Bodybuilding and growth

Bodybuilding is a sport that attracts many teenagers who want to get to know their body and its limits. They want to develop their muscle mass to form their young silhouette.

We often hear that bodybuilding, practiced at a young age, has harmful effects on health. It is perceived as dangerous since it would stop growth, reduce flexibility, reduce cardio-respiratory capacity and damage the tendons and joints of adolescents. So what is it really?

The benefits of bodybuilding

Contrary to popular belief, the practice of bodybuilding during adolescence does not only have negative effects on the body. Exercised in a reasonable way, it allows the growth of bone mass and helps the body to form, not forms the body. This is the whole nuance of good practice.

In addition, bodybuilding is a sport easily associated with another discipline. In addition to a combat sport, among other things, it can be performed with the aim of developing one’s qualities and strength speed.

Psychologically, bodybuilding helps to increase self-esteem, self-confidence and perseverance. It has a strong stimulating power, especially among adolescents.

A reasonable practice

It is true that practicing weight training intensively from adolescence could have some consequences on growth and health more generally. We must not forget that this is a sport quite traumatic for the muscles and joints and performing it without precaution can be dangerous. Excessive stress on the skeleton can also lead to back trauma.

So, when you start bodybuilding early, you have to be careful. It is first necessary to avoid carrying too heavy loads and carrying out intensive training. Some exercises are strongly discouraged for adolescents whose weak points are the spine, ligaments and Cartilage: the squat, the seated press with a barbell and the deadlift.

In addition, it is not recommended to start bodybuilding before the age of 15, especially for young girls. Before this age, focus on fitness activities, cardio training. If you are new to the practice, go to a specialized room to follow the advice of an experienced coach who will tell you the right things to do. Nothing is worse than performing the movements incorrectly, at the risk of injury!

 

In short, if you absolutely want to practice bodybuilding, be careful about the training you follow.

 

  Tips for a healthy practice

• Pay particular attention to your joints, they are fragile when you are growing!

 

• Do not worry about gaining weight, diets or cutting, these are concepts reserved for the most advanced.

 

• Eat healthy, enough to eat, avoiding food supplements that are not suitable for your still growing body.

 

• Incorporate stretching exercises into your workouts to maintain your flexibility.

 

• Practice bodybuilding in addition to another sport such as a team sport or endurance to develop your cardio-respiratory capacities.

 

• For moderate practice, train once a week first, in addition to another sport. Increase the number of sessions over time.

 

• Why not do this sport with one of your parents to increase your motivation and add conviviality to your training sessions?

 

• Do not hesitate to consult a doctor to find out if this activity is right for you…

• Finally

  , be aware that bodyweight bodybuilding (such as the Lafay training method for example) is particularly recommended for adolescents because it allows you to work on strength, endurance, resistance, power but also flexibility using training progressive to maintain motivation. The exercises she offers are not dangerous or traumatic since they are done using body weight.