Hello and Introduction. Tips/Help for 16 Y/O

Bigger Stronger Leaner
1

Hey guys,

First of all, I came here after not getting much good advice from other sites. I’m a 16 year old male who is looking to get bigger, look better and feel good (not exactly strange or unusual goals) in order to feel more confidence, get girls and (potentially) get fit enough for going to Sandhurst after University. I have only started by first year of A Levels, so I have time on my side. I also have plenty of paths I could take, so I may not end up there in the future at all, but I do know where I want to be physically.

Looking at my photos, what would you say my goals should be body-wise, and how would be the best way to get bigger, better and so on. I am unsure as to my body-fat percentage, and unsure with all of the terminology in general. Do I bulk up to show off/define my muscles, abs etc. more? Do I reduce my body fat percentage a little? As you can gather, I have plenty of questions which I think this community will be extremely helpful at answering.

I also model (not done anything too big yet, teenager and all haha) so getting a good, well, ‘ripped’ body would seriously help me in this area as it would make me look better as a whole, give me more confidence and perhaps open the way for more/different kinds of photoshoot. Plus girls who model are generally amaze, so if I can get the body I know I am capable of, I will have much more success than what I have had in the past - which is very low. I understand the key to that is much more than simply body/looks, but as many of you will be able to relate, having a good body does wonders for confidence and being physically attractive. I’m working on my conversational/pulling skills, so this seemed naturally the best thing to go along with that.

All of that being said, I am not a stranger to exercising and the gym. I’ve been going somewhat over the past few years, and while I have seen some improvement, I know that I need to be more structured, set and know what it is I am doing and where I want to go. Many programmes I have followed have had exercises which were complicated, or asked me to do more than what I could manage with my current commitments (school, air cadets, horse riding etc.). Simplicity, a programme which could allow me to just get on and work hard would be best. I want the most out of my time. I understand gains and progress takes time, but a programme which I could ‘feel’ working and feel the next day would do a lot to create a feeling of progress. A programme with complicated exercises and so on will just leave me guessing and making mistakes. I’m wanting to use my time more productively in 2016, and this is an area which could use some work. I want, and I know I can achieve, a physique which makes girls go “wow.” I’m not all about that, just another benefit would be that aside more confidence etc.

My stats:

Height: 5’ 9”
Waist: 32”
Thigh: 19.25 “
Shoulders: 42"
Hip: 37.5 “
Forearm: 10”
Chest: 35.5 “
Calf: 15”
Left Arm/Bicep:12.5 “
Right Arm/Bicep: 12 “
Weight: 132.277 lbs / 60kg
Body Fat Percentage: 15%

Thank you fellas for reading this (kinda) long introduction post. Leave any feedback you may find useful. What do YOU think my goals should be? What is my current fitness state right now? What programmes do you think would do the most for me? How long (roughly, and again I must emphasis I know this takes time, it is just helpful/motivating to have a time of year to aim for) will it take for me to start seeing visible results? I would like to avoid excessive weight lifting and have a good balance between bodyweight and weight lifting, as I will have to be ace at press ups, pull ups etc. if I do go to Sandhurst (at the minute I cannot get past 3-4 pull ups :confused: ).

Many thanks, and good luck to all of you this year!

Kierensaddlr

P.S. Any other questions you have, please ask. If a programme comes to mind, tell me :slight_smile: . Also apologies if it seems long-winded.

2

The answer to most of your questions is “it depends”, which I realise is probably not what you wanted to hear.

The importance of diet cannot be overstated. Unfortunately, as a 16 year old you are probably limited to whatever your parents buy and cook. Do you have a job? Even just being able to buy a whey protein supplement would be a big help depending on what your diet actually looks like.

It’d be helpful if you could tell us what a typical day’s eating looks like for you (be honest!).

In terms of routine, again, it depends. I would think just a basic full body routine training 3x a week would be enough. Something like this:

Would be fine. If you’re not wanting to lift a lot of weights and just improve things like push ups, pull ups etc. then you might want to do something different. Your goal of wanting a super sexy body to impress the honeys (there’s no shame in that, by the way, I’ll bet that’s why most folk start lifting weights) will be most easily attained by weight training, but you might want to prioritise training in such a way as makes your goal of going to Sandhurst easier to realise.

In terms of how long it takes to get results - it depends. Depends on your diet, your training, pretty much everything you do.

3

Hello Yogi, and thank you for your help!

My parents heavily dislike the thought of me taking supplements, and believe that protein powders are a waste of money, do not do much, and have even made me watch a documentary which had a section on their supposed effectiveness. I am considering getting glutamine tablets, which they are not opposed to. I’m not against weight training at all, I know that a good balance needs to be met between the two to give myself the aesthetics and functional strength/fitness required there.

