I suppose I’ll have to help him work on his flexibility too.
[quote]ukrainian wrote:
zephead4747 wrote:
Smith K wrote:
My brother is thirteen, and intersted in training with me. What I’m wondering is if I should just start him off on the weights (probably starting strength) or get him to do some bodyweight stuff first.
Like maybe get him up to doing 15 or 20 pull ups/dips, and get him to do some sprinting (kid is fast as hell). Then start teaching him how to back squat, deadlift, bench, overhead press, and row.
Does getting a srength base established with bodyweight exercises make sense?
yes it does. There is no point for him having a barbell on his back if he can’t do bodyweight squats correctly. Also his body won’t get nearly so messed up after the first few weights sessions because he’ll be more used to resistance training.
Remeber you’re first week of hard lifting? I left a friend bed ridden for 2 days once becuase he was so sore. He never lifted ever again. It’s a good break in period.
That is amazing. I would love to know how you did that, but this is not the time or place.
With the question regarding a strength base, yes, I would recommend that. I started out in martial arts. We did a lot of push-ups and body weight squats. It also helped me with flexibility (which most people find out is a lot more important in lifting than they thought a little to late). A bodyweight routine would be smart, but I don’t think you would have to make it too long before he starts lifting.[/quote]
kids a 5’7" 100 pound emaciated wow addict who never leaves his room. Basically ended up with 10 sets of squats 4 sets of deadlifts 6 sets of bench, 3x chins to failure curls, glute hams, tricept extentions.
It was one of my off days, and we were working on form because it was his first (and only) time. He got out of bed a few times to get food obviously, but the lactic acid buildup was way too much for him. Apparently the soreness didn’t completely disapate for 2 weeks.
13!!?
I don’t know how you guys do it in the US but in the UK liftign at 13 is like “errm hmmm”.
I think it’s just the case of your brother wishing to emulate you as you have set a good example and have a nice body. Sit down with him and explain that he will be able to lift later on in life towards the end of puberty. Also unless he is going to be able to find a partner of his age his going to miss out on doing stuff with friends whilst he is lifting.
If he really wants to get strong then doing swimming or teaching how to use a rowing machine will help a lot. It will get him fitter and stronger due to full body workout.
[quote]echelon101 wrote:
13!!?
I don’t know how you guys do it in the US but in the UK liftign at 13 is like “errm hmmm”.
I think it’s just the case of your brother wishing to emulate you as you have set a good example and have a nice body. Sit down with him and explain that he will be able to lift later on in life towards the end of puberty. Also unless he is going to be able to find a partner of his age his going to miss out on doing stuff with friends whilst he is lifting.
If he really wants to get strong then doing swimming or teaching how to use a rowing machine will help a lot. It will get him fitter and stronger due to full body workout.
[/quote]
This is foolishness.
There’s nothing more dangerous about lifting when you’re thirteen than lifting when you’re eighteen, assuming that you eat enough. The idea that he will be missing out on doing stuff with his friends because he’s spending three hours a week in the gym is also laughable.
Swimming and rowing will not get a kid strong. Active, yes. Cardiovascularly fit, probably. Strong? How many swimmers do you know that took home the prom queen?
Somewhere in the Beginners Forum is a great bodyweight routine that Chris Colucci put together for a teen who was starting out. You might want to PM him and ask if he still has a copy if you can’t find it.
[quote]Otep wrote:
This is foolishness.
There’s nothing more dangerous about lifting when you’re thirteen than lifting when you’re eighteen, assuming that you eat enough. The idea that he will be missing out on doing stuff with his friends because he’s spending three hours a week in the gym is also laughable.
Swimming and rowing will not get a kid strong. Active, yes. Cardiovascularly fit, probably. Strong? How many swimmers do you know that took home the prom queen?[/quote]
I didn’t say it was dangerous. Fine, maybe I was clutching at straws with the friends issues. Swimming and rowing will get a kid strong, fine maybe not as strong as if he squatted etc but will add strength none the less.
The waterpolo captain always takes home the prom queen 
[quote]ninjaboy wrote:
Somewhere in the Beginners Forum is a great bodyweight routine that Chris Colucci put together for a teen who was starting out. You might want to PM him and ask if he still has a copy if you can’t find it.[/quote]
Ha, thanks for the plug, man. I saw in another thread that you used it with someone (might’ve been your bro or sis), glad you liked it.
I’m pretty sure this is the one. It’s a basic bodyweight program, shooting for their age in reps on each set. Once they can handle everything with solid form, progress to a basic free weight program.
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
Squat 2x13 (No weight, keep both feet flat on the floor.)
Push-up 2x13 (On your toes, go until the chest almost touches the floor.)
Lunge 2x13 (Alternate legs, 1 rep left/1 rep right.)
Pull-up 2x13
Plank 2x15-count (Hold the top part of a push-up, on the toes/arms straight, keep the whole body straight. Count to 15.)
Burpee/squat thrust 2x13
Yeah, that was the one, I used it with my sister, with the addition of inverted rows.
[quote]ninjaboy wrote:
Yeah, that was the one, I used it with my sister, with the addition of inverted rows.[/quote]
Cool beans. It just requires a piece of equipment or a set-up to perform (pull-ups can be done on monkey bars, garage rafters, or reachable tree limbs). But if it’s an option, then it’s a solid exercise to include.
And in that case (for future reference, or for whoever else is interested, like Smith K), if we’re doing pull-ups and inverted rows, I’d have one of them (doesn’t really matter which) performed with a supinated grip. So, it’s either chin-ups or reverse-grip inverted rows, for more variety and a more varied muscle recruitment.
Otherwise, depending on the trainee’s strength level (if they’re weak enough), there may not be much actual difference between an assisted pull-up and an inverted row with the body more vertical than horizontal.
Makes sense, we had access to a power lifting gym, so I had her put a bar across the lowest setting of a spare power rack and use that. Good point about subbing chin-ups for pull-ups, wish I had thought of that.
[quote]ninjaboy wrote:
Good point about subbing chin-ups for pull-ups, wish I had thought of that.[/quote]
I read that line, and then I glanced at your avatar, and then I laughed hysterically.
It really ends up being relevant much more often then it should.
[quote]ninjaboy wrote:
It really ends up being relevant much more often then it should.[/quote]
Or maybe just enough?
Chris C, great program mate. A friend’s 12yo son just asked me to help him get started lifting and that seems perfect.
Cheers, Rob
[quote]echelon101 wrote:
The waterpolo captain always takes home the prom queen
[/quote]
ORLY?
I guess I’ll go brush up on my skills.
Oh wait, I’m no longer in High School. Damn.