Need advice (lifting weights & puberty)

Three years ago, my doctor told me I shouldn't hit the gym because I hadn't cleared the first stage of puberty—unhelpful advice, frankly. It’s been three years since then, and I'm now 14; if I were to start lifting weights today, would it actually jeopardize my health?

analogscout2 said:Three years ago, my doctor told me I shouldn't hit the gym because I hadn't finished the first stage of puberty yet. It's been three years since then and I'm 14 now. If I started lifting weights today, would it actually mess up my health?

Just go ask your PE teacher if you've physically developed enough for weight training, what kind of weight you should be moving, and which machines are safe for you to use.

I would ask, but school is out of session—and I need an answer to my question immediately.

If I were in your shoes, I’d probably spend the next two years focusing on swimming, hitting some push-ups, and staying on top of spinal stretches. Once you've built up that kind of foundation, then you can move into the gym to really start sculpting everything out...

I honestly don't think a 14-year-old belongs in a weight room. It wasn't even that long ago that kids under ten were out climbing trees, playing tag, soccer, or basketball, exploring the woods—and yeah, maybe sneaking a cigarette behind the garage now and then. But today? These kids spend their weekends getting wasted at parties and then use all their free time trying to look and act like they’re part of some gritty Russian mob syndicate.

It isn't just physically bad for you; it's a wrecking ball for your psyche. You’re basically sculpting a personality right now that you’ll be stuck with by the time you hit twenty-five. If you start this way, what do you think the end result is going to be? Just another pile of unnaturally arrogant muscle stuffed into a pink t-shirt meant for a toddler?

Grow some balls, grow some hair, join a real sports team, and stop obsessing over the gym. You're fourteen, for God's sake.

placidjackal36 said:I honestly don't think a fourteen-year-old belongs in a weight room. Not that long ago—and I mean really not that long ago—kids were out climbing trees, playing tag, running around outside, playing soccer or basketball, just exploring... maybe even sneaking a cigarette behind the garage. Now, they spend their weekends getting wasted at parties, and their entire personality revolves around trying to look and act like some wannabe mob enforcer from a Scorsese movie.

It isn't just bad for your physical health; it’s devastating for your mental development. You're essentially sculpting a persona that you’ll end up stuck with by your mid-twenties. If this is how you start, what does the finished product even look like? Just another pile of overly aggressive muscle stuffed into a kid-sized t-shirt...

Grow up, find some actual grit, join a real sports team, and stop obsessing over the gym. You're fourteen, for God's sake.

There is no reasoning with them. I've lost count of how many seventh and eighth graders I've seen buying protein powders and all those other totally unnecessary supplements just because they're desperate to bulk up early.🤣 You try telling them, "Look, buddy, just hang on for a few years and go play a sport instead," but it's useless. It's like talking to a brick wall...

analogscout2 said:I’d ask, but I don't have access to a trainer right now... and I need an answer to my question ASAP.

Look, at the gym I go to—where they actually employ Kinesiology professors—they can tell you instantly if a routine is right for you or if you're just wasting your time. If you try to wing it and play hero without knowing what you're doing, you're looking at serious injuries or permanent physical deformities.

To be perfectly blunt, if I were in your shoes, I'd wait another year or two. You can't force muscle growth through sheer willpower when your body is still essentially that of a kid. Your hormones need to kick in naturally; there's no shortcut for biology.
Someone gave you solid advice, though: nothing builds a masculine physique better than swimming. Hit the local pool, eat clean, and you'll be fine.👍

Don’t stop at just swimming; if you can manage it, get into rowing as well. You will see significant, tangible results before winter rolls around. 🙂

I totally agree, if you stick with rowing, you’ll probably end up with those abs just like that guy in the Calvin Klein ads 😁
And I guess swimming isn't a bad idea either, since summer is finally here, so maybe just enjoy being young while it lasts, you know? Don't go overdoing it too much yet or worrying about all those different multivitamin gimmicks and stuff...

best,

It isn't about wanting to get buff—I spent six months in the hospital on steroids just to stay alive, which caused some weight gain... and now I'm trying to drop it without knowing how, since those damn diet plans aren't doing squat. I've been hitting the crunches—but honestly, I see zero progress.

A lot of people get this completely wrong, operating under the delusion that you can just target abdominal fat through specific exercises to burn it off. It’s a myth. You can’t spot-reduce fat, and frankly, those core workouts don't burn nearly enough calories to make a dent in your waistline. If you actually want results, you need to focus on running and swimming, assuming, of course, that whatever health issues landed you in the hospital won't prevent you from pushing yourself physically. As for dieting? Most "diets" are just nonsense. The real secret is eating clean—cutting back on fats while ramping up your protein and vitamin intake—and staying active. That’s the only way you'll see actual progress.

Aside from running and swimming—is there anything else out there?

Look, honestly, any sport that actually makes you break a sweat and gets your heart rate up will do just fine... 😉 Even if it’s nothing more than jumping jacks in your living room. Just please, anything but chess or something equally sedentary.

analogscout2 said:besides running and swimming, I guess there might be other stuff out there??

I think I’m dealing with the exact same thing, though I guess I'm a bit older than you are.
Doing sit-ups and stuff helps build muscle, but maybe it won't actually burn off the belly fat, so I suppose running is probably the real secret; I usually try to hit about five or six miles at a steady pace for maybe 40 minutes a day, but since I just started, I haven't really seen much change yet, and swimming is also pretty great if you want to work on your chest and shoulders, so if you have access to a pool while it's still summer, you should probably take advantage of that.

I guess the whole trick is just making sure you burn as many calories as you're eating, which you can basically do by staying active—like walking, jogging, riding a bike, or even playing some pickup basketball—just maybe try not to spend the entire day glued to your computer reading this thread while snacking on pizza...🙂

take care and good luck

Ryan Carter52 said:I’m dealing with the exact same issue—though I’m a fair bit older than you are.
Crunches and pushups build muscle, sure, but they won't touch body fat. Running is the real answer—steady pace, maybe 40 minutes a day, about 3-4 miles—that’s my routine. I just started, though, so there aren't any visible results yet. Swimming works too if you want to strengthen your chest and shoulders; take advantage of the summer weather while you can if there’s a local YMCA nearby.

The bottom line is simple: you have to burn as many calories as you consume. You achieve that through movement—walking, running, cycling, playing pickup basketball, anything really. Just don't spend all day glued to your computer reading this thread while shoving pizza down your throat...🙂

Best of luck.

Heh... okay.