13 and building?

Question

Ok i'm 13 and i'm looking to get abs like crazy i've been looking for a while but nothing seems to be working for me how would i go about getting abs for instance i want abs and a conciderable amount of less body fat (i weigh 127) how would i go about doing this?

Answer 1

Shadow, first of all, congratulations on taking your health and fitness seriously.

Second, at 13 you are just starting to enter that period of time when guys begin to put on muscle. Prior to now, you just didn't have the hormonal conditions necessary. This will probably be changing over the next year or two, but it's not unusual for 13 or 14 year old guys to struggle with putting lean muscle on. It will get better.

Right now, I would focus on making sure you are eating really clean so that you can drop your bodyfat while adding some lean muscle. As your T-levels (Testosterone) continue to increase over the next couple of years, it will become easier and easier for you to add muscle. The nice thing is that the muscle you add during high school will be yours forever if you maintain it.

Make sure you are eating lots of vegetables and fruit, as well as complex carbs like oatmeal, yams/sweet potatos, whole grains, brown rice, etc. Keep your protein consumption relatively high as well -- chicken breast, fish, eggs (whole and egg whites) and lean beef and pork (sirloin steak and pork tenderloin are good choices.) Avoid excess sugar and fat. Stay away from processed junk food and fast food, as well as soda. Basically, leave anything you would find in the chip/snack aisle at the grocery store alone (with the exception of nuts and almonds.)

In terms of exercise, don't just focus on your abs. Do big, multi-joint compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, chins, push-ups, bench presses and military presses. I've provided a link below where you can learn more about them.

For Christmas or your birthday ask for a nice adjustable weight bench and a set of dumbbells and you will have everything you need. All of the exercises I mentioned above can be done with a bench and dumbbells. No fancy machines necessary.

In terms of your abs, try adding a little weight when you train them. For instance hold a light dumbbell or weight plate to your chest when you do crunches. Also, you can hang from a chin-up bar and raise your legs upward, which is great for working the lower area of your abdominals.

Finally, in addition to weight training, make sure you are getting some cardio exercise in nearly every day. Running, jogging, biking or roller blading are all great options. They'll help you lean out a bit and ensure that as you build more muscle in your abs, it's not covered by a layer of fat.

Best of luck!

Answer 2

exercise and lifting weights