Young Daugther and a Suitable Program

[OzDamo]

Hi Folks

I had asked this in Andy's forum, but he seems like he's been under the pump recently so thought I'd come over here.

My Daughter (13 yrs old) came to me the other day saying she wanted some muscles. We decided a full chin up would be a great goal to shoot for. She has really poor co-ordination at the moment, and is really pretty weak so I started her doing the following to try and give her some motion control.

SQ 3x20@BW
Bench/Press Alternating
Chins 3x5xNegatives

Will add the barbell to the squat once she starts showing some form.

My question is, what would be some good exercises I might add in.

cheers
Damo

[Tom Campitelli]

Deadlifts. Also, I would get her a light bar. Rogue has a 15 pounder that would be very useful.

http://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-5k...-technique-bar

Rip is not a fan of kids training and I am largely in agreement with him. However, if you daughter wants to lift, there is no reason she should not. Load her very conservatively and if she continues to enjoy the lifting, great. You may need some technique plates/light bumpers to get proper spacing off the floor for deads. A full chin up is a good goal, too.

[OzDamo]

Thanks Tom. I've already got a light bar. No way she could use a full size yet. Its a cheap 8kg from a sports store but perfect for her.

I'm only planning to do light weight and lots of reps in the presses. My main aim is to get her to enjoy exercising. She doesn't see herself as "athletic" at all. I'd like to change that and get her a bit fitter in the process. Fine line between motivating and turning them off.

Made my own technique plates out of plywood. I think I'll give her a couple of weeks before we go for deadlifts, but I think that is a pretty good idea.

[Karl Schudt]

I've had success with my girls on a once a week SS program. We are homeschoolers (I know, weird, right?), so it's gym class for us. We are conservative with weight, going up usually 1lb a week. Both of the older girls (11 and 9) can squat and pull more than BW for 5, so that's cool. For the presses there's just not enough volume, but I don't care--they are just kids, getting the activity their ancestors would have gotten on the farm. Two of them really like it, and the other one likes that when she goes to her horse-riding classes, she's able to do all the two-point and posting stuff really easily.

You definitely need a light bar, and some 5lb technique plates.

[Immortal_k]

Deadlifts. Also, I would get her a light bar. Rogue has a 15 pounder that would be very useful.

http://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-5k...-technique-bar

Rip is not a fan of kids training and I am largely in agreement with him. However, if you daughter wants to lift, there is no reason she should not. Load her very conservatively and if she continues to enjoy the lifting, great. You may need some technique plates/light bumpers to get proper spacing off the floor for deads. A full chin up is a good goal, too.

Why is that? From what I've gathered the fear over barbell training negatively effecting the growth of children is immensely exaggerated.

[stef]

Rip is not a fan of forcing kids into a highly structured, aggressive training program. Lifting is safe. But a big, grown-up linear progression is better after puberty is well along and they choose to pursue it themselves.

[James72090]

The lighter bars usually have a smaller diameter too which is useful assuming she has tiny girl hands. Also you could spend a good fifteen minutes make technique plates out of plywood so that the bar can rest at proper deadlift height for her.

[SpinyNorman]

We are homeschoolers (I know, weird, right?), so it's gym class for us.

A few years ago I may have thought it a little weird, but after having kids and looking at the school district we are in I don't find it strange at all. I also had a short career detour to try out teaching and got an eye opening crash course in public education. Our kids are 4 and 2 years old and my wife has already started preschool at home.

I hope my kids get into lifting but I wasn't going to force the issue. I do like the idea of using it as gym class when they are older though. Right now it doesn't seem like it will take much to get them interested in lifting. They both love swinging on the rings. My boy (4 year old) will occasionally deadlift a kettle bell or atlas stone the medicine ball into a wheelbarrow or grab the broomstick to work in on the bench. I've seen my daughter put the broomstick on her back and squat (grunts included).