Teenager’s Guide to Muscle Building – 5 Important Steps

The teenage phase is tricky. You will experience a lot of changes in your body during this time since your body produces hormones that help you get bigger and stronger.

If you are a teenager looking to build muscles then your training has to be different when compared to adults. The reason is your hormones are raging and your bodies respond better than the older ones!

Following some simple steps that are built around eating healthy and muscle-building exercises, can effectively increase your muscle mass and strength.

Do note that before you follow any plan, It is important to consult a doctor. Muscle building routine is slightly different for teenagers mainly because their bodies are still developing. A careful plan has to be laid out because too strenuous exercise can cause muscle injury like a muscle sprain or strain that can have lasting effects.

Hence, it is advisable to take a trainer’s help. A trainer can help you with the below:

1. Training goals.
2. Understanding the proper techniques.
3. Risk factors, such as injuries and the use of steroids or other supplements.

We have asked Mr Neelanjan Banerjee, a certified Nutritionist and a CPD certified Strength & Bodybuilding Coach to throw some light on what is to be done if you are looking to build muscles as a teenager.

5 Dos & Don’ts for Teenage BodyBuilding

1. Strength Training

This type of training mainly focuses on weight lifting and also includes other endurance-related exercises using your own body weight (such as sit-ups and push-ups). These exercises will help to build muscle mass and strength.

1. Weight lifting is the most common strength training technique used in sports and basic workouts.
2. To get started, consult a fitness trainer who can help you understand the right technique to do these exercises.
3. Warming up before any workout is necessary. Do at least 5 to 10 minutes of cardio before each exercise.
4. Stretch lightly before each exercise and after the workout to help improve muscle flexibility.

2. Low & Heavy Weights

Do not start directly with heavyweights. Always start with low weights and slowly move to heavier weights as your body starts getting stronger. Be very careful while lifting weights as improper use can cause injury. Also, it is vital to learn how to do each exercise correctly before adding extra weight.

1. Maintain your body’s rhythm while doing every move: move slowly, breathe, and understand the complete dynamics. Follow the same pattern to avoid any injury. Do not be hasty while performing any exercise.
2. Always listen to what your body has to say. If after a certain period you are unable to exercise, take a break. Do not exert your body. The intensity of your workout depends on factors such as the number of repetitions, the weight, and how long you rest before sets. If you don’t follow this, then you are risking injury.
3. But, you should still be challenging yourself to lift heavy because if you don’t start moving on to heavier weights, your muscles will not grow or develop.

3. Avoid Power Lifting

Teenagers should not engage in activities like competitive weightlifting, power-lifting, or bodybuilding. These are very demanding forms of muscle building that are not suitable for children and can be very risky.

1. Consult a physician if you are unsure what type of weightlifting or strength training works for you
2. Since your body is still in the development stage, you are prone to injuries that may be long lasting.

4. Add Aerobics 

Aerobic exercise (or cardio) is known to help support your heart and respiratory system. Regular aerobic exercise has many health benefits as given below:

• Maintaining body weight
• Releasing happy hormones thereby reducing stress
• Strengthening your heart and respiratory system
• Reducing risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer etcc

Consider adding aerobics to your weekly routine. Some aerobic exercises include walking, dancing, tennis, and running. They help strengthen your bone mass.

5. Avoid Over-training

Anything in excess is not good. The same is the case with working out. Do not over-exert your body as it can lead to the breakdown of muscle protein. Since you are still growing, overdoing strength exercises can burn too many calories and it can disrupt the normal growth of your body. Follow the below rules to be on the safe side.

1. Training should only last one hour or less. Make sure you rest a day or two in between workouts. During this period, your muscles will rebuild.
2. Spot overtraining using the following signs: high resting heart rate, unable to sleep properly, and exhaustion.
3. If you observe any of the above symptoms, cut down the time and intensity of your workout and most importantly consult a doctor.

Risk Factors

Physical activity has risks, and this is especially true for strength training and athletes. According to the Surveillance System, Around 25000 cases of strength-training-related injuries were observed in people under 21 years old. Of this, around 70% were due to muscle strain, mostly in the lumbar back. Strength-training programs should be well planned and executed to reduce the risk of injury. This can be achieved by:

1. Weight lifting under supervision
2. Reading and understanding the instructions of the workout so that you don’t injure yourself.
3. Understand how to use the machine
4. Make sure the workout space is free of any hurdles to avoid injury
5. Properly warm-up and cool-down before and after workouts

Diet Plan for Teens

A healthy diet plan for a teenager includes food from the five food groups which include the below.

• Vegetables
• Fruit
• Grain foods
• Reduced-fat dairy or dairy-free alternatives
• Protein

It’s essential to eat a spread of foods from across all the five food groups. This gives you the necessary nutrition and energy that is required during this phase.

1. Fruit and Vegetables

Fruit and vegetables are the building blocks of any healthy food. They provide the necessary vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, and water. They help prevent diseases later in life, including diseases like heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.

