I am really weak

[TheDude]

I mean ultra-weak, if we have an arm wrestling tournament then I am always last. I tried going to the gym but it didn't help and then I couldn't be bothered. I'm really short like 5'2'' and so people at school intimidate me. It's really annoying me everyone is taller and stronger than me...

[MoveAlong]

It annoyed me too. I started a weight training class in school and everybody bothered me and taunted me every day. Most people are taller than me...but I don't care, because I look at the 7th graders and I'm like "I am NOT THAT short..."

If you aren't gonna do something, and if you can't be bothered to do something, don't tell us about it unless you're gonna go for a change. If you can't be bothered to do anything that you might as well decide to change or stay the way you are. You have to take charge of it and you have to learn the machines and free weights in order to gain muscle mass.

I'm not a miracle story...I started out super skinny, and I gained muscle by lifting weights. That's all I did and it's been a whole summer with lifting weights. I'll still be the weakest person in the class. But at least I did something so I can be someone, and at least I know how to do it better than those other guys. I have much more symmetry in my muscles/strength and I have a better technique. And at the very least, I have biceps I can show off now. You might never end up at the top. But at least don't be on the bottom. And if you are at the bottom, be at the bottom of a good group, not the bottom of the worst.

I hope you read that, because that's the advice I have to give! :D

[TheDude]

Yeah thanks
Theres just one thing I dont get
I used to go to the gym lots
And nothing happened!
It well pissed me off

[MoveAlong]

Well something would happen. Either you didn't lift enough, you didn't push it, you lifted incorrectly or you didn't go to the gym that often. This is why I suggest a YMCA - it's not just for Christians and they have personal trainers that'll help you reach your goal (lose weight, bulk up, tone, get ripped, learn from scratch)

I'm going to the Y and I'm learning all kinds of stuff by just watching other people or just going and learning what lifts make me ache the most the next day and how to set up my schedule and get on the ball! ;-)

[TheDude]

One more thing I don't get, it kinda fits in with this post.

I'm quite fat, but my BMI is 17.9!
Thats underweight!

Also with things like push-ups...I physically can't do them! I try...
What happens is I can go up then when I'm like halfway back down I collapse...

[MoveAlong]

You shouldn't rely on BMI. BMI is just a reference and doesn't tell you anything straight out, because it's just a math equation and it doesn't have eyes, it doesn't have a degree in anything etc. BMI is not that reliable!

Also, I couldn't do pushups either, then I weight trained! Now I can! I don't lie to you guys - I know what I'm talking about because this is all personal experience. Don't doubt me :P

[TheDude]

I'm so confused...
Apparently weight training stunts your growth...
But you are quite tall, aren't you?

[MoveAlong]

Acutally, I'm only at 5' 5". And I've searched - there's no specific proof that weight training stunts your growth. Don't believe that. Plus, do you want to get stronger or taller? Shorter people can be way hot too. My coach is a weight training coach, used to bench 300+ as a max and I'm taller than he is. :P

[TheDude]

I don't know, I want to be stronger and taller. So that would mean increasing muscle mass without weight training? Is it possible?

I mean there is no evidence but I want to be safe...I don't want to be really short all my life, especially as my family are all around about 6'0''

[NintendoFanboy]

Wow, thanks zach. I actually am pretty much the same way, only I'm a bit too lazy to do the weights and sit ups and stuffs. So thanks zach.

[MoveAlong]

I don't know, I want to be stronger and taller. So that would mean increasing muscle mass without weight training? Is it possible?

I mean there is no evidence but I want to be safe...I don't want to be really short all my life, especially as my family are all around about 6'0''

Don't worry - as I've said, there's not much correlation with that. It's basically a myth that weight training stunts your growth. Only in special occasions (over weight training, like body building during your teens) will do such a thing. You have nothing to be worried about besides whether you're gonna get over your fears and go weight train. Weight training is the best way and the quickest...and if you do it right, you're gonna be so happy with the results. I don't know of any sure-fire way besides this. And crunches/push ups aren't the way to start because it's a set weight and you won't gain much with strength. Plus you can start out so much slower with weights.

And it's said so much in this forum...YOU'LL GROW! It's puberty man...You will grow. You are only 13! Just 13. You might grow 6 inches in a year. Puberty varies so much and you might get a growth spurt next year or this year.

But whatever the case, don't worry about it. When you're an adult, worry about getting a job, getting a marriage, and raising your children, not how tall you are! :P

You're welcome Jeremy :-]

[TheDude]

Ahh cool thanks

And for the record, I'm 13, :lol:

[MoveAlong]

edited, sorry for that man
Good luck and don't quit at it. ;-) I didn't and I'm still on the road to my strength and how toned I want my body to look.

[TheDude]

Lol don't worry about it.
I already have some weights...0.5kg, 1kg, 1.5kg. I know thats kinda crap, but oh well. If the 1.5kg ones get too easy, then I'll just steal my brother's. His are like 2kg - 8kg or something ridiculous like that. I think I have 2 strong muscles but they dont really have a practical use. At the gym the one where you pull the things down from really high, I put like 7.5kg on those. Well, that's strong for me, anyway.

[MoveAlong]

It's ok. That's good. Although I suggest that you learn something from a coach at school or a personal trainer at a YMCA - you could lift the weight the wrong way (VERY easy to do - swing during curls, bend over during push-downs [which is what you described - pulling down from really high] etc). If you want to be careful, just like you said before, make sure you're doing it right. A trainer is the best way to go on this.

If you lift the weight wrong, you could pull a muscle, drop the weight, work the wrong muscles, ache severely, not gain muscle as fast and injure yourself in some other way. Usually, not just one problem happens

[Blank]

if you really don't wanna weight train, you can try picking up a sport.
after i started playing table tennis i became much fitter than i was before and can manage quite a number of pushups

make sure that you're interested in the sport though, don't force yourself :D good luck

[DrkZ90]

Listen, you are only 13... it really doesn't matter a single bit whether you are strong or not, or if you are tall or not... it doesn't matter! it doesn't make you a better or a worse person, don't let it bug you or worry you.

As for training, you are only 13... play some sports if you wanna be active and keep fit, that's the safest way to get strength at that age... once you are done growing up, you can do weights and all that if you can, weight lifting is pretty much useless training in real life, and just to show off... it will increase your BMI too and if you stop training for too long, you will get fat and fast...

[Kaleidoscope Eyes]

Please don't bump old threads. This one is nearly three years old.
:locked: