My 14 year old wants to train with me

[leebo73]

My son is very interested in working out with me and starting to build some mass. He is 14 and will be starting high school this fall. He is 5ft9 140lbs and as lean as they get. Any advice for someone that young .

[BgMc31]

At 14 they can do everything you do. I have 2 sons and they've been training with me since they were 10. Former eastern bloc countries and China start their future oly lifters at age 8. Google "westside for skinny bastards" or Chad Smith's Juggernaut method.

[leebo73]

Thats awesome. Thanks , I just wanted to make sure it wont mess him up or anything.

[38jumper38]

Take him to gym, easy on weights, make sure get him good eating, put him on a diet, some protein shake, you will see a big transformation, wish I did that at 14.

[leebo73]

I know me too !! I am so glad hes interested.

[SaintInASinnersEyes]

damn I gotta say I wish I started at 14

turn him into a pro bb'er

+ if he's huge going into highschool where girls there think that "abs" make you "jacked" he's gonna be getting a lot of *****

[kenton]

exactly. I consider myself "young" still (23) and i started lifting around 17 or 18 but by then i was almost out of highschool and couldnt reap any booty benefits but to not only start at 14 but WANT to at 14 is awesome. At that age, no matter how good or bad a habit is you're not going to do it unless you WANT to. I'm jealous of atleast the potential...

[hoyle21]

I started at 13 (freshman year) and did all the exercises, bench, squat, deadkift etc. for football. He will be fine, the only advice I would give is to really pay attention to form. At his age he probably doesn't have a ton of a patience (I know I didn't) and may try to jump ahead too fast by ruining his form.

Have fun working out with your boy too!! Cherish that time together.

[The Toad]

I think the most important thing for young lifters is to make sure they understand and practice good form and not get too worried about moving big weights too soon.

[hoyle21]

Oh, and your boy is going to hit a spurt where his gains are going to make you want to cry. When I started at 13 I was about 5-10, 135lbs (Seriously, thin as a rail) and could barely bench the bar. I put on 35 lbs between my Freshman and Soph. years. My senior year I was 6-3, 225 lbs, and benching 320lbs, squatting 550, and deadlifting 575.

[FLdave]

I totally agree with the form comments too, I know at 13~14, my biggest concern was putting on the 45lb plates and trying to out lift the next guy in our HS gym...Sounds like fun (father/son lifting), great way to bond! Have fun with it.

[hankdiesel]

At that age it's all about form. Teach him the proper way to do compound movements. Keep it simple and basic and get that boy eating all day long.

[leebo73]

Definitely working on his diet , I stressed to him over and over the importance of that !! I am thinking just 3 days a week for him and we will make those three days count , along with a good diet I can see him being 160 lean by September, I am jealous too wish Ihad started then , but I get to live through him. Thanks guys for the positive input.

[auslifta]

Just stick with the compound movements, squats, bench, deads, and military presses for the first 2 years. When I was that age I wanted nothing more than to train, I didnt know shiit about it. I wish I had an older brother or father around to guide me. I got told by idiots "dont do weights untill your older or it will stun your growth" what a crock of shiit. With proper nutrition and a good training program, at his age, he'll be impressive at age 20. It will give him so much confidence as well.

[Machdiesel]

Look into the workout Starting Strength bye Mark Rippetoe it is perfect for him. Get him on a good diet and he will see amazing results.

[pebble]

At that age it's all about form. Teach him the proper way to do compound movements. Keep it simple and basic and get that boy eating all day long.

I want this reiterated.

At this age his hormonal profile is going to be weak for building muscle, but his nervous system is still ripe for learning new movement patterns. Teach this boy the correct forms and just keep repeating it over and over again. He will still see great strength gains and some hypertrophy (due to being a growing boy). Just remember this is his best time to learn the movements so when he is ready to start focusing on building muscle he will be la leg up on everyone because his technique should be flawless. He will really know how to utilize his muscles (due to the neuromuscular learning).

[CMB]

I started lifting at 14. Bodybuilding by 15!

Guess I turned out alright

[CMB]

I want this reiterated.

At this age his hormonal profile is going to be weak for building muscle, but his nervous system is still ripe for learning new movement patterns. Teach this boy the correct forms and just keep repeating it over and over again. He will still see great strength gains and some hypertrophy (due to being a growing boy). Just remember this is his best time to learn the movements so when he is ready to start focusing on building muscle he will be la leg up on everyone because his technique should be flawless. He will really know how to utilize his muscles (due to the neuromuscular learning).

If he has gone through puberty then this is incorrect.

[SlimJoe]

At that age it's all about form. Teach him the proper way to do compound movements. Keep it simple and basic and get that boy eating all day long.

great post

[pebble]

If he has gone through puberty then this is incorrect.

You would think, but his body’s focus of tissue development is not muscle mass at this time - many other more important tissues (think about the other organs). Even with a driving force of RT the response will be minimal until his hormonal profile starts to stabilize (late puberty or just after maturation). I put it at 16-17 before the boy is able to start gaining weight above what is normally seen. He may be in good physical shape from the training, but if he’s a skinny boy it’s going to stay that way for a little while.

