Young Children Lifting

[ExtraMile]

My younger brother, who is 8 years old keeps pestering me to let him use my weights, I tell him he shouldnt because I dont have the time to superise all the time and said untill he gets to about 12 he should just focus on keeping slim and fit and said for the moment he should use bodyweight exercises and work up to weights, about a week ago I wrote him a simple workout of bodyweight exercises he could do in his bedroom (pushups, chair dips, pullups etc) but then last week I found the Bodyweight Challenges on youtube, so he started having ago at them, first he did the Bodyweight 100, which he finished in 5mins 30secs then straight after that he did the bodyweight 200 which he finished in 10mins 45 secs (the 100 was piss for him to do so he wanted to have ago at the next one) then after a rest day he had ago again at the Bodyweight 200 this time he did it in 10mins 39 secs and then again next time did the 200 but this time in 7mins 50secs! Already he has a faint 2pac comin through (no lies) and his strength is getting better, he can do 25 un-assisted handstand pushups without rest for example. I am guessing this is because he is always outdoors doing stuff and he eats absolutely tonnes, when my mum cooks he has been known to eat as much as me even though he is only 8, he isnt fat at all though.

So basically I just wanted to ask, using bodyweight, what would be better for him? To workthrough the Bodyweight ChallengesYouTube - Bodyweight 500 Or for me (or someone on here) to design bodyweight workouts for him eg full bodyones to do Mon,Wed+Fri or have a split, he basically just wanted to get his full six pack and like all kids have bigger biceps and pecks etc
And before you say that weights will be fine, Iv talked to my dad about it and he said that if at xmas he is still interested and doing bodyweight movements then he'll consider it, so I need a decent bodyweight workout for the next 3 months.

Cheers
-1-

 

[dabuffguy]

yep, just tell him to do push ups and situps. No weights for little kids. He needs to wait until he hits puberty before he can weight train.

 

[ExtraMile]

Allright well does anyone no how good the bodyweight challenges on youtube are (link above)?
And what about KBell or DB swings? I seen alot fo young kids doing these as a part of crossfit?
Or should he do a split? eg
Monday-
Chins 3xfailure
Bodyweight Rows3x10
Handstand Pushup3x25
Hanging Knee Raise 2x15
Sit Ups 2x20

Wednesday:
Pushups 3x12
Chair Dips 2x15
Diamond Pushups 2x10
Overhead Hang 3xfailure
Plank 3x1min

Friday:
Jump Squats 3x15
Lunges 2x15
Hypers 3x10
Lightweight DB Swings? 2x15
Bicycle Crunch 3x10 per side

Or just do 3 full body workouts
Like
Jump Squats 5x15
Chins 3xfailure
Pushups 4x15
Hanging Knee Raise 3xfailure
Hypers 3x10
Handstand Pushup 3x20

Or is that too much? Please help, Idk how much is over training etc, he is very enthusiastic and wont miss a workout at all, he is about 64lbs, not sure how tall, average 8 year old?
Diet wise I said at his age their is no point in worrying about dieting, just if he is serious about getting fit, make sure he drinks plenty of water & aims for more fruit/veg a day.

Thanks again.

 

[cmarcell]

He's 8. Honestly, he shouldn't even be doing bodyweight exercises. He should be spending that time outside playing with his friends instead. That is what your advice should be. Don't design programs for him. Give him better advice.

Let him know that when he gets older you'll direct him on how to do great bodyweight workouts until he hits high school. Then direct him how to hit weights. But at 8 years old, the kid needs to go outside and be an 8 year old.

 

[ExtraMile]

Yeah he does all that but its in the evening after he's home and in the house, he just really wants to tone up and really has enjoyed it so far, but anyway my main