Just getting started here, need some help.

[Sammo]

Hey, here is the deal guys.

I am 15 years old and have a layer of fat around me, not that big but its quite visible. I have been going to the gym 5 times a week for a while now, and have been lifting hard. I am getting stronger and more muscly.

If i bulk up then i will get stronger, which is cool when talking to friends because i am all ready one of the strongest in the group.

If i cut up I will look better for the ladies.

So having said that here are some questions.

1)Should i cut up or bulk up.

2)Does cutting up wield any physical advantqages besides looking better.

3)How does being 15 years old and still growing affect all this?

4)My parents prepare all the meals for me (well most of them) so i can't really determine how much calories is in what I eat.

5) I can't obtain any of the drugs that help me to bulk up/cut up


Thanks to whoever helps me out!

 

[De La Soul]

I'm gonna get straight to the point here. I just deleted my whole damn answer before I could reply, so I'll keep this short.

Originally posted by Sammo
1)Should i cut up or bulk up.

Bulk during these next 4 or 5 winter months and start cutting anywhere from early September to mid October for the summer.

2)Does cutting up wield any physical advantqages besides looking better.

Cutting basically involves cardio and eating less calories. So... yeah, you'll get fit and you'll do your vital organs a favour.

3)How does being 15 years old and still growing affect all this?

Not much. If anything, being a growing teenager with loads of hormones is an advantage. A lot of fully grown men would pay for those sort of natural advantages again.

4)My parents prepare all the meals for me (well most of them) so i can't really determine how much calories is in what I eat.

Get the basic bulking/cutting foods into your house and go from there. For example, when you're bulking, eat an egg with your weetbix for breakfast, take an extra sandwich and some tuna for lunch, eat some oats before going to bed with a glass of milk. Little things like that will make a big difference.

5) I can't obtain any of the drugs that help me to bulk up/cut up

What drugs? Creatine? Protein powder? Yeah, that stuffs pretty expensive anyway. And sure, most of them help but it's nothing you can't get from whole foods. Nothing. In fact, whole foods are far superior to supplements, generally speaking. So don't sweat it, supplements are purely a matter of convenience, they're not essential especially at your age.

If you need any more info on how to bulk/cut apart from these very general answers, let us know.

- De La Soul

 

[The Great Juan]

Hey Sammo, first of all i want to say good work so far, i wish i had started when i was 15 instead of nearly 22.

I'll try to give you a few ideas, but how about you give us another reply with a bit more info about you, like how much you weigh, exactly how long you've been working out, what your workout is (do you do cardio) etc.

1)Should i cut up or bulk up.

It really depends how happy you are with you body, some guys will bulk until they are quite flabby and don't give a ****, others hate not seeing their 6-pack and try to gain weight slower to stay lean. It depends what your bodyfat % is now and how high you are willing to get it up to before cutting.

2)Does cutting up wield any physical advantages besides looking better.

Not that i can think of, you will usually lose strength when cutting because you're using less calories etc.

3)How does being 15 years old and still growing affect all this?

Being 15 means you should be getting testosterone produced in your body like mad which helps lose fat and gain lean muscle.

4)My parents prepare all the meals for me (well most of them) so i can't really determine how much calories is in what I eat.

This really isn't a question come to think of it. Start cooking your own meals if you need more

5) I can't obtain any of the drugs that help me to bulk up/cut up

Forget about drugs man, although i reckon you should go and buy a multi vitamin/mineral. You can do without most supplements too, i just take whey protein and make shakes and protein bars.

I suggest you go to your gym and get them to calculate you bodyfat % too so you know exactly what it is. I would say keep bulking for now unless you're really unhappy with the way you look, but since it's nearly winter here in Australia i say keep bulking. If you happen to get all cosy (and naked ) with a girl just make sure it's dark

 

[Sammo]

Thanks DLS and TGJ.

I'll try to give you a few ideas, but how about you give us another reply with a bit more info about you, like how much you weigh, exactly how long you've been working out, what your workout is (do you do cardio) etc.

I weigh 67kg - Sorry its in metric system i don't know the calculation between lb and kg. I am 164 cm tall last time i checked(13 cm increase from last year). I have been working out exactly 5 weeks in which i have gone to the gym any where between 3 - 5 times each week.