Make sure you include fruits and vegetables at every meal and snack. This includes fruit and vegetables of varied colors, textures, and tastes, both fresh and cooked.

Wash fruits properly before eating to remove dirt or chemicals, and leave the skin on, because the skin contains maximum nutrients.

2. Grain foods

Whole-grain foods give energy to your developing body. Ensure you include them. Whole-grain foods include bread, pasta, noodles, breakfast cereals, rice, corn, quinoa, oats, polenta, and barley.

Whole grains not only give you energy but also keep you fuller for more time.

3. Reduced-fat Dairy Foods and Dairy-Free Alternatives

Dairy is high in calcium and is well known to everyone. Include organic dairy in your diet to improve bone mass and strength. Rich dairy foods are milk, cheese and yoghurt. These foods are not just high in calcium but also protein.

Make sure you have one dairy product each day. If you are a vegan, make sure you eat dairy-free foods that are rich in calcium. Some dairy-free calcium-rich foods include – tofu, broccoli, nuts, seeds, calcium-fortified foods like cereals, soy milk, and bread.

Another point to note : Read the food labels carefully to check if the packaged dairy food alternatives are fortified with calcium before buying.

You can buy through my affiliate links, I get paid a small commission if you buy through the links given below!

Recommended Dairy-Free Alternatives

4. Protein

Protein is the building block for muscle development, especially during puberty. When ypu are trying to build muscle, ensure your intake is a minimum 150 grams. Include protein-rich foods in your diet like beans, lean meat, fish, eggs, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, chicken and nuts. Consume around 180 to 220 grams of protein per day.

These protein-rich foods also have other vitamins and minerals like iron and omega-3 fatty acids, which are particularly important during adolescence:

• Omega-3 fatty acids from fish, flax seeds help with your brain development and learning.
• Iron fuels your muscle growth and increases blood volume. Girls need extra iron because of their periods.

Protein-rich foods from animal sources have zinc and vitaminB12 too.

Protein Supplements to assist your teen’s muscle building

5. Healthy Drinks for teenagers

Water is the healthiest drink for you. Most tap water is fortified with fluoride for strong teeth too.

Reduced-fat milk is also a good drink option for you. It is rich in calcium, which is essential for bone development.

Sample Diet Plan for Teenagers

Meal 1: Pre-Workout

• 1 scoop Whey Protein (Protein)
• 1 cup Oatmeal (Carbs)
• 4 tsp Peanut Butter (Fat)

Meal 2: Post-Workout

• 120 gm. Chicken (Protein)
• 1 1/3 cup Rice (Carbs)
• 10 Almonds (Fat)

Meal 3:

• 2 Whole Eggs (Protein + Fat)
• 1/2 cup Eggs Whites
• 2 slices Whole-Wheat Bread

Meal 4:

• 1 scoop Whey Protein (Protein)
• 1.5 cups Broccoli
• 4 tsp Peanut Butter

Meal 5:

• 120 gm Lean Beef/Fish
• 2/3 cups Rice
• 2 tsp Olive Oil

Meal 6:

• 1 cup Cottage Cheese
• 3/4 cup Strawberries
• 1.5 cups Green Beans
• 10 Almonds

Adding supplements like Ashwagandha can help support muscle building. Check out the article here!

[Source : Ashwagandha Benefits , Ashwagandha Best Brands]

Foods and drinks to avoid

1. Avoid ‘Sometimes’ Food

Try to avoid “sometimes food” to the maximum. These sometimes food are nothing but junk and fast foods like hot chips, potato chips, dim sims, pies, burgers, and takeaway pizza. They also include cakes, chocolate, lollies, biscuits, doughnuts, and pastries.

These foods are high in salt, unhealthy fats, and low in nutrients. Too many of these foods can increase the risk of obesity and other chronic conditions like type-2 diabetes.

2. Avoid Sweet Drinks

You should avoid sweet drinks like fruit juice, sports drinks, flavored waters, soft drinks, and flavored milk. Sweet drinks are high in sugar and don’t contain any nutrients They can cause weight gain, obesity, and tooth decay. These drinks just fill up your tummy and don’t give space for healthy meals.

3. Avoid Caffeine

Caffeine blocks calcium absorption. Hence, it is recommended not to consume caffeinated drinks. Caffeine is also a stimulant, which means it gives you artificial energy. Too much caffeine can cause sleep problems as well.

Foods and drinks with caffeine include coffee, tea, energy drinks and chocolate.

Healthy alternatives for snacks and desserts

It is best to snack fruits instead of junk. You can also include other healthier alternatives like nuts, cheese, and fresh fruit or vegetables.

Fermented foods are good for the gut too. You can also try snacking them.

The same goes for dessert at the end of a meal. Sliced fruit or yogurt is the healthiest option.

Takeaway

Teenagers go through a lot of changes during adolescence. They need healthy food to fuel their body. If you are a teenager and looking to gain muscle mass, then follow the above steps diligently and most importantly train under adult supervision to avoid any injuries.