If you want to know what teen workouts should look like…
We're going to show you right here on this page. Right now.
But — if you're a teen, please stop reading. Get permission from your parents and let them read this for you. This page is for parents only.
First off — you need to forget about the “most-popular” split routines.
You know… the ones that tell you to work your chest one day, your arms another day, your back the next day, your legs the next, blah, blah, blah.
Most of those so-called experts out there think (for some unknown reason) that you need to rest each muscle group for a full 7 days before you work that muscle group again.
Not sure where this comes from BUT science tells us something much different.
And the recovery ability for teenagers is going to be even better than the average adult so why would ANY teenager use a split routine when they could TRIPLE their results in the same amount of time with a full body workout program?
Teen workouts need to be designed around the full body workout program — without a doubt, this is the fastest way to success for teenagers.
Let's talk more about Teen Workouts and exactly what they should look like:
Focus On The BIG Compound Weightlifting Exercises
Isolation exercises … how do I put this — let's see: “Isolation exercises SUCK. Period.”
Why do isolation exercises at all?
There is absolutely no reason for teens to focus on isolation exercises. No reason at all. They are simply a waste of time for teenagers or ANY beginners.
Isolation exercises are good for helping weaknesses in elite level bodybuilders and that's about it.
Just because you see some elite level bodybuilder doing something… that doesn't mean it's good for you.
Isolation exercises can help build muscle in a given area without increasing the musculature in another area — elite bodybuilders are the only ones who would focus on something like this because their proportions need to be flawless.
A teen does not need to worry about “FLAWLESS” proportions because they will only be wasting their precious teenage years and optimal muscle and strength building years worrying about flawless proportions between their waist and shoulders.
You can worry about that later.
The teenage years should be spent learning how to do the BEST exercises with flawless form and technique.
The big compound exercises give the absolute most BANG for the BUCK and that's why they should be the focus of all teenagers. Heavy weights will do something special to your body and the big compound exercises use the heaviest weights.
If you spend your teenage years using the best compound weightlifting exercises, you will be ecstatic with your results. You can then compare your results to one of your friends who used only isolation exercises.
The results won't even be close.
So What Are The Exercises A Teenager Should Be Learning How To Do?
There are 7 compound weightlifting exercises a teenager should focus on… these exercises should be in ALL teen workouts without the addition of too many isolation exercises.
Exercises like curls, extensions, grip work, and calf raises can be added if needed.
Here are the 7 exercises:
- Squats
- Deadlifts
- Bench Press
- Overhead Press
- Rows
- Chin Ups
- Dips
You really don't even need any other weight lifting exercises for a teenager.
Focus on the 7 exercises above and you'll build a balanced and complete body from head to toe.
You've Got To Be Intense And Increase The Weight Whenever Possible
With the 7 exercises shown above, the workouts will not be easy. They are going to be tough. They are going to be intense.
Sometimes you might be scared of doing the next set because the weight is so heavy.
You've got to learn how to push yourself in the gym and fight through each set just as a warrior would fight during a battle.
You've also got to be smart about your workouts, though.
You need to increase the amount of weight you are lifting as often as possible BUT you should ONLY increase the weight when you have perfect form and technique on that exercise.
Start out with very light weight and learn proper form and technique. When you've got it down, start increasing the weight. If your form gets worse, back down on the weight and work on your form again. Do this until you get it right.
Never increase the weight if your form breaks down during a previous set. You've got to learn flawless form and technique. Once you do, the weight you are lifting will steadily increase and you will notice huge changes to your body. I'm talking HUGE changes.
Weight Lifting Is NOT The Only Piece Of The Puzzle…
Weightlifting is very important for teenagers looking to build muscle and burn body fat — it's one of the most important pieces of the puzzle. Without it, building muscle wouldn't be possible.
You have to give your body a muscle building stimuls in order to build muscle and some form of weight training or resistance training is necessary to provide a muscle building stimulus.
BUT … there are MANY other pieces to the puzzle:
You've got proper diet and nutrition. You've got cardiovascular exercise. You've got goal setting. You need to track and measure your results so you know when to make changes. You've got to rest and recover properly from workouts.
Let's just say that weight lifting alone will get you some results BUT the addition of ALL the components mentioned above will SKYROCKET your results and your jaw will drop when you see what's possible.
To learn more about a COMPLETE weight training program, you need to download the WLC System Manual.
janita smith says
wow, i am glad i found this before my son did. while you have some good info here, there is also plenty that will get kids hurt. he isnt going to read all these words– he’s just going to remember that he may be afraid to go to the next weight but he has to learn to push through and fight like a warrior. with deadlifts, chest and overhead presses, that spells catastrophe for a kid who doesnt know what he is doing. i appeciate your intent but this needs to be much more safety-oriented, beyond saying they should learn proper form. every kid thinks he has perfect form the first time he tries anything.
Josh from WLC says
Wow, I can’t make anyone read the entire page. If someone isn’t smart enough to read the entire page and then just start by picking up heavy weights and throwing them around, there’s nothing I can do about that. I don’t know of anyone who would actually do that… including teenagers. The website policy clearly states that this website is not for minors under the age of 18. This page is meant for 18 and 19 year old men and women who are labeled as adults in our society even though they are still teenagers technically. They are labeled adults because they are meant to act responsibly.
This is a website for informational purposes only and says so clearly. I don’t know how many times I have said that proper from and technique is number one priority for any beginner, not just teenagers. It’s says so several times on this page and within all my material that talks about beginning weight lifting. If the teenager can read and remember that weight lifting is tough (because it is), then they can remember that they need to learn proper form and technique. I am sorry you don’t give teenagers much credit. I have worked with many. You might think they won’t read or listen but many do. If the kid doesn’t know what he is doing on the exercises, then he shouldn’t be doing them and that’s your job as a parent to ensure your kid knows what he is doing.
This is a free website with information for people who want to learn to do things right. If someone doesn’t want to learn how to do things right, I can’t help that and I can’t serve everyone with every type of personality and work ethic. If they need help, they should get help. If they need a coach, they should get a coach. I am sorry I cannot make someone read every word on this page and the website. I don’t what the problem is with actually slowing down and taking the time to read something. That’s all I have is words on the website. I can’t force anyone to read them all. I don’t know what part of the page someone is going to pick and choose to read.