Squats, power cleans, and deadlifts

Jake15 · July 14th, 2006, 03:25 PM

I want to try out these three excersizes, but I'm afraid that the weight will squash me. I'm only 14, and i have a pretty skinny bone structure. How much weight should I start with, and are there any important things i need to know?

**PowerHouse** · July 14th, 2006, 04:00 PM

Start light, work on technique. If you have a weightlifting coach at your school see if he can help teach you some lifts. Dont worry about how much weight your doing worry about you preforming each rep with perfect form.

Squats usually take some time to get used to. Most people feel off balanced, its just one of those things you have to practice at to get better at. Again keep the weight light until your body is used to the movement, then you can start adding weight.

If you do power cleans and deadlifts on the same day, do power cleans first because deadlifts really sap my energy to do cleans. A few questions to you now. How long have you been working out? If so, what does your routine look like?

The most important thing is form. I can careless about how much you lift with shitty form, I would much rather see you lift with perfect form.

kuangykuang · July 15th, 2006, 10:10 PM

just don't hurt yourself. Like the dude above me said, start slow.

Jake15 · July 16th, 2006, 12:33 PM

I have been working out about 8 months. My routine is now for toning myself, because in cross country they don't want us to get too huge. Currently my routine is this.

Day one: Seated bicep curls- 3 sets.

Set one: medium weight, 13-15 reps
Set two: Medium/heavy weight, 9-12 reps
Set three: Heavy weight, 6-8 reps

Tricep kick-backs- 3 sets
Set one: Medium weight, 15 reps
Set two: Heavy weight, 10-12 reps
Set three: Very heavy weight, 8 reps

Bent over rows- 3 sets
Set one: Medium weight, 20 reps
Set two: heavy weight 15-20 reps
Set three: Very heavy weight 12-15 reps

Day two: rest

Day Three: Hammer curls- 3 sets
Set one: Medium weight, 20 reps
Set two: Heavy weight, 10-14 reps
Set three: very heavy weight 6-10 reps

Bench press/ Incline bench press- 2 sets of each
Set one: Light/medium weight, 20 reps
Set two: medium weight, 15 reps
Set three (incline press): Light weight, 20 reps
Set four (incline press): medium/heavy weight 10-12 reps

Day four: rest

I'm very scared of benching, I'm scared I won't grow. I'm considiring adding wrist curls to my routine to. Two problems I have right now are that I'm so tired between tae kwon do and running that I havn't worked out in 8 days. Also, like you said some of those excersizes really will exhaust me. I'm having trouble finding a place for them.

**JoeBAR** · July 16th, 2006, 03:34 PM

mmmh, no leg work, typical teenager

You DON'T need to start heavy, you need to start with what you CAN do. It doesn't matter who watches you, it doesn't matter what others lift, and it doesn't matter what they think of what you lift. GET IT

Now, don;t worry about getting 'huge' for crosscountry, with a routine like this, it ain't gonna happen.

DON'T be scared of not growing. First, you don;t wanna grow 'huge' and then you're scared of growing... Not exactly logical, but nevermind. Just bench what you can, it'll improve with time. Young, skinny, we all been there (well, appart from PowerHouse, but he's exceptional

) You don;t have to try to bench 225lbs yet, nor squat it, nor deadlift it. If 135 is your max, SO WHAT? Less? So WHAT? I see school kids in my gym bench pressing 225 for 3 assisted reps, with a buddy at each end struggling to lift it for 'em, what's the point???? Just take it easy, deep breath, unhook it, let it come down and push it back up. When you manage 10 resp @ (weight whatever), the next week, you try (weight whatever) + 10 lbs, that's it! Same for all exercise... Well, on your curls, don't add 10lbs at a time

but for bench or squats, it's fairly safe.

Now, get back there, close the world around you, and work out YOUR session, and add some squats and deadlift (LIGHT!) to your routine, you'll thank me later

**stephenlavin** · July 16th, 2006, 04:06 PM

dude ...when you are doing the clean and other activities in that bracket technique is vital ...thats why you should start light like all the above guys are saying . Believe me ..ive seen guys with awful technique suffer later on from injury as a result ...and dude go easy on the training ...u are doing too much and will suffer burn out and not excel i either sport as a result .....and joebar is right about the weights ..go easy ...you are not going to suddenly explode like the hulk ..weights will help u run for longer and run stronger

**Insex** · July 16th, 2006, 05:12 PM

1. Start off with light weight.

2. Execute picture-perfect form.

3. Leave room for improvement.

One thing that I noticed back in high school was by the time I was a senior, the strongest guys were usually the ones who were average in terms of strength back during their freshman year. The guys that were the strongest during their freshman year were no longer the strongest when they became seniors. Keep that in mind, and don't be in a hurry to get strong in a short amount of time. Good things come in time.

**forbodybuilders** · July 16th, 2006, 05:33 PM

listen to guys post..or get a trainer in gym!

Jake15 · July 18th, 2006, 09:41 PM

well, i don't do legs because it messed my knees up for running. I used to collapse after runs. the muscels got too big i guess.

thanks for the advice you guys. i work out with mostly only seniors and juniors there, so im not realy worried about what others think.

thanks for the responses, sorry i havn't been replying. i have been sick, so no deadlifts thi week

**tat2** · July 18th, 2006, 10:20 PM

if you have never done power cleans before start with power shrugs, jump shrugs, front squats and hang cleans. build your technique and DO NOT sacrifice form for weight!

**Goose102** · July 29th, 2006, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Insex

1. Start off with light weight.

2. Execute picture-perfect form.

3. Leave room for improvement.

One thing that I noticed back in high school was by the time I was a senior, the strongest guys were usually the ones who were average in terms of strength back during their freshman year. The guys that were the strongest during their freshman year were no longer the strongest when they became seniors. Keep that in mind, and don't be in a hurry to get strong in a short amount of time. Good things come in time.

Good post Insex. The last note you made is very true. I have noticed that before aswell.