I'm 17. How Long Should I Workout Each Week?
I'm a 17-year-old teen that started bodybuilding 3 months ago. I started bodybuilding because I want to have a body like a really active athlete. I don't want to sit around and eat sweets like other teenagers. I spent 3 hours in the gym every day for the first month. Now I have a job and that's why I spend like 2 hours 5 days a week in the gym now. I'm too tired to do more exercises. I take this stuff its called "Creatine Citrate". I buy it in my gym. It's supposed to give me more energy and keep water in my muscles to make them look larger. I read in your articles that you are a great athlete, that's why I hope you can answer some of my questions:
How much time should I spend in the gym. How many hours per day, how many days per week?
What are some "muscle foods" or pills for muscle growth?
Should I continue bodybuilding when my school starts again? I would like to do that, but my parents are worried about school.
I look forward to your answers, Thank you very much!
Thank you for the kind words. I would not spend anymore than one hour in the gym no matter what my age. This is particularly if I were to be training with weights. I too was young and thought that more time meant more muscle. That is not the case, trust me. Spending 45 honest hard-core minutes in the gym is plenty enough to get the job done. How you break your routine up depends on you. I recommend that you train each body part once a week and after that let it rest and grow until next week. You grow out of the gym, not in it.
"Muscle foods" are going to be your protein sources like fish, chicken, and eggs. Protein builds and maintains tissue, but to stay full and strong you will need to be consuming carbohydrates at the right time. The best time for carbohydrate intake is in the morning and immediately after training. The best type is going to be a high glycemic type of carbohydrate such as honey, white rice, or grits. Fat will play a role in the picture as well. Fats are essential for fat burning and hormonal production and you can usually get enough fat in the foods that you are taking in, but supplemental fat such as EFAs, Flax Seed Oil, and MCT oil can be taken to aid the dieter in meeting their fat needs. As you can see there several foods that can be considered "muscle food".
I think that this is practice common for parents to be worried about their children being interested in bodybuilding. Your job is to convince them that bodybuilding will have a positive impact on your life. Bodybuilding makes you feel good about yourself and allows you to help others. It is not just about being 98% nude in front of people and using drugs. You need to let them know about the other side of bodybuilding, the side that great companies such as Bodybuilding.com supports. Tell them what I have done and what I am doing and tell them about my way.
Hard work pays off, I promise you. If I can leave you with one thing to remember it would be stick with it. You are young and if you and get serious now you will be where you want to be much quicker than you would if you back slide. If bodybuilding is your dream now and you do not follow it I assure you that it will come back to you later on in life so just get serious and be a bodybuilder.