I am basing this on a little science and a little personal experience with training grade school and high school hockey players over the years.

P.S. Puberty will not be over for a few years even if started early. Average start is 13-14, finish 17-18 for males.

[auslifta]

I believe males finish alot later than that, I was thinking 22-25, puberty is not just height you know. The brain (frontal lobe)isn't fully developed in males until about 25. Hormone levels are not stable until about 22 either, you see alot of young 20's still with acne too. You probably dont notice the muscle gain in the boys you train because they grow so tall so fast.

[pebble]

I believe males finish alot later than that, I was thinking 22-25, puberty is not just height you know. The brain (frontal lobe)isn't fully developed in males until about 25. Hormone levels are not stable until about 22 either, you see alot of young 20's still with acne too. You probably dont notice the muscle gain in the boys you train because they grow so tall so fast.

You're, right full maturation is a little later, but puberty is usually defined by testicular growth, peak hormone levels, or rate of growth (height is generally used) all of these tend to be finished by 18, in most cases. From that point on it is settling in.

And your last statement is partially what I am getting at. Their body is already growing rapidly - expecting to see large results from hypertrophy is unexpected until their other rates of development slow down.

[auslifta]

Well I tend to disagree with you, I didnt stop growing until 21, and hormone levels settle and peak from 18-25 then starts to drop off. Sure everyone is different to some extent, but if I was going to put a number on it I would say 22.

And sure you wont notice muscle gain as much, but if one were to start lifting at 14 they would def have more lean muscle mass at 17 than if they didnt.

[riironman]

i am a big believer of stunting ur growth with heavy weights. form and light weights i think is fine. there is conflicting reports but i am playing it safe with my son who is 15. he has been doing light weights and is shredded like a greyhound. i am 5'11 and i want him at least taller than me. i have 4 brothers and we are all the same height..except for 1. he started lifting heavy at 14 and his height stayed at 5'5. not saying the weight lifting prematurely stunted him for sure. but u never know.

[BgMc31]

i am a big believer of stunting ur growth with heavy weights. form and light weights i think is fine. there is conflicting reports but i am playing it safe with my son who is 15. he has been doing light weights and is shredded like a greyhound. i am 5'11 and i want him at least taller than me. i have 4 brothers and we are all the same height..except for 1. he started lifting heavy at 14 and his height stayed at 5'5. not saying the weight lifting prematurely stunted him for sure. but u never know.

That's an old wive's tale. I have two boys 14 and 17. They've both been training with weights since age 12. My 17 yr old is a little over 6'2 and my 14 yr old is a little under 5'10. My 17yr old started doing powerlifting comps at 15 and has been training with heavy weights since 14. He's 195lbs now and one of the top linebacker recruits in the country. My 14yr old is doing his first powerclean comp later this month. He's been banging heavy weight since 12-13. I'm 6'4. And I think they both will be taller than me. BTW, my oldest has benched 275lbs, squatted 445, and deadlifted 525 all Raw and of course natural.

[tjax03]

That's an old wive's tale. I have two boys 14 and 17. They've both been training with weights since age 12. My 17 yr old is a little over 6'2 and my 14 yr old is a little under 5'10. My 17yr old started doing powerlifting comps at 15 and has been training with heavy weights since 14. He's 195lbs now and one of the top linebacker recruits in the country. My 14yr old is doing his first powerclean comp later this month. He's been banging heavy weight starting this month. I'm 6'4. And I think they both will be taller than me. BTW, my oldest has benched 275lbs, squatted 445, and deadlifted 525 all Raw and of course natural.

I believe that you are correct about the growth issue. The only caution that I would give for kids beginning to weight train is that they should wait until they start puberty to begin. Before that time, kids' bones are often not strong enough to safely handle the pressures caused by heavy weights.

[BgMc31]

I believe that you are correct about the growth issue. The only caution that I would give for kids beginning to weight train is that they should wait until they start puberty to begin. Before that time, kids' bones are often not strong enough to safely handle the pressures caused by heavy weights.

Heavy weight is relative even at that age. Did I expect a 90lb 12 yr old to squat 225? No. But they both started with the bar (45lbs) and worked their way up. Lifting weights not only help build strong bones but it also helps with coordination, teaches explosive power, etc. You can always tell (on the basketball court, football field, or wrestling mat) which kids have been introduced to the weight room and which have not.

[tjax03]

Heavy weight is relative even at that age. Did I expect a 90lb 12 yr old to squat 225? No. But they both started with the bar (45lbs) and worked their way up. Lifting weights not only help build strong bones but it also helps with coordination, teaches explosive power, etc. You can always tell (on the basketball court, football field, or wrestling mat) which kids have been introduced to the weight room and which have not.

Absolutely, that part of my post wasn't actually in reference to your kids specifically, as most boys have begun puberty by 12 years old.

[DFRELAT]

I started working out a fat out of shape 14 year old. At 18 I was strong, lean and mean and scoring chicks like Gene Simmons on a good day! lol