A while back (July 6, 2017), I wrote a post, “Coach wants him to add 50 pounds”. Recently, a friends said that her 13-year-old son’s basketball coach wanted him he needed to put on weight. Last night another friend offered this as a potential blog topic. Having a 13-year-old son, myself, it a worthwhile discussion.
First question to ask is: “What do we mean by ‘bulking up’?” I associate bulk with more indiscriminate weight gain. In other words, muscle mass is most desired, but there is less concern with subsequent fat gain. Many bodybuilders, for example, will undergo cycles of bulking (more appropriately termed “massing” or “hypertrophy”) and cutting (i.e., dieting to lose fat—while maintaining muscle).
Pre-teens are inherently in a bulking or massing phase. As puberty hits, boys and girls are at peak rates of growth. What is most important for pre-teens is that they learn healthy eating habits and get sufficient fuel to grow. During this time, every body will be different. If pre-teen means under the age of 13 years, most are just hitting puberty. We, as parents and coaches (especially coaches) should be focused on getting them through the awkwardness of puberty and the rapid rate of change to their body proportions. Telling a pubescent boy (or girl) that their body is in anyway inadequate is asking for body image issues. Let the body develop at its own pace.
Pre-teens can lift weights and set the course for “massing” when the time is appropriate. Until then, weightlifting should focus on technique. The athlete should also be emphasizing motor skill-related fitness (speed, power, agility, balance, coordination, and reaction time). In other words, the focus should be on athleticism. I suspect that most college football coach would take technique over size (knowing that the strength and conditioning coach can put on the right kind of weight on the athlete). Strength and hypertrophy are built on solid technique and a foundation of core, hip, and shoulder strength and mobility.
Don’t rush a kid to put on weight. Feed him/her and provide the pre-teen with access to plenty of healthy food options. If the kid is significantly underweight, emphasize more good food as opposed to allowing more crappy food to supply the snacks. I have seen many “skinny” kids get fat in adulthood when that “fast metabolism” leaves the building.
Lay the foundation for growth. Don’t start building too soon. It will be a lot easier in the later teens to add muscle than to cut fat.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!