I have been doing 3 sets of 8 of all these things:

Militriay press (10 kg each side, 20 kg bar)

DB Bench, lying down (20 kg each hand)

Fly's, lying down (12.5 Kg each hand)

DB Bicep curls(12.5 kg each hand)

This ab workout my friend showed me (he's with AIS) that you do with a medicince ball. Hard to explain.

As you can see my work out isn't very big. I need help choosing the right work out.

I am starting cardio tomorrow.

Thanks for your help again guys.

 

[The Great Juan]

As you can see my work out isn't very big. I need help choosing the right work out.

No worries, here's the exercises i think you should start doing and which bodyparts they work:

Chest
Flat barbell or DB bench press (you're doing DB, that's good)
Incline barbell or DB press on a 30 degree incline
Parallel bar dips (awsome , possibly the best upper body excercise)

Back
Deadlifts (possibly the best exercise you can do)
Rows (barbell or dumbell or seated, preferably the first two)
Wide grip chinups - kickass

Legs
Squats (equal to deadlifts for the best exercise)
Lunges - not enough people do these, they are great
Leg press
Calf raises

Arms
Bicep curls
close grip bench press for triceps
skull crushers for triceps

Shoulders and traps
Military press
Lateral raises
Shrugs
Upright rows

Now good luck doing all these on one day in an hour, so break up your workout so you're doing 2-3 bodyparts per workout. Here's an example:

Monday - Legs
Tuesday - rest
Wednesday - chest, triceps and shoulders
Thursday - rest
Friday - Back, traps and biceps
Weekend - rest

Now i notice you are not doing any back or leg workouts, you absolutely must do these bodyparts if you want a great physique. Not only will adding muscle to your back help protect your spine, but because your back and leg muscles are so large, working them hard will put your body under alot of stress. To combat this large stress, your body will produce more growth hormone. Now that you have a higher amount of GH, EVERY muscle will grow faster, cool huh?

Oh, i nearly forgot, since you've just started you probably won't know what half these exercises are, so here's a website to get you started:
http://www.theministryoffitness.com/exercises.htm

 

[Sammo]

Thanks mate, your helping me heaps.

So how long should i bulk up for before i start cutting up? Shouldnt i start cutting up BEFORE summer so im nice and cut for then?

I have started cardio, jogging twice a week (shirtless, so i get a tan ). Is this okay?

I can't count all the calories im eating so should i just eat alot of carbs/protein after my workout? What should i do when i want to start cutting up?

Also you didnt mention any abs in there, what should i do about that?

I know im asking you alot of questions. But thanks anyway.

 

[Reto]

You can always vary the portion size of your food to adjust calorie intake...

 

[jive]

Make sure ur not overtraining. 5 days a week at the gym is alot if u are just lifting weights, and generally u shouldn't be doing cardio if ur bulking. Im not an expert, but i think most people would agree w/ me.

 

[The Great Juan]

Oh yeah, i forgot about abs, do them once or twice a week.

As for cardio, i'm not fussed on jogging, especially when trying to bulk. I don't do any cardio now because i'm still too skinny, but when i do start cutting i'll use wind sprints to conserve muscle (think of olympic sprinters, they do cardio all the time but still have quite muscular physiques).

I say bulk up until spring (September for us Aussies) then start cutting, but if you feel like cutting earlier then go for it.

You should eat plenty of protein and carbs straight after your workout, then again a couple of hours later.

I also suggest you go here too if you're really serious, it has tons of great articles and good forums (teen bodybuilding etc.)

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/index.html

 

[Sammo]

Thanks for the info mate you have been a great help.

 

[Templeton]

Mate, you are 15. Stop worrying about whether you should bulk or cut. Just train with weights 3 - 4 days per week, cardio a couple of times and let your ever changing body take care of itself. If you think you are holding a little too much spare add a little more cardio and/or make some changes to your diet. Your body is full of hormones right now and will take a while to settle down.

Seems everyone wants everything overnight. I started training at your age and obsessing over what I should take, which was the "magic routine" that would get me the body i want etc etc etc.

I should have just picked a basic routine and enjoyed my exercise and good quality nutrition. I also should have participated in a wide range of sports and activities and I would urge you to do the same. If you train well and consistently your body will continue to improve for the next 20-30 years. No need to overcomplicate things.