Bodybuilding attracts many people, young and old, who want to build muscle, shape their silhouette, lose weight, join a group of practitioners: the reasons are multiple. It is a sport that can be practiced at home, without high expense to start, which makes 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 more and more 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 is to 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 sport practice that allows you to increase muscle mass. For this, the practitioner repeats series of precise exercises with or without weighted accessories. Bodybuilding allows you to specifically work a muscle or a group of muscles. It is a complete sport that leads to an increase in muscle mass, and therefore the basic 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. Poorly practiced however, this sport exposes you to various traumas such as sprains or tendinopathy.
When to start bodybuilding?
Kids can’t do proper bodybuilding until they hit puberty. For them it is advisable not to carry out series of repetitions of movement, nor to make them lift weights. For what ?
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 it is the bones that suffer from the outset.
From 12-15 years old for girls, and 14-17 years old for boys, depending on their development, we can start considering bodybuilding. Before, it is important to give children a taste for sport, and it is also important to maintain their muscles, through fun exercises, outdoors, during baby gym classes, by working on balance and posture, but not by targeting muscles or muscle groups.
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 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, in full-body or half-body so as not to injure yourself. In all cases, the presence of a supervisor who repositions the young athlete, who supervises him and who guides him, is essential.
The conditions for registering in the weight room
In France, to register in a weight room, you must be at least 16 years old. 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 properly 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 not always cardio, it is important to add 1 to 2 cardio sessions in the week for a complete workout. Ideally, being supervised is a good way to have your movements controlled in order to avoid injuries. At home, a mirror will already be a good way to self-correct.
Whatever your age, it is important to stop at the slightest pain that persists for more than 3 days and to consult so as not to aggravate 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 it is recommended to quit? » The answer is no.
Continuing weight training and practicing 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, respecting rest days), will maintain your health for many years. Being muscular will improve your balance and prevent you from falls and broken bones. You will be able to play better with your grandchildren, and continue to be independent.
There are many municipalities that offer senior gym classes, it will also be an opportunity to maintain social contact. Keep in mind that weight training reverses sarcopenia, the natural loss of muscle mass associated with age, and will extend your years of life.
It’s never too late to start
Do you want to start when you have never practiced in your life? It is also possible. After approval from your doctor, start slowly, once a week, after a serious warm-up then, after you have worked out for a few weeks and it has become easier, increase the intensity and resistance by about 10% per week. week and finally, let yourself be carried away by the desire to start again.
