Hi Gennaro,
I would like to know at what age can my son start using weights. He is 15 and plays Australian Rules Football at a junior club in Victoria, Australia. He plays with boys that are turning 16 this year and he only turned 15 in Jan 2010. Thank you for your time and hope to hear from you soon.
Pat
Hi Pat,
Your son can start weight training now with light weights and basic exercises. I would also suggest you combine his dumbell work with some body resistance exercises. I recommend that you also increase his total caloric intake and have him eat regularly throughout the day.
A common myth is that if you weight train alone you will get bigger and stronger, but without increasing calories (and as aerobically active as he must be) your son will not get bigger or stronger. The bottom line is, he has to be eating more quality calories than he is burning in order to put on size and strength.
I wish I had of known (or been more conscious) when I was a teen that it was OK to weight train and eat more, as I also played Aussie rules and was a very skinny kid. Although skillful I could have used an extra 10lbs for extra hip and shoulder nudge. Because Aussie Rules Football is a very physical sport and requires (among other things) power, endurance, and strength, basic weight training and calisthenics will be great for him.
Here is a guideline routine he can perform every day or 2nd day depending on how he recuperates from each session.
Warm up:
Arm circles
Body weight squats
Routine:
Pushups 3 x 15-20 ( very slow and controlled)
Dumbell flys 3 x 12
Pullups/Chinups 3 x 8-12
Dumbell single arm rows (with knee and hand on bench for support) 3 x 10-12
Hanging leg raises (abs) 3 x 15-20
Swiss ball crunches or Situps 3 x 20
Dumbell squats (holding dumbells by side progressively increasing load over sets and or sessions) 3 x 12-15
Single dumbell calf raises 3 x 12-15
Dumbell side raises 3 x 8-10-12
10 minute Warm down:
Stretch hamstrings, glutes, quads, calves, and upperbody. Refer to his coach or a good stretch book for specifics on stretching technique.
Let me know how he goes with it and keep in touch!
Gennaro
A great wholebody back exercise that is often incorrectly performed or neglected altogether. Make sure you incorporate this exercise in all your back or whole body exercise routines. Stay tuned for more Quick Fit Tips and visit us at www.ferrafitness.com for more on health, nutrition, seminars and group fitness training.
Hi Gennaro,
I’m really interested to learn how to shop for healthy foods - there are Whole Foods Markets in Canada too. I’ve done competition diets but think there is a better way to shop for foods and stay as lean as possible year round. You’re amazingly lean. How do you maintain that? Steve Reeves was a great power walker too .
Please drop me line.
Regards,
Dustin
Dustin,
Thanks for your positive feedback. Competition diets are too strict I agree but the concept of adhering to 5-6 small consistent meals a day taken from the bodybuilding school of thought is what has kept me consistently lean over 20 years since winning the Mr. Australia. This will also work for you if you’re consistent and can incorporate enough cardio and resistance training in to your lifestyle program.
WholeFoods/Wholebody is an excellent place to shop and has everything you need. Here is an example of my nutrition program. Using this as a guideline will help you attain that lean look year round.
Breakfast 7am
1 cup of organic oatmeal or cream of buckwheat (1/3 cup) with 2 scoops of Whey Protein Concentrate (non bovine and or hormone free) mixed with 10 ounces of organic almond milk
Mid-Morning 10am
6 organic egg white scrambled or omelet (1 yolk) with 1 cup of cooked organic brown rice or brown rice cereal or 2 small slices of organic German 100% rye bread. Toast bread and top with 1/4 of organic avocado.
Lunch 1pm
Grilled or oven roasted turkey breast (6 ounces) or ground turkey breast burgers (no breadcrumbs) with a 6 ounce baked sweet potato and side of low sodium pure lentil soup (1 cup)
Mid-afternoon 4pm
Isopure zero carb protein shake or homemade shake (as above) with spring water and a tablespoon of organic almond butter
1 banana
Dinner 7pm
Lean organic lamb, chicken, beef or wild salmon (6 ounces) with one 16 ounce frozen bag of Wholefoods organic Asian stir fry steamed veggies.
Supper 10pm (optional - if up past midnight)
6-8 organic scrambled egg whites
* Drink 3 litres/quarts of water a day
* Supplement with L-Carnitine liquid, L-Glutamine and a Multivitamin/mineral
* Eat fresh organic fruit between meals if hungry.
Let me know how you go with it mate!
Gennaro
Gennaro,
I’m a busy professional and enjoy working out in the gym, but can only train a body-part intensely for no longer that 15 minutes, and then I start to lose energy, interest, and that desired burning/pumping feeling in the muscle. I love cardio but am strapped for time and get bored spending too much time on the cardio equipment. Is there a routine you can prescribe me that will have me work specific bodypart’s without burning out, get some intense cardio in at the same time, and keep me under the clock so I don’t spend too much time in the gym, and give me the body defining results I need?
Thanks so much!
Gerald
Gerald,
Here is a results driven cardio/bodypart routine that will help you shape and define specific muscles while burning fat and keep your workouts short, sweet and intense.
I call it my Interval Cardio Bodypart Specific Training Program
Day 1
12 mins intense Cardio
10 mins chest
10 mins intense cardio
12 mins back
10 mins cardio
8 min abs
Day 2
Cardio 36-40 minutes (A combination of 12 minutes of each of stationary bike, elliptical and treadmill or a 40 minute outdoor powerwalk or both)
Day 3
12 mins intense cardio
12 minutes quads
10 mins cardio
10 minutes hams
10 mins cardio
8 minutes calves
8 mins cardio
Day 4
Cardio 35 minutes (A combination of 12 minutes of each of stationary bike, elliptical and treadmill or a 40 minute outdoor powerwalk or both)
Day 5
10 mins intense cardio
10 mins shoulders
8 mins cardio
8 mins biceps
10 mins cardio
8 mins triceps
8 mins cardio
6 mins abs
Day 6
Cardio 35 minutes (A combination of 12 minutes of each of stationary bike, elliptical and treadmill or a 40 minute outdoor powerwalk or both)
Day 7
Rest
This program has proven to be very effective with many of my clients. If you need more specifics on this program feel free to call me or book in for a trial session.
Be consistent and enjoy the results!
Always in health!
Gennaro