Hi everyone, my name is Max and I am 14 years old 110 pounds, and 5ft-6. My school has a fully geared gym, including a weight room, and a cardio room. I am wondering how to gain weight in muscle, because I am extremely unhappy with my size. I am afraid to go into the weight room to train, because 1: I think that if I tried to use too small weights, I wouldn't gain anything/look like an idot, and 2: If I tried to put too big weights on the machines, I would hurt myself. Thanks in advance for all of your replies.
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Need help bulking up through weight training.
- Thread starter Obelix
- Start date
Hey, Max. The first thing you need to do is stop being afraid of the gym. I felt self-conscious at first too, but believe me, everyone at the gym is too focused on what they're doing to pay much attention to you. As for not knowing what weights to use, here's the rule of thumb: use the highest weight you can use while still maintaining good form, and that goes for free weights, pulleys, machines, etc. For example, let's say you're doing shoulder presses with free weights. You try 20, but they're too heavy--you have to really heave with your whole body to get the weights above your head. So, you drop down to ten, and find that those are too easy--you can do a full set easily (speaking of sets, with just about every exercise, 4 sets of 8 reps works well for me). It seems logical, then, that your ideal weight would be 15s. These would be ideal in this case because they would challenge you, but not so much that you abandon your form trying to do them, and definitely not so challenging that you endanger yourself.
The other thing you're going to need to do is EAT--maybe in the ballpark of 2400 calories a day--to gain. The importance of this cannot be overstated--you simply won't gain weight if you don't eat enough. I'm not talking about garbage, either. I'm talking about quality food. At dinner, ask Mom for
some extra chicken cutlets. Instead of just having cereal for breakfast, have some whole wheat toast or yogurt on the side. Little changes can add up.
Also, the fact that you're 14 is significant. There are a lot of things people say about working out during puberty--that it will be very easy to gain muscle at this stage, that certain exercises will prevent you from getting taller, etc. Best to consult a doctor about this kind of stuff.
The other thing you're going to need to do is EAT--maybe in the ballpark of 2400 calories a day--to gain. The importance of this cannot be overstated--you simply won't gain weight if you don't eat enough. I'm not talking about garbage, either. I'm talking about quality food. At dinner, ask Mom for
some extra chicken cutlets. Instead of just having cereal for breakfast, have some whole wheat toast or yogurt on the side. Little changes can add up.
Also, the fact that you're 14 is significant. There are a lot of things people say about working out during puberty--that it will be very easy to gain muscle at this stage, that certain exercises will prevent you from getting taller, etc. Best to consult a doctor about this kind of stuff.
Personally, I wouldn't consult a doctor about the risk of not growing any taller. The injuries that cause cessation of growth have historically occurred when someone picks up a weight they can't handle and don't have the appropriate supervision. Simple sollution - it's better to start too light than too heavy, focus on technique from day 1, and be conservative with progression. Don't increase the weight you lift until you get all the intended reps for all the sets performed, when you do increase the weight do so in small increments, and never count a rep if your form is bad - instead stop the set immediately. Make sure you eat plenty of good foods. Drink milk (unless you have an intolerance or allergy towards it). Train your whole body. Don't concern yourself with what others might think of the weight you're doing - no respectable gym member is going to disrespect you for starting out light; if they pay any attention to you at all it SHOULD be to be proud of you for getting in there and starting a journey to get bigger and stronger. Besides, most of them are probably busy being too worried about what everyone else thinks of THEIR lifts to look down on you for your lifts.
Things you should see a doctor about are any injuries that have had longterm damage, and any history or risk factors of cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, neurological or musculoskeletal conditions.
You'll definitely need to eat more than you're eating now. While weight training may not be likely to stunt your growth, failure to increase food intake could be a problem. Make sure you're always eating more than what you need to maintain your weight. As letsmotor said, you should probably be starting at around 2400kcal/day. Furthermore, as you get bigger you'll need to increase the amount you eat even more. It's not uncommon for people to consume 3-4000kcal/day when building muscle, but that probably isn't in your near future. You should also be consuming 1g protein/lb bodyweight. So, starting out, you should be eating at least 110g protein/day (which will account for about 440kcal), and you should be consuming protein at every meal. Don't let 110 be a limit, either - if you consume more than 110g protein/day, it probably won't hurt.
Things you should see a doctor about are any injuries that have had longterm damage, and any history or risk factors of cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, neurological or musculoskeletal conditions.
You'll definitely need to eat more than you're eating now. While weight training may not be likely to stunt your growth, failure to increase food intake could be a problem. Make sure you're always eating more than what you need to maintain your weight. As letsmotor said, you should probably be starting at around 2400kcal/day. Furthermore, as you get bigger you'll need to increase the amount you eat even more. It's not uncommon for people to consume 3-4000kcal/day when building muscle, but that probably isn't in your near future. You should also be consuming 1g protein/lb bodyweight. So, starting out, you should be eating at least 110g protein/day (which will account for about 440kcal), and you should be consuming protein at every meal. Don't let 110 be a limit, either - if you consume more than 110g protein/day, it probably won't hurt.
Thank you both, I have another question: How do I increase my caloric intake? My school only serves substantial food at lunch and dinner (I eat breakfast at home), and I'm usually not all that hungry ever. Also, I also am totally unawares of how I should be training when I DO get in the room. I don't really know how to rotate muscle groups efficiently for weights, since I don't even know what muscles some of the machines exercise.
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Hi Max. I think you are way too young to be doing weight training. Your body is not full developed yet to be taking the kind of stress an adult body would be able to cope with. Also your worries of not being bulky is very much unfounded.
I have always been into karate and kickboxing so I was lean from the time I started when I was 12. I have never been interested in being bulky but rather fast, agile and strong. I only started weight training when I was 19 to increase my strength. Other than that, I did my training in the 2 disciplines mentioned above with alot of high intensity interval training, aerobic exercises, hard punches, kicks. Lots of push ups, pull ups, ab crunches etc.
I do not see the point in a person being huge and bulky and cant even run or jump. A person's body should be lean and very nice to look at. I also work as a model so this is very important for me.
If you are not convinced by this post and you insist on doing weight training, then start with a light weight and progress gradually to a heavier weight while maintaining the correct technique. Please do not be swayed by the myth that you have to lift heavy weights in the gym.The most important thing is the technique. I suggest you check out my site for good workout advice and guidance.
Good luck!
I have always been into karate and kickboxing so I was lean from the time I started when I was 12. I have never been interested in being bulky but rather fast, agile and strong. I only started weight training when I was 19 to increase my strength. Other than that, I did my training in the 2 disciplines mentioned above with alot of high intensity interval training, aerobic exercises, hard punches, kicks. Lots of push ups, pull ups, ab crunches etc.
I do not see the point in a person being huge and bulky and cant even run or jump. A person's body should be lean and very nice to look at. I also work as a model so this is very important for me.
If you are not convinced by this post and you insist on doing weight training, then start with a light weight and progress gradually to a heavier weight while maintaining the correct technique. Please do not be swayed by the myth that you have to lift heavy weights in the gym.The most important thing is the technique. I suggest you check out my site for good workout advice and guidance.
Good luck!