Son and heir is nearly 13 and seems to be getting in to his fitness a bit. Wants to strengthen himself for climbing and is pretty disciplined with sit ups, press ups and planking (that’s planking btw) each night. Wanted to perhaps get him some small weights for chritmas to do some simple bicep curls or similar. No idea re actual weight amounts, where from or whether it’s a good idea.

I’d get him a set of suspension trainers Jungle Gym XT or something similar. That or kettle bells. Probably better for climbing training than dumbbells. Only my opinion of course.

At 13 I’d be considering just bodyweight stuff.

Maybe some rings, paralettes or dip bars?

Any guides with the above mentioned stuff. I’ve never say foot in a gym so I have genuinely no idea, am I right in thinking you need to be careful with the weights whilst young?

Also looking at getting a stainless pull up bar made and mounting that on the house outside.

I’d get a chin and dip station. But if he really wants weights, just get a basic set of barbell and dumbells with a bench from Argos (or similar).

am I right in thinking you need to be careful with the weights whilst young?

If you’re an Olympic weightlifter in training, yes. Otherwise no.

If not chin up or dip bars as above then kettlebells. Bicep curls are pretty useless.

powerbar 2 for pull-ups and chins, very good and easy to pack away/store. maybe some rings too.

But if he really wants weights, just get a basic set of barbell and dumbells with a bench from Argos (or similar).

see id say the opposite. im no ‘weights snob’ but stuff like that seems garbage to me, flimsy, you can never get your hands in the right place cos the supports are too narrow etc etc.
if he does insist on weights id get him a decent second hand set or something from powerhouse-fitness or fitness-superstore and the like. something he can grow into, proper set-ups can last years, and you wouldnt lose much by selling them on if he didnt take to it.

Bicep curls are pretty useless.

agreed, he’d get plenty of bicep acivation doing pull-ups and chins or other compound exercises.

see id say the opposite. im no ‘weights snob’ but stuff like that seems garbage to me, flimsy, you can never get your hands in the right place cos the supports are too narrow etc etc.

Well, I am… 🙂

But at 13 a basic set is just fine, and a full Olympic weight set probably won’t fit in his bedroom.

Well, I am…

if you were you wouldnt be recommending argos for weights 😉

But at 13 a basic set is just fine, and a full Olympic weight set probably won’t fit in his bedroom.

i know what youre saying and agree, olympic set is too severe, but theres a good compromise somewhere in between, normal sized metal weights, sturdy bench and rack maybe. i know the lads only young but if hes interested get him some good kit and sell on when not required any more.

https://www.nhs.uk/LiveWell/healthy-bones/Pages/exercises-for-strong-bones.aspx

https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/physical-activity-guidelines-for-young-people.aspx

My 13yr old has a schedule for his gym sessions. It is setup to last 3weeks, 2 sessions a week, alternating between routine A and B.

Most of the work is core specific, using bodyweight, pull-ups (using a band to assist where needed), but some kettle bell and free weights.

After about 9 months he is now starting to do front squats under supervision. The gym has him using an Olympic bar with nothing on it. The goal is to have him develop technique and build his core strength. A bit further down the line we’ll start to increase it and throw some heavier weights at him.

Younger sister age 8 has a similar lighter program.

Several points to consider :
We don’t have weights at home.
This is all done in a gym that we know, and has a strong technical background.
We trust the coaches there as we know what they do.

The lad likes the gym, it’s built his core well, he trains for one sport or another most days. The gym is a tool, but a really good one for him

His sister can lift the weights, but is not yet mature enough to have the emotional drive to WANT to go to the gym.

More climbing and resistance training rather than weights I would say, core, tendon and flexibility I would say is more important (and less chances of injury) than dead lifting weights.

3 litre squash bottles with handles, filled with mercury water. 😉

Go onto Youtube and search for calisthenics, it’s no longer guys in budgie speedos.

[video]https://youtu.be/qFzl1sR4fn4[/video]

Spartan girls, THENX and barstarrz channels are worth a look.

Just gem ’em out in the garden doing chores, raking and sweeping and stacking logs.

Honestly 🙄

neilwheel – Member

Go onto Youtube and search for calisthenics, it’s no longer guys in budgie speedos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFzl1sR4fn4

I found that surprisingly hard to fap to.
Perhaps if I was assured she could cook? 😕

If anyone wants a weights bench and about 30kg of weights, barbel and dumbell bars and can collect from Reading drop me an email before I take them to the tip.

Do kids really need to be doing any weights ?

Going out and climbing will be more fun and worthwhile than anytime spent holding weights

Some sensible advice here:

Weight Training For Children: What You Need To Know

Another vote for a pull up/chin up bar lots can be done with those.

The bmc used to have some guidelines on youth training for climbing pretty sure similar to some posts above weight training isn’t seen as a good thing until reached adult size if no longer on website then used to have a youth development officer might be worth a ring or email
And pretty sure there is an excellent chapter in the rockfax sportsclimb+ book that explores the myth of strength it helps but technique training rules

Argos weights “flimsy” 😆 says the person who’s obviously never seen them.

Link to general bmc advice for young people but half way thru gives aome links to resources ref overtraining during growth spurts

http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.thebmc.co.uk/download.aspx%3Fid%3D9&ved=0ahUKEwi13ce2wejXAhWBp5QKHXOyDr4QFgglMAA&usg=AOvVaw2Rjka

Calisthenics are your friend here, the big compound moves done correctly are best, bicep curls are for mirror posers.
Train for strength not hypertrophy, so plenty of rest between sets and keeping well short of reps to failure.
My Instagram is fiftyplusfit for some ideas with body weight stuff, even though some stuff is advanced the basics are there.