Do You Encourage a Young Lifter?

Off Topic
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[quote]Professor X wrote:
My main problem is there seem to be many people just like that on this board lately and they are who that post was directed towards…those who use immeasurable “goals” like “functionality” to explain why they look exactly the same half a decade later. It is nothing but a cop out, a lame excuse.

A “measuring stick” should be used in some way to determine progress, whether it be the size of your biceps or the weight lifted in competition. If no measuring stick can be used because the goal was some arbitrary concept, they are wasting their time.[/quote]

Can’t argue with that. If you don’t have concrete goals, what’s the point?

I was just saying that bicep size is not the only way to measure progress. I just don’t agree with the idea that there strength/size is the only thing you could possibly gain from weightlifting. It is by far the most important, but I think there is a little more to it than just that.

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[quote]buckeye girl wrote:
Professor X wrote:
My main problem is there seem to be many people just like that on this board lately and they are who that post was directed towards…those who use immeasurable “goals” like “functionality” to explain why they look exactly the same half a decade later. It is nothing but a cop out, a lame excuse.

A “measuring stick” should be used in some way to determine progress, whether it be the size of your biceps or the weight lifted in competition. If no measuring stick can be used because the goal was some arbitrary concept, they are wasting their time.

Can’t argue with that. If you don’t have concrete goals, what’s the point?

I was just saying that bicep size is not the only way to measure progress. I just don’t agree with the idea that there strength/size is the only thing you could possibly gain from weightlifting. It is by far the most important, but I think there is a little more to it than just that.[/quote]

…yeah, heart and dedication. The satisfaction comes through achievment.

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basically the size and strength is the reward because of how much of a war it is to get it. therefore, any other things you would say as a reward from lifting such as self-confidence or a sense of achievement are a direct product of that size and strength. size and strength is something tangible from your hard efforts. that is why they are the means of measuring progress, on this site, and in reality.

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[quote]BigMike wrote:
shizen wrote:
BigMike wrote:
i hit puberty when i was 12 had a mustash and everything…

studies shown people who hit puberty early don’t grow as much so your probably like 5’6.

hahaha im 5’8 [/quote]

i feel your pain, i was 5’6 in the 6th grade and now i’m 5’8

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[quote]ericbyrnesjr wrote:
BigMike wrote:
shizen wrote:
BigMike wrote:
i hit puberty when i was 12 had a mustash and everything…

studies shown people who hit puberty early don’t grow as much so your probably like 5’6.

hahaha im 5’8

i feel your pain, i was 5’6 in the 6th grade and now i’m 5’8[/quote]

Whatever happened to the T-Nation short guys club or whatever they called it? Nate Dogg was a founding member, where are ya bro?

66

[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
ericbyrnesjr wrote:
BigMike wrote:
shizen wrote:
BigMike wrote:
i hit puberty when i was 12 had a mustash and everything…

studies shown people who hit puberty early don’t grow as much so your probably like 5’6.

hahaha im 5’8

i feel your pain, i was 5’6 in the 6th grade and now i’m 5’8

Whatever happened to the T-Nation short guys club or whatever they called it? Nate Dogg was a founding member, where are ya bro? [/quote]

He finally shrunk out of existance. A shame really. I will miss him.

67

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Tiribulus wrote:
ericbyrnesjr wrote:
BigMike wrote:
shizen wrote:
BigMike wrote:
i hit puberty when i was 12 had a mustash and everything…

studies shown people who hit puberty early don’t grow as much so your probably like 5’6.

hahaha im 5’8

i feel your pain, i was 5’6 in the 6th grade and now i’m 5’8

Whatever happened to the T-Nation short guys club or whatever they called it? Nate Dogg was a founding member, where are ya bro?

He finally shrunk out of existance. A shame really. I will miss him.
[/quote]

He was 150lbs of pure beast.

68

[quote]medevac wrote:
dianab wrote:

I guess everyones different. I’m really much more concerned with technique than being big and strong, but I’m not a body builder.
All I’m saying is that there is more to exercise in general than just the end results. Your metaphor is nice but it’s not really the same thing, for me at least.

I understand that you’re concerned with technique, but in that case, couldn’t you use a broomstick for all your exercises? If you’re into Olympic lifts, that is an event judged solely by 1. legal technique and 2. AMOUNT OF WEIGHT LIFTED. That’s what brings home the gold.

If you get a feeling of accomplishment, then where is the challenge? I guess it can come from being able to “complete” a complex lift that you were unable to do before, as in a neural learning curve, but to mean something wouldn’t it have to be under some stressful load? Otherwise any couch potato could lift the remote above their head and call themselves master of the clean and press. The fact that you have to have strength as well as technique is what makes it special, and therefore worthy of accomplishment (as far as physical accomplishments go).

I agree that there are a lot of corollaries to just strength, etc like feelings of control, self determinism, etc.

Oh, and on the kids thing, the main problem I have with it is not the endocrine side of things, but the maturity. You may have a kid that can physically gain muscle but what is the idiot doing when you’re not looking? Half time they will be wasting their time and yours when you try to train them…and for kids, that’s completely fine because they are KIDS and that’s pretty much what they do.

As far as getting them active, letting them into to the gym and trying stuff out I’m all for it. But children routinely stick with exercise and programs if you can make it more like play or structured like football, martial arts, etc. than sets and reps and pyramids. They just lack the requisite conceptual ability to rationalize exercise in that way until they get into their teens.
[/quote]

Of course, going up in weight on the bar feels great, but it’s not my main focus, for the moment. Once I get the technique down, it will become more important. The proper form is really the challenge right now for me. I’ve only been doing OL for 5 months, and I have a long way to go.

I agree with what you say about kids, I have a teenager and I get it. I think the original post was about encouraging a kid who was already in the gym, so he must have some interest and want to be there. In that case, yes I’d encourage it, but I wouldn’t want to force it on any kid, just as any other activity. All in all, if they are moving their butts and not watching TV, it’s all good.

Thanks for your responses, you made your point in an intelligent manner and didn’t resort to name calling and general degradation. I appreciate that.

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Sounds like an argument between mars and venus.

LiveFromThe781 you never stated how much work you’ve done with kids. Anybody who has worked with kids has definitely seen gains in strength, and some kids size even. Just because they didn’t turn to conan doesn’t mean they didn’t gain.

If a kid can do 10 pushups today, and 50 next year did he not get stronger? Do you the same thing doesn’t happen with weight?

Lastly, considering most elite athletes are determined during the time before puberty how would you justify staying away from weights? Could you imagine if gymnast waited til 13 to try and get strong enough to do the shit they do.