Children want to have a strong body for a variety of reasons, such as to look like their favorite superhero or so that they can play better in their sport. While kids shouldn't be lifting weights until they hit puberty, they can do many activities to build muscle and strengthen their bodies.
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Method 1 of 3: Build Muscle Safely
Step 1. Go outside and play
Cycling, running, swimming, exercising, and walking around in the woods can build muscle naturally, and are the safest and most fun way for kids if they want to build muscle. Bring some friends and play basketball, hide and seek, splash in the pool, and play wrestling in the backyard. Just as adults "cross-train" to build muscle with a variety of activities, children can also unwittingly build muscle while playing.
Step 2. Warm up before your workout
Children should not leave the warm-up even though their bodies are still flexible and full of energy. Do 5 to 10 minutes of light aerobic activity, such as jogging, walking, or jumping rope, before exercising to loosen muscles and get blood flowing.
Step 3. Use body weight to build muscle anywhere
Children should not use an adult workout plan and then reduce the portion size. This can be dangerous. Children have natural energy and flexibility that allow them to perform a variety of exercises without using weights. Most importantly, these exercises can easily be turned into small games or competitions, so kids will enjoy them more than they have to go to the gym.
- Hanging on a monkey bar (iron poles for climbing and playing) is a modified form of "pull-up" exercise. You can also push a friend on a swing to build arm muscle.
- Jumping, jumping rope, and lunges are activities that use your body weight to work your leg muscles.
- Climbing on a rock garden wall is a great exercise for the leg and arm muscles.
Step 4. Do push-ups
This is one of the best and easiest exercises to work your upper body muscles. Lie face down on the floor with your toes and hands touching the floor. With both hands, push yourself up until your elbows are straight, then lower your body slowly toward the floor. When your body is about 15 cm above the floor, do the push up again and repeat. Try to do it 10 times in a row, then rest for 1 to 2 minutes and try again.
- Keep the buttocks not rising, but at shoulder level.
- Keep your back straight.
- Place your hands shoulder width apart. However, the wider your arms are, the harder you will work your chest muscles. The narrower the position of the hands, the harder you train the arm muscles.
Step 5. Do sit-ups using a ball and a friend
Sit across from your friend with your knees bent and feet facing each other. One of you has to hold the ball. At the same time, bend your stomach so that your eyes are looking at each other and pass the ball. Only the feet and buttocks can touch the floor. Keep doing sit-ups and passing the ball until one of you is not strong enough to continue the exercise.
- Keep your feet flat on the floor at all times, and keep your shoulders parallel to your friend's.
- Focus on using the muscles around your stomach each time you lift yourself up.
Step 6. Do a "crazy race" to build several different muscles
You can do various fun variations to make it into a race that can activate certain muscles and encourage children to want to exercise without realizing it. Try doing a relay race that combines the following exercises to strengthen your upper body.
- Bear crawling: With your feet and hands on the floor, lift your buttocks high and run forward on all fours. Don't be surprised if you feel tired quickly. Many American rugby and football teams continue to do this exercise for strength training.
- Crab walking: Sit with your knees bent on the floor with your hands and feet flat on the floor. Lift your buttocks and walk forward, backward, or sideways to work your arms, thighs, and abs.
- Burpees: Jump forward using both feet. When you land, turn on your stomach and do one push-up. Then get up immediately and jump back forward.
- Moon lunges: Although it seems slow, this exercise is great for building leg and hip muscles. Take a wide step forward with your right foot, then slowly lower your buttocks and left knee toward the floor. Stand up and repeat with your left leg.
Step 7. Write the alphabet using your feet to work your leg and midsection muscles
This exercise isn't for the weak, but it can be a fun way to train your mind and competitive atmosphere. Lie on your back. Lift both legs at the same time and point your toes down so that they form a long, straight pencil. Then write the letters of the alphabet using your feet. How many letters can you write?
- To make things easier, keep your hands under your buttocks for balance.
- Make a "Writing Contest" by challenging friends to write words using their feet. It's not only writing alphabets, but you also have to write words.
Step 8. Use a resistance band to do "light level" weight training
A resistance band is an exercise device in the form of a long, stretchy rope that can be safely used to imitate a weightlifter. Think of the device as a large rubber cord. When you pull it, the tool will give you resistance and will want to return to the starting position, making it harder to pull. Some types of exercises that can be done include:
- Stand on one end of the rope with your right foot and hold the other end with your right hand. Keeping your elbows in the same place, then pull the strap toward your chest. Do it ten times, then switch to the other hand.
- Hold both ends of the rope with each hand. Stand in the middle with your feet shoulder-width apart. With your arms outstretched (like a surrendering person), push the end of the rope up. Keep your knees slightly bent.
- Hold one end of the rope with your right hand and step on the other end with your left foot. Keeping your back straight, turn your hips slightly toward your left leg as if you were trying to touch your toes with your right hand. Rotate back to the starting position and pull the rope up to the right side of the body. Imagine you're doing the classic "disco dance" or pulling the strings to start the lawnmower.
Step 9. Stretch when you're done
Cooling down can relax the muscles, so they will be more effective when you need them later. Do light stretches when you finish your workout to get fitter the next day.
Make sure you get enough rest. Your body needs some recovery time after a workout, so don't work the same muscle two days in a row
Step 10. Understand that you shouldn't do weight training until you reach puberty
Besides being impossible for children, lifting too heavy weights and raising the body is also an unhealthy act. Muscles, tendons (which attach muscles to bones), and ligaments (which attach bones to other bones) are not fully developed, and can be damaged under pressure. Be patient and wait until you are a teenager to do weight training.
For children, resistance bands can be safely replaced using light weights ranging from 1 to 4.5 kg
Method 2 of 3: Getting Started Lifting Weights
Step 1. Start doing weight training to build muscle when you hit puberty
Teens can start building muscle in the gym once they hit puberty. Even teenagers can build muscle faster than adults. Hormones that make teenagers grow rapidly at puberty will increase metabolism and muscle growth. Most kids can start weight training between the ages of 12 and 14, but be aware of the following signs that indicate a person is going through puberty:
- Body odor starts to appear
- Acne appears
- Body hair begins to grow (male)
- Broader shoulders, bigger chest (male)
- Breasts start to grow (girls)
Step 2. Focus on lifting light weights with lots of reps instead of lifting heavy weights with few reps
The most effective and safe way for teens to build muscle is by doing the right form of exercise and the habit of lifting weights safely. When you're first starting out, you may be able to bench press heavy weights once or twice, but your body will suffer as you push yourself to lift the weights. Try lifting weights that are challenging but not too heavy to do for 8 to 12 reps.
- One "rep" is one exercise movement. Try to do 8 to 12 reps.
- A "set" is a set of repetitions. After practicing a set, rest for 1 to 2 minutes before continuing the exercise. Aim to do 3 to 5 sets of each exercise.
Step 3. Create a program filled with basic exercises
While every program claims to be "the best new workout for building muscle," the classics are still the best. Most of these are "combined weight training," which can work several muscles at once for quick results. Begin your weightlifting program by learning some of the exercises below before moving on to more complex and specialized lifts:
- Bench Press
- Shoulder Press
- Squat
- Deadlift
- Row
Step 4. Aim to practice 3 to 5 days a week for an hour per day
Keep in mind that your body is still in its growth stage and can react negatively if you overtrain it. Don't push yourself and assume that you can get better results. You can even get injured and practice will be hampered. Shorter but more frequent training sessions can help maintain proper form and keep muscles healthy.
- Don't train for several days in a row so you can rest between each training session.
- Long practice times allow you to focus on technique without thinking too much about the form of the exercise.
Step 5. Make sure you use the perfect technique
This is the best way to build muscle safely and quickly. Don't try to lift weights yourself, you need a coach, personal trainer, or parent who can find faults and tell you how to fix them. Some things to note include:
- Keep your back straight. Do not bend the lower back. To avoid this, keep your chest slightly outstretched with your shoulder blades pulled back.
- Never fully stretch a joint. Instead, push the weights up until your joints are slightly bent before returning to the resting position.
- Stop if you feel pain. The slogan "No pain, no gain" is just a myth. Although exercise is not an easy activity, you are doing the wrong exercise if you have joint or muscle pain.
Step 6. Eat and drink water within 30 minutes of your workout to promote muscle growth
Muscles need energy and protein to grow strong, so make sure you're getting the calories you need to build muscle. Even if you don't need too much protein, try to eat a little more shortly after your workout. Drink 2 to 3 glasses of water after your workout so you don't become dehydrated.
- Chicken or turkey sandwich
- Trail mix (a mix of nuts and dried fruit)
- Jelly and peanut butter
- Protein, granola, or fruit & nut bars (fruit and nuts in the form of bars).
Step 7. Understand that supplements cannot replace good nutrition
Supplements that claim to "build muscle fast" or lose weight in a few weeks are generally not safe, especially for growing teens. Focus on a healthy, balanced diet, and avoid "quick fixes" that don't necessarily work.
- A good and balanced diet should be a combination of protein (fish, chicken, eggs), complex carbohydrates (sweet potatoes, oatmeal, beans, whole wheat / whole wheat), and vegetables and fruits every day. Good food can increase the body's energy and maximize exercise.
- Never take steroids to supplement your workout, as they can cause health problems years later.
Step 8. Consult a doctor before starting an exercise program
Ask your doctor if you want to start an exercise program while you have your regular checkups. Make sure you do not have certain medical conditions and consult with your doctor about an exercise program that is safe for your body. Even if you think you're ready to lift weights, your doctor will give you specific advice so you can get the most out of your workout.
Method 3 of 3: Understanding Children's Muscles
Step 1. Remember that children's muscles don't grow until they reach puberty
The hormones needed to grow big muscles will appear when a person enters puberty, so don't force your child to do weight training or go through an exercise plan because they will not be able to benefit. Children will naturally start building muscle when they are teenagers, but children should not focus too much on building muscle. Instead, they should focus on growing healthily.
Step 2. Focus your energy on strength training, not weight training
Weightlifting, bodybuilding, and weightlifting can be very harmful to children's muscle development. However, strength training will focus on proper technique and safety, not on lifting the heaviest weights you can do. Weight training can damage children's growth plates. Growth plates are pieces of cartilage that can still turn into bone. This can leave him disabled for life.
Distinguish between increasing muscle strength and "building muscle". Tell your kids that having fat-free muscle at a healthy weight can improve their ability to exercise, and increase their self-confidence. Tell them that there's no way they can "grow muscle" unless they hit puberty
Step 3. Understand that a child can start doing strength training at 7 or 8 years of age
If a child can follow directions well and shows a great interest in getting strong, he or she can start doing light-weight training plans at the age of 7 years.
When a child is ready to play an organized sport, he is usually ready for a strength training program
Step 4. Focus your energy on strength training, not weight training
Weightlifting, bodybuilding, and weightlifting can be very harmful to children's muscle development. However, strength training will focus on proper technique and safety, not on lifting the heaviest possible weight. Weight training can damage children's growth plates. Growth plates are pieces of cartilage that can still turn into bone. This can leave him disabled for life.
Distinguish between increasing muscle strength and "building muscle," and tell your children that having strong, fat-free muscles at a healthy weight can improve their ability to exercise, and increase their self-confidence
Step 5. Prioritize doing the right exercise technique instead of the big muscles
Since most children can't actually build muscle, use the right training techniques to avoid injury, learn body mechanics well, and set a good foundation for the next workout. Some things to note include:
- Keep your back (spine) straight. The lower back should not be bent forward or backward to make it easier for you to stretch. Try to puff out your chest and shoulder blades to keep your back flat.
- Never overstretch a joint. Overstretching is a condition when you bend a joint in the opposite direction from its normal position, for example when you stretch your knee too hard so that your leg arches back.
- Practice with a healthy form of exercise. A good runner will keep his back straight, land his feet in the middle (not on the heels) and run with short, fast strides, not wide strides.
Step 6. Always supervise children's strength training
Children try to learn complex movements as they build muscle, and this can be difficult for them the first time around. You must supervise their practice and correct their posture, avoid injury, and train effectively to avoid injury.
Tips
- The best way to build muscle every day is to stay active, go outdoors, and play competitive sports.
- Play sports like football or rugby.
- When lifting weights, maintain good posture so that you don't hurt your back.
