How to encourage weight lifting

[Anonymous]

I have a 15 year old boy who swims, but not intense team swim. He does summer swim team, high school swim in the winter, and 1-2 practices (not intense) much of the year as his only exercise. He’s not super fast but he enjoys it, which is great, we are glad he has this!

He has always had low muscle tone (which is likely why he hasn’t excelled in or enjoyed most other sports) and I am hoping he learns how to do some weight lifting to help him build muscle at a time where he can develop it easily.

He does not want to do weight lifting in school despite my suggestions for him to choose that one (and now he already completed his PE requirement).

Any suggestions as to how to encourage this and for him to learn it safely? We are in MoCo if anyone has suggestions of specific gyms or personal trainers who work with teens.

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

I’m surprised his time doesn’t do dry land training (basically weight room) as well. Do they, but it’s optional and he doesn’t go? If they do, this would be my first suggestion.

Otherwise, I’d probably get a personal training to work with him once per week for 4-6 weeks. The training can go over goals, set him up with a workout plan for the week that he can do independently on other days, and more importantly, teach him how to use the equipment safely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised his time doesn’t do dry land training (basically weight room) as well. Do they, but it’s optional and he doesn’t go? If they do, this would be my first suggestion.

Otherwise, I’d probably get a personal training to work with him once per week for 4-6 weeks. The training can go over goals, set him up with a workout plan for the week that he can do independently on other days, and more importantly, teach him how to use the equipment safely.

Yeah neither his HS team or his summer swim team is crazy competitive so as far as I know they don’t do dry land/weight training

[Anonymous]

Get him some personal training at St James’s or other trainer to learn the proper technique for building muscle. Once he knows what and how to do it it will be less intimidating.

[Anonymous]

In addition to everything else, serve enough protein. That's going to be a lot for a teenage boy who does not build muscle easliy.

[Anonymous]

Does he have a diagnosis of low tone? If so, working with a physical therapist might be best and possibly covered by insurance.

Or going in with a friend or family member with a personal trainer might be good. My kid might say okay to "hey, I'm meeting with this trainer on Saturday. Can you come along to help me work on remembering correct form?" But not want to go on their own.

Otherwise I'm guessing he kind of needs to want it himself to have it stick and not cause resentment.

[Anonymous]

Can you do it together? You can build a lot of muscle with body weight exercises - planks, squats, lunges, wall sits, leg lifts, and all sorts diabolical movements you’ve never heard of. There are lots of books and online workout programs. If you make it something the family (or you and teen) do 3 times a week it could become normal, even if he doesn’t like it.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I think he’s going to need to want it himself at that age (and a lot will decide they do). I’d casually mention that doing some lifting this summer might be a good way to fill his time and mention if he wanted to do that you’d pay for a trainer or weight set/peloton subscription. I also like the idea of inviting him to go with you (or his dad) to a trainer or class.

I mention peloton because some kids are going to be self conscious and reluctant to go to the gym or work with a trainer. Peloton has a bunch of weight training classes you can do on demand and sequential programs for beginners that give pointers on form, etc. There’s also some device you can buy that tracks progress and evaluates form (I haven’t actually used that so don’t know how good it is). With a weight set and tv in the basement he could do a lot.

[Anonymous]

I would be careful with encouraging too much time in the weight room. It can be a slippery slope leading to the whole “gym bro” mentality/ lifestyle, which is often toxic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would be careful with encouraging too much time in the weight room. It can be a slippery slope leading to the whole “gym bro” mentality/ lifestyle, which is often toxic.

🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does he have a diagnosis of low tone? If so, working with a physical therapist might be best and possibly covered by insurance.

Or going in with a friend or family member with a personal trainer might be good. My kid might say okay to "hey, I'm meeting with this trainer on Saturday. Can you come along to help me work on remembering correct form?" But not want to go on their own.

Otherwise I'm guessing he kind of needs to want it himself to have it stick and not cause resentment.

I agree with this poster that asked whether this is a diagnosis. We have a child with low muscle tone related to a disability. It would not cross my mind to send her to a gym to resolve this since it is more complicated than just muscle weakness. She also plays a sport.

[Anonymous]

Op here. So much good advice, thank you.

No there was no official diagnosis besides some discussions with the pediatrician.

I agree he will need to want it. He has something worked out with his dad but not a lot and not on the regular. Good point about the protein.

I will look into some options/ideas and talk to him and see how it goes. Thanks again!

[Anonymous]

I have a DS who is similar.

We started him out at a training gym geared toward teens/tweens (where they are shown the ropes and supervised by trainers).

After that, being with friends was the draw- he is now 16 and meets up with friends at the local gym to lift and sometimes they play pickup basketball after. As a social thing.

[Anonymous]

If he would like rock climbing, that's a lot of body weight exercise and it's more entertaining to some people than weight lifting is. He could take a class; bouldering might be good because you don't need a belayer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would be careful with encouraging too much time in the weight room. It can be a slippery slope leading to the whole “gym bro” mentality/ lifestyle, which is often toxic.

^ This is disgusting that in this day and age, people still think gym guys are all gay-bros and stuff.