Bodybuilding attracts many young and older adults who want to build muscle, shape their silhouette, lose weight, or join a group of practitioners: the reasons are multiple. It is a sport that can be practised at home without the high expense, making it particularly accessible. When to start? Can there be a negative impact on the health of young people? Should we follow a diet? When is it reasonable to quit? Here is an overview of best practices.
Bodybuilding: what is it for?
We see increasingly emerging on the networks of many Fit Girls or other personalities of the web who praise the merits. Bodybuilding, or muscle building, has become fashionable, far from the clichés of oiled bodybuilders. This enthusiasm should be encouraged since bodybuilding, like all sports, allows you to anchor a healthy lifestyle in your habits.
To start bodybuilding, here are some tips to put in place. Bodybuilding is a sports practice that allows you to increase muscle mass. For this, the practitioner repeats a series of specific exercises with or without weighted accessories. Bodybuilding allows you to work a muscle or a group of muscles specifically. It is a complete sport that increases muscle mass and, therefore, the primary metabolism.
Thus, the benefits acquired during the session last, and you will lose weight more quickly. It also improves its endurance and the strength of its joints, and if the session is cardio, it protects its cardiovascular system. I could be better practised. However, this sport exposes you to various traumas, such as sprains or tendinopathy.
When to start bodybuilding?
Kids can only do proper bodybuilding once they hit puberty. For them, it is advisable not to carry out a series of repetitions of movement nor to make them lift weights. Why?
Not having finished their growth, strength training and retraction of the muscles may disrupt bone growth. In the worst case, they can develop osteochondroses such as Osgood Schlatter’s disease or Sever’s disease, which are equivalent to microfractures in areas of bone growth. Indeed, tendonitis does not exist in children, and the bones suffer from the outset.
From 12-15 years old for girls and 14-17 for boys, depending on their development, we can start considering bodybuilding. Before, it was essential to give children a taste of the sport. It is also vital to maintain their muscles through fun exercises outdoors, during baby gym classes, and by working on balance and posture, but not by targeting muscles or muscle groups.
Here are a few tips for getting started with bodybuilding
When we start in adolescence, we start slowly, without carrying weight, only with body weight, and on short sessions. Do not force yourself to avoid hurting yourself. As soon as the teenager is in pain or his muscle is shaking, it’s time to stop.
To start, perform a maximum of 3 sets of 15 repetitions, total or half-body, so as not to injure yourself. In all cases, the presence of a supervisor who repositions the young athlete supervises him and guides him is essential.
The conditions for registering in the weight room
In France, you must be at least 16 years old to register in a weight room. Some clubs require a medical certificate as well as parental authorization. You will therefore have to wait until you are 16 to practice weight training independently.
Muscle building is ultimately beneficial at these ages, globally, to learn how to take care of your body, behave appropriately and gain self-confidence. This sport also teaches self-discipline and surpassing oneself, and like all sports, strengthens concentration. A balanced and varied diet in parallel is essential; there is no question of taking supplements or over-consuming proteins for aesthetic or performance purposes.
The good practice of bodybuilding
Once you have started, the ideal is to carry out at least 2-3 sessions per week, even short ones, to maintain muscle gains and continue the benefits over time. Bodybuilding is only sometimes cardio; adding 1 to 2 cardio sessions in the week is essential for a complete workout. Being supervised is an excellent way to have your movements controlled to avoid injuries. At home, a mirror will already be an excellent way to self-correct.
Whatever your age, it is essential to stop at the slightest pain that persists for more than 3 days and consult to avoid aggravating an injury, even a slight one.
When to stop bodybuilding?
“The older you are, the more fragile you are, so there must be an age when quitting is recommended. “The answer is no.
Continuing weight training and practising it when you are a senior is even the best idea you can have for your retirement. A regular and reasoned practice (by reducing the loads and respecting rest days) will maintain your health for many years. Being muscular will improve your balance and prevent falling and breaking bones. You will be able to play better with your grandchildren and remain independent.
Many municipalities offer senior gym classes, which will also be an opportunity to maintain social contact. Remember that weight training reverses sarcopenia, the natural loss of muscle mass associated with age, and will extend your years of life.
It’s always possible to start.
Do you want to start when you have never practised in your life? It is also possible. After approval from your doctor, start slowly, once a week, after a severe warm-up; after you have worked out for a few weeks and it has become more accessible, increase the intensity and resistance by about 10% per week. A week and finally, let yourself be carried away by the desire to start again.
