Height? Tanner stage? Diet? Rest between sets? Incremental increases? ETC.?
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Son is stalling out on SS
My 14yr old is stalling in squats on starting strength. Started 80x5x3 and has worked up to 120x5x3. These are in pounds. He ways 135lbs. Deadlift, bench and press are moving up nicely. He eats a ton but is not gaining weight. Any help would be nice. Thanks in advance.
TMPHBITEU
Height? Tanner stage? Diet? Rest between sets? Incremental increases? ETC.?
Member
3.5 on the tanner stage, 5lb increases between workouts, 6-7 minute rests between work sets, he is 5’7 and he has 3 decent sized square meals a day
TMPHBITEU
You're pushing a little too fast here.
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Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe
This is what I do for a living. Dealing with young kids is a mine field. Lots and lots of kids have come through my program over the years and that age kid is HIGHLY variable.
As a default for me, I have taken to teaching the movement pattern to these age kids, so when they get the bug, it is easy to hit the ground running. I don't ask nor expect kids in this demographic to increase weight linearly (or maybe not at all). If a kid this age really gets excited about lifting we have the kids come in a couple of times per week and self select the load under CLOSE supervision, not allowing stupidity. This takes a watchful eye.
I find that most Hispanic kids are ready to start training somewhere around the end of 8th grade to beginning of 9th grade and 100% ready by sophomore year of high school. Caucasian kids tend to be a semester behind, but by the end of the 10th grade football season, everyone is good to go. Biggest problem with ALL kids is the fact they won't EAT and won't SLEEP.
As an aside....We don't do Power Cleans until the deadlift form is SOLID and they have started to be able to make linear progression.
All that to say: You are pushing a little too fast here.
sb
✓ Member
I had a great group of 6th graders that came in twice per week to our school weight room. I had them go two days per week, at first (5-6 weeks) all we did was Squat, Bench/Press and Deadlift, then I began teaching them the snatch the clean and eventually the jerk. We would then alternate days, Day 1 Strength Lifts and Day 2 Olympic. All lifts were done on a 10KG training bar and I would let them add weight occasionally on the strength movements. Then once a week we would do some time of competition. Races, tag, body weight stuff, isometric holds...kids love that those things.
Keep things fun and safe with kids. Do not get in a hurry and be very explicit about what you are doing. "We are LEARNING how to lift", I can't tell you how many times per session I would say "LEARNING". Now that group of kids is a bunch of little savages and love the weight room. When puberty hits them they will be ready to rock.
Be patient, teach the boy some movements with a barbell and keep things fun. He's still a kid.
Member
Any thoughts on girls? I am training my daughter who is 12. 5 feet 90lbs. I quickly (about 2 months) got her squatting 90x5x3 and deadlifting 110x5x3. She seemed to lose enthusiasm for lifting right about here. I decided I was pushing too hard and have her now lifting only once or twice a week just maintaining.
I'd love to start pushing her again, but like you say, little sleep and little eating, makes it difficult.
She normally plays soccer 3-4 times per week as well.
Member
OP, don't stress the training. If you or your kid want to get stronger have him eat more steaks and drink more milk. Weight gain is what is important here.
I find that the only time PT style calisthenics are valuable are for the youth. Sled/Prowler work is also beneficial. Introducing barbell training and the stress associated with it for a youth athlete is what leads to burnout/resentment/etc.
Once they are old/mature enough to begin barbell training the PT style calisthenics lose value and the individual will be mature enough to make their own decision on how they want to progress with their chosen sport. (If they do, if they don't, if they would rather weight train, etc.)
Member
Maybe you could talk to her about the ACL injury rate in recreative female soccer and how the deadlift and squat would help with that. That might motivate her.She normally plays soccer 3-4 times per week as well.
Member
Training your own kids is really hard. Training your own daughter, to me, is REALLY REALLY REALLY hard.
I have significantly less experience training this age group of girls. So little in fact, that I would be shooting blindly, and I won't do that. However, 3-4x a week of soccer is going to be a big deal as far as training. To me, I would not lift a boy of this age playing that much soccer outside of simply letting them get coached at the movements at their interest level.
Let her play soccer and if y'all lift together a couple of times a week, consider it a win. Sounds like you are doing a fair job of it.
Sorry I am not more helpful.
sb
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