ive been doing a routine for almost 2 months. ive gotten a little bit bigger. ive gotten stronger. i am wondering, what is the ideal weight lifting routine for someone that wants to get big fast? and what kind of supplements work good and are healthy for teens (im 16)?
FWIW IMO, at 16 you shouldn't need supplements.. you're young. Let your body develop on it's own. Eat right and take care of yourself and you'll do fine. If you're really concerned, find a trainer or someone that can give you some good, solid advice.
Just eat right and excerise like you have been and you'll be fine. Rotate from upper and lower body every other day or so. I took creatine when I was about your age it really didnt help me at all but some guys I knew tried it and worked very well. It maybe something you want to look into but if you do choose that be sure to drink a ton and I mean a ton of water or it will wear you out.
I think I heard that if you don't drink enough water while on creotine it could mess up your kidneys....not sure though.
Don't take ANYTHING at your age. You don't know how things will affect a body that has not completely finished maturing yet. The potential risks far outweigh the benefits. If you do choose to use something, ask a doctor, not some goon at the GNC who is trying to sell you stuff.
That's why I am scared to take something, too. It's not worth it in my opinion. My coach was telling me about this protein milk stuff he said was excellent, though. I'd trust him, since he was our strength and conditioning coach, and also taught anatomy and physiology(sp?).
all you need to do at your age is make sure you are getting enough protein. eat peanut butter and jelly or tuna fish sandwiches or whatever. just look for stuff that is high in protein. body builders take in about 1 gram of protein per 1 pound of body weight per day so if you can get anywhere near there through normal eating then you will be fine. whey protein won't hurt you either just don't overload on the stuff. one serving of it to supplement your daily diet will be fine. protein is the most important thing in building muscle and thats all you really need to worry about now if you want to worry about supplements.
At 16 I dont think you should be taking any supplements either. Like many posters have said, protein is the single most important thing. I had been weight lifting for three years by myself. Barely saw any results. However, just about 4-5 weeks ago I got a personal trainers. In that much time I have added about 13 lbs. I think most of it is muscle (at least I hope so). Don't do any cardio if you are trying to get big. Maybe 15 min a week if you love to do it. Eat six times a day. Try to keep it low fat and low carb, high in calories (2000-2500) and super high in protein. Multi-vitamins are also a good idea.
Lift heavier, less reps. Usually 80-85% of your max is recommended. Only do between 5-7 reps in sets up to 20. Don't burn yourself out midway through your sets. If your in set 10 and are struggling to get up rep #6, drop to 5 reps so you can push for more sets.
I should be lifting weights. Ahh, surgery the reason for not and way around working out. (Not cosmetic for me; damn chest). I'm not cleared to exercise for three months. But the doctors want to take out the bar (in my chest for sternum support) in 3-6 months. I think I'll take the forcible way: Personal trainer and a lot of Smoothie King.
If you or anyone else is looking for a personal trainer I would highly recommend the one I go to. Very knowledgeable, makes his workouts fun and his rates are very affordable (relatively speaking of course). I think he even throws in two free one-hour sessions for everyone.
