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July 2000
The question-of-the-month
for July comes from Paul
in Minnesota, a high school
athlete who wants to know if he is too young to lift weights and if not, what
would be a good beginner program. His question is:
Dear Mike:
I'm 15 years old and I want to
get bigger and to get a lot stronger. I am currently on the track team,
working out running every day. (So you can imagine how skinny I am).
Do you think that starting to go to the weight room in my school everyday is a
good idea? Or do you think I am too young? Will you please inform me
with a few suggestions to get started.
Dear Paul:
Thanks for your question. I
have received numerous questions from high school athletes, and since I only
answer one question per month, I hope many others will learn from your
question. Paul, you sound a lot like me when I was in high school as I too
participated in track as well as various other sports. I believe, and all
studies indicate, that it is beneficial to begin a weight training program when
in high school. I personally started lifting weights in high school and it
helped me tremendously with my athletic performances. I focused on my
heavy weight training during the winter season because I was not involved in any
sports at that time. During the season, I still recommend that you lift
weights, but not as heavy and as much because you do not want to
overtrain. Overtraining is a very common mistake that can lead to weakness
and injury. More is not always better! Also, being so active as a
teenager, you need to make sure you are eating enough food and eating the proper
foods. Diet and nutrition, I believe, are 60-70% of the equation.
When you are in the gym, you are tearing down your muscle. The growing
part comes from recovery and proper nutrition.
Below is a sample program that I
would recommend during your season. In the off-season, you could increase
the sets. Keep your workouts short and intense. Even when I was
getting ready for the Mr. Olympia, my workouts never lasted more than one hour.
Lifting weights three days a week is plenty for you. No one should lift
weights everyday.
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Monday
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Wednesday
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Friday
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Chest: 6 sets
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Quads: 6 sets
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Back: 6 sets
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Shoulders: 3 sets
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Hamstrings: 6 sets
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Biceps: 3 sets
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Abs: 3 sets
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Calves: 3 sets
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Triceps: 3 sets
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Abs: 3 sets
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For beginners, I recommend
sticking with basic exercises. For more specific information on these
exercises, go to my Training Tips section and read the
article Muscle-Building 101.
Thanks again, Paul, for your question. I
hope you find the information helpful and good luck with your athletics.
As always, don't forget to visit the Past
Qs & As and my Training
Tips section for more great tips and training info.
Until next month, train hard and stay
healthy.
Mike Francois
Do you have a training question for Mike?
If so, visit our Ask Mike section
and submit your question.
Note: Before
embarking on any nutrition, supplementation, and/or training
program, consult with your physician or other licensed
health-care professional.
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