15 years old.

[layne connell]

im 15 years old and want to take bodybuilding seriously. im from newplymouth and am a student. i started lifting weights at 13. the supplements i take are balance creatine,balance bcaa, and balance 100% whey protein wpc/wpi. since i am young i dont have a clue on how to get involved with the sport properly.

[Shutupandsquat]

Cute. First of all, how tall are you and how much do you weigh?

[Beowulf]

Have you checked if any of the staff at your Gym have any experience?

[Pseudonym]

Welcome, mate. I wish I'd started at 13! :nod:

[layne connell]

i weigh 60 kg and am about 164 in height. one of the teachers at school was a bodybuilder, i could ask him thanks . also is it safe for me to lift weights at this age and that height?? cheers.

[PeterDolan]

Hey Layne, here is a recent thread that was on here, I suggest you take a read of the article at the start, I think this will be better than anything someone will just tell you

http://www.nzbodybuilding.co.nz/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=10777

[mike27]

welcome mate

[Hercfeend]

Welcome mate. Read a lot, ask a lot......... eat, train and rest. Don't over complicate it, humans are pretty simple creatures!

You are young, yes but if you're sensible, listen to good advice and most importantly to you body you'll do well.

If you remember one thing, remember this. Work the muscle not the weight: weight is a means to an end and not an end in itself. Unless you want to be a power lifter it doesn't matter what your compatriots are lifting, it's not a competition but it is a good way to get injured if you try!!

Good luck out there.......

[tinytraps]

I call bullshit. Lift big get big bro. At your age its important to build a good base of strength and muscle. doing pec deck flyes and curls will not achieve this. Squats, bench press, shoulder press, deadlifts, rows, chinups attack these exercises hard and youll build a great foundation for bodybuilding.

[Pseudonym]

I'm kind of with Hercfeend on this one... kind of. Yes, you should lift as heavy as possible, and the big compound exercises Tinytraps mentions are great. But that's not to say that pec deck and curls don't have their place in a bodybuilder's routine. I also think before you start going heavy, make sure you get your form perfect first. And part of that is feeling the muscle working - and making sure it's the right muscle!

If your teacher does bodybuilding, ask him/her for a few pointers in the school gym. Then come back here and see what we think. In bodybuilding, everyone has a different opinion on what works and why. Your teacher will have one. We'll have 10 more. Then it's just a matter of seeing what works for you. Good luck!

[layne connell]

thanks for help guys , much appreciated. i will let you know how i get on

[Shutupandsquat]

I call bullshit. Lift big get big bro. At your age its important to build a good base of strength and muscle. doing pec deck flyes and curls will not achieve this. Squats, bench press, shoulder press, deadlifts, rows, chinups attack these exercises hard and youll build a great foundation for bodybuilding.

But you can also lift little and do high reps and still get big?

[tomsammce]

hey mate, i first started in the gym when i was 15 at 52kg even tho i didnt have much idea of what i was doing i still went 4-5 times a week after school and loved it. i did no squat, bench or deadlift. i used all machine and the smaller barbells. i built a really good base and looking back i probably would have still done it the same. i added bench and squat into my routine when i was 18ish and believe it or not only really started deadlifting about a year ago. i am 24 now.

my advice to you would be to be consistent and always use good form, you dont need to be going super heavy at ur age and def dont need an injury.. just build that foundation bro!

[lemon]

Heres my opinion on things, where some here will disagree.

Compound exercises do about 3-4 sets

Isolation exercises do about 2-3 sets.

Do compound exercises first i.e Bench press, followed by pec dec etc..

Compound means works more than the 1 muscle so bench press works primarily the pecs, as well as the triceps and shoulders.

Isolate means to be more specific and work 1 primary muscle so pec dec works the... pecs.

Learn good form. Then you can decide whether you want to drop some form to add some weight. Generally heavier weight = more damage = bigger results.

Rest well. You're not gaining strength while working out. You're gaining it while you're resting/repairing.

Good diet is key. Great foods = Great results.

Don't work just your biceps and chest. Work everything as people always pick on your flaws. If you have small legs they will ignore everything else except your legs.

[cantygirl]

Welcome, good on you for setting yourself a goal and getting educated on it. Joining a gym and asking around, you will soon see who the bodybuilders are, most of them will be helpful, just make sure that you speak to them between their sets. All the best.