At 16, I pretty much eat a lot. I’m 60kg, and 1.75m tall. I don’t overeat on sugary treats, takeaways or anything. Usually have a takeaway once a weekend and sometimes fish and chips on a Friday (with big pieces of fish). Aside that, I eat well. I eat bread, don’t want to or see the sense in cutting it out at my age when I need it for energy and so on. When healty options are available, I usually choose it. When there is nothing real healthy available I have to choose between staying hungry or eating the unhealthy thing. That does not happen often. I do not have a job, but have a decent amount in the bank account which my parents say I can have access to within reason.

The programme looks really good, just getting my head around which compound and single ones to do and when may be slightly difficult to think about. Perhaps plan on a week or two week basis.

4

ah yes, the weird dislike all parents seem to have for protein supplements. I know it well. My dad once asked me if I was “still doing protein” like the shit was heroin or something. All you can do is present them with the facts, but good luck with that; they’ve probably already made up their mind. Really, a protein supp isn’t necessary provided you can get enough from your diet. 1g per lb of your bodyweight (so for you that’d be like 130g I think) is a good target to shoot for but you can probably get away with less provided you eat enough total calories.

yeah, you’re young enough and skinny enough that you can eat pretty much anything you like without getting fat. The downside of that is putting on mass will be a struggle. There’s sneaky ways you can get your calories in like whole milk, snacking on nuts, adding cheese to EVERYTHING, etc. Don’t use that as an excuse to eat like shit (not that I think you’re going to) but definitely don’t fear things like cheeseburgers. There’s a time and a place for things like counting calories but for now I’d just focus on eating well and often, with protein at every meal.[quote=“kierensaddlr, post:3, topic:214595”]
The programme looks really good, just getting my head around which compound and single ones to do and when may be slightly difficult to think about. Perhaps plan on a week or two week basis.
[/quote]

you can change it up as often as you like but try and keep a few of the same compounds in for a couple of months at least. Things like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, rows, etc. If you are increasing the weight you can use on these lifts, then you know you’re making progress. If you change exercises too frequently you never really know if you’re getting better. It doesn’t matter as much when it comes to vanity work like curls or lateral raises.

Feel free to post up what you were thinking of doing in terms of routine and I’ll tweak it for you.

5

Absolutely this.

If the army is a real possibility getting good at pull ups, push ups and running will be a massive help. Add to that getting strong and you should be in a pretty good position.

I’d say 531 with the bodyweight assistance template would be great for this.

Get into the habit of eating well. That’ll help you massively with any other goals you have.

6

Yeah, maybe when I am older and free to make those decisions on my own would be good. Being honest I have no idea what ones to do and when, in what order etc. I know it is flexible and I am meant to do my own choosing but more experienced people like you and Mark probably could come up with a more effective set of combinations than me :slight_smile: . If you have the time and are willing to come up with exercise combinations then that would be swell :smiley: . I mean with regards to the different workouts for each week. Hope that isn’t too much work. I really appreciate all the help from you two.

7

you’d think so, but nope, not really. If you read through the article you’ll see he gives you a list of exercises to choose from, and recommends changing them as often as you like so even if you don’t like an exercise you’ve picked, you can just change it next time.

No exercises are magic, and it’s not really ever the case that one exercise is better than the other. Certain exercises will feel more natural due to your body shape, and you’ll feel some exercises working the target muscle more than others. This is the sort of thing that you only learn by getting your ass in a gym and getting started. It’s also the fun part! Constantly trying new things, assessing your progress, sticking to what works and abandoning the stuff that isn’t.

If you read that article carefully, apply the information in it and bust your ass in the gym I guarantee you’ll make progress. Don’t be scared to make the decisions for yourself; it’s all part of the process.

8

This is what I did yesterday:

Single-jointed exercises…

  • Preacher Curls (7.5-10 kg)
  • Leg Curls (40 kg)

Compound exercises…

  • Pronated Grip Pull-Downs (35kg)
  • Deadlifts (15kg)
  • Incline Barbell Bench Press (30kg)
  • Side Raises (6kg)

Did those for 3 sets of 5 reps, with 60 second rest as per the programme. I don’t feel like I’ve done anything the morning after. I guess I don’t need to exhaust my muscles like that to make progress. Should I vary the body areas up as much as that or less so? You mentioned earlier I should keep some of the exercises the same (not past two weeks, I am learning) to see if I see progress, but what if I don’t go back to the exercise in a while to avoid my body getting used to the motions and stop making gains?

9

Oh, two more questions: first of all, what should I do with regards to abdominals? The programme does not seem to have anything really on it, and that’s a major part of my body which I want to improve on. Secondly, what should I do on my rest days? I was thinking about going for a run or walk with a pack on my back as part of endurance training. Opinions?

10

I had the opportunity many years ago to spend a few weeks with the Sandhurst cadets on some of their exercises. They ruck. A lot. Over some difficult terrain.
For me, rucking was a combination of body weight (it’s easier to carry weight when you weigh more, which is a little different from running) and endurance. I’m certainly happy to tell you how I’d build out a week, but I don’t think it really matters what you do as you’re half a decade out. Lift to meet your aesthetic goals, do some body weight moves to practice for your entrance tests, and keep some longer conditioning in so its not a big task when you have to get in shape - take care of your joints, though.

