WEIGHT LIFING FULL
WEIGHT LIFING FREE

On paper, the benefits of weight training for teens and adults are the same: increases in muscle mass, tendon and ligament strength, muscle endurance, flexibility and coordination.

WEIGHT LIFING FREE

вЂњBut itвЂ™s free weights that will ultimately produce the best technique and posture and, consequently, muscle gains.вЂќ вЂњAnother way to minimize risk is to follow a machine-based program, at least initially, where the range of motion is predetermined,вЂќ he says. He also says that one-rep-max attempts should be tossed aside, since total volume (total reps and exercises) is far more beneficial-and safer-for growth than total load.

WEIGHT LIFING FULL

Sandler recommends that young lifters stick with a minimal starting weight on an exercise until theyвЂ™ve mastered the full range of motion and can safely complete 10 or more reps without bouncing or jerking the weight. ThatвЂ™s not limited to teens, though-anyone who does too much too fast is begging to get hurt.вЂќ вЂњAnd without having mastered proper technique or allowing for progression, that can be a recipe for disaster. вЂњThe problems tend to stem from kids wanting results too fast,вЂќ says David Sandler, MS, CSCS, owner of StrengthPro, Inc., and consultant on National Geographic ChannelвЂ™s Super Strength. But according to the National Strength and Conditioning Association, most injuries to young lifters are the result of poor training protocols, excessive loading, poorly designed equipment or lack of adult supervision, not fragile anatomy. Weightlifting has shown countless benefits to lifters of all ages, but many parents and coaches are wary of weight training for teens, pointing out potential injuries such as growth-plate or joint damage. Our complete guide to teen training will provide you with all the tools you need to start growing and shaping your body, whether itвЂ™s for the football field or to just start lifting your way to a stronger, more athletic physique. That kind of rapid development is no doubt what you covet most and why youвЂ™re thumbing through muscle & fitness. And while just about any kind of physical activity will build lean muscle for a teenager, carefully programmed training regimens-like the one to follow on these pages-can send that progress off the charts.

ThatвЂ™s because the teenage body undergoes a number of hormonal and physiological changes that maximize the potential for marked increases in strength, muscle mass and, consequently, athletic performance. Once considered an activity reserved for beach-going Ken doll types, weight training has claimed its rightful place in the curriculum of young athletes. Patrol the prep gridiron in your hometown and youвЂ™re certain to find a bevy of new-breed, helmeted leviathans making and taking the hits, the byproduct of a generation bent on building better athletes through careful adherence to weight training and proper nutrition. High school and college athletes are bigger, stronger and faster than they were 20 years ago.

Weight lifing