SS Novice Teenage Lifter

[Oncelost77]

Started last week on the Novice SS program with my 13 year old son. I am active duty military, CF instructor at our base box on the side, and a college football referee. My son weighs 104, 5'2" with 11% BF (bod pod), and is always the fastest kid on his team. Which at his size is a necessity to stay alive on the FB field. He is going into the 8th grade and played FB, swam, wrestled, and ran track this past year.

I will be trying my best to stay on the program. He can't quite handle GOMAD yet but we get half every day with a protein shake mixed in also. He has never been a big eater. He picked up 3lbs in the first two weeks, which I am happy about because of his eating habits. I am 203, 5'11", 15% BF for comparison.

Did CF total yesterday because my gym was doing it and I was coaching it. Wanted some metrics much like any lifter does.

Son @103
HBBS 105
Press 55
DL 115

We try LBBS every workout but just not able to get it locked in on his back yet. I do HBBS due to 360 degree torn labrum and mobility issues. Also, I have never done it nor comfortable teaching it until I get to a seminar or receive some one-on-one instruction. Below is the log that I started last week.

http://startingstrength.com/resource...ad.php?t=40713

Besides doing the program as the book directs and getting to a seminar, is there any other considerations that I should take into account due to his age? Metrics that should be tracked, vertical, 40, shuttle, etc... ? We both understand getting stronger helps everything and see that regardless of how it transfers to the field, he/we will be better for it. A lot of kids go out for all sports around here (NE), so we want to have the best shot at him having a successful/rewarding HS sports experience.

Thanks for taking time to read and I look forward to any and all advice/insight that you can share and anyone else for that matter.

[Mark Rippetoe]

At his age and bodyweight, he's a bit young for this program. His increases will have to be smaller, and much attention must be paid to technique -- he DOES NOT increase weight unless his form is perfect. Pay special attention to the eccentric phases of his squat, press, bench, and deadlift. Make sure he is in perfect eccentric control as he lowers the bar and his body.

[Oncelost77]

Thank you. I have really pressed his form as the most important thing. I need another coach to interact with him. He trusts me but I have helped coach him in sports for the last couple of years and it can be difficult for him at times.

[Mark Rippetoe]

It can be very hard to coach your own kids.

[Oncelost77]

Will stick with fractional increases and maybe reduce reps until he locks in form. Wait to get some meat on his bones too. We'd be okay with 50-100lb increase over the year but with perfect form.

Hopefully he will be ready for his freshmen year in the gym. They take their time at the HS with freshmen and don't allow DL initially. They are big fans of hang cleans and all things 3RM or 5RM. Thanks again and maybe we can make a camp/seminar. Is their an age requirement?

[Mark Rippetoe]

I'd recommend a camp for him. Seminars are quite a bit over the head of a 13-year-old kid. And I'd keep his reps at 5, the best balance between practice and heavy.

[Rob Miller]

Great thread. Good luck to you & your son Oncelost!

[Oncelost77]

Thanks Rob, my son likes the idea of getting strong and in shape. But gets bored in the gym once we get there. We have a wrestling/grappling mat by our CF area and during rests, he goes and works on backflips, back handsprings. I guess he is like millions of us that want big gains with short term investment. I will say that while his friends are sleeping in everyday this summer, he is getting up with me and hitting the gym. Going into week three, so we shall see. I hope we are still at it come month 3. I was deployed for the last 4 months and we have enjoyed spending time together since getting home...even if it is in the sweaty old gym.

[TomF]

My kids learned to lift through Starting Strength. As a result, my youngest, now 14, was deadlifting #135 (well over 2X bodyweight at the time) when he was 8. We did exactly what Rip's suggested above, with one addition. Because I was working out with them, my kids and I agreed to become each other's form coaches. So when my chest started to drop, my knees didn't shove out far enough, my back started to unlock ... they were the guys responsible for giving Dad hell. And when theirs did ... I gave them hell.

Few things worked better in getting the meaning of the coaching cues into their brains, and the impact on their lifting was tremendous; their form is still a thing of beauty. It also was very positive for the Dad/Son relationships, taking what could have become hardass-Dad-dominant stuff demanding form etc., and turning it instead into a solid, mutually accountable training situation. They knew that I actually needed them to keep an eye on and correct my form to stay safe and to progress - and that I respected and trusted them enough to put that into their hands. And that they needed to respect and trust me the same way.

That's paid big dividends in other aspects of parenting in the years since. My older guy's now 21, and I'm quite sure that part of why he got through adolescence without major conflicts with me/my wife is because of the type of respect we'd developed for each other ... partly through the gym.

Neither of my lads has become a powerlifter, but each use lifting to support their other sports goals (e.g. rowing, martial arts). The younger guy, now that his testosterone is flowing freely, has recently re-focused on lifting in a bid to get bigger/stronger over the summer training with his skinny best friend in our home gym. It's been good to see him taking the same approach respecting form and the training relationship etc., as he walks his friend through SS.