11

I might be missing something here but you did 15 kg deadlifts at 60 kg bodyweight and you incline benched 60 kg?

That’s just, well, weird.

12

For the Bench press that was in total, i.e. 30kg. For the deadlifts it was 30kg. I messed up on my description. Moving on, are you able to answer my questions? :slight_smile: .

13

Thank you man. Really interesting to know about what they do. I am interested as to how you build out a week, starting early is better than late after all.

14

Don’t worry too much about the strength levels just now, they’ll climb quickly. 30k isn’t a great deadlift though; I bet you could go heavier on that if you really tried. Also, the point of a program isn’t to destroy you every session. As the weeks go on and the workouts get harder, you’ll feel it. You’ll also get better at pushing yourself harder so just stay the course.

Side raises aren’t a compound exercise. Other than that your exercise selection is fine. The whole changing things after 2 weeks isn’t something I agree with but it’s Waterbury’s program and he knows his shit so just do it like he says.

Your body doesn’t really “get used to the motions and stop making gains” so don’t worry about shit like that.

Opinions differ about abdominals. Some say big lifts like squats and deadlifts are enough, others say you need to hit them directly. At your stage of development I wouldn’t dedicate too much time to them. You could do sets of crunches in between your isolation exercises. You’ll get a bit of abdominal work in that way and it won’t interfere too much with the rest of the routine.

I guess a bit of backpack rucking wouldn’t kill you but the point of rest days is to rest. That’s when your body supercompensates for all the work it does on days you train. If you were training Mon/Wed/Fri then a bit of something like that on Saturday would work, then you’d have Sunday to chill out and recover. Make sure you eat like a horse though. I wouldn’t personally recommend it but seeing as it’s something you need for your chosen career path I suppose you’d better do something like that.

15

I’ll try doing more in my next workouts, maybe 40kg. See what I can handle. My sixth form works on a week 1, week 2 system so planning out when I can do what would be a good idea and avoid any confusion. Mon/Wed/Fri would work great on one week, I’ll have to work something out for the other one. A Sat/Sun run would be a nice thing to work into my routine, and every so often a run during the week to clear my mind of school work can’t hurt. Serious ab work could also be saved for the weekend, I got a great app and it’s easy to find some good stuff online. Could mix up some press ups or something too, but not too much. The weekend is there for rest (try telling that to school haha).

I guess the reason why I thought I had to exhaust myself each session is because at this point in my life I’m wanting to smash barriers, smash fears and destroy obstacles to my success and future. Doing that physically would help spur me on mentally. I now know that I do not have to do that. It’ll happen as you say.

Another thing: What would you guys say about me getting some glutamine tablet supplements? My parents have a total dislike of protein powders/shakes, but supplement tablets they seem to be okay with. Done a little research and from what I can gather they help with muscle.

I can’t you Yogi, or anyone who gave help on this thread, enough. Cheers guys :slight_smile: .

16

do it! But don’t let your form go to shit because you’re trying to hoist weights beyond your capability. Trust me, injuries are no fun.

na, just do the crunches between isolations if you must.

Well, the workouts shouldn’t be easy, maybe you just need to push yourself a little harder. It’s all alien to you just now but you’ll get the hang of it.[quote=“kierensaddlr, post:15, topic:214595”]
What would you guys say about me getting some glutamine tablet supplements
[/quote]

Glutamine’s good for your digestive health but not much else.

17

BCAA pills or EAAs/essential aminos taken mid workout would be better. Beef amino pills with meals either side of workout also great.

This should be parent friendly as well…

18

I’ll second BCAAs as a the one supplement to pick if you have to choose one. I go on and off protein shakes but I wouldn’t drop BCAAs. I also am a big fan of creatine monohydrate but I’m guessing your parents might be antsy about that for absolutely no good reason. If you do manage the creatine, I’ve found not cycling to work well. I did a seven day 20g/day loading phase to start and since then I’ve been on about 7.5g/day (since January 2015). If I do miss a day, I just double up the next day.

However, neither are essential AT ALL if you’re eating well. I just happen to like them and I can afford them.

19

I’ll try talk to them about me getting some of those BCAAs. Let you fellas know how it goes. Getting a hold of this stuff will be so much easier when I head to university. On a side note, any of you good at picking up girls? That’s another area of my life I’m working on, and seeing how helpful and informative all you fine people have been, it would be great if I could improve that part of my life too.

20

Step 1 - Purchase guitar

Step 2 - Learn to play and sing Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls

Step 3 - Seduce girls with it

If that’s not an option, then be confident, funny (without being a clown) and direct. And don’t be scared to ask chicks out. The more you do it the better you get at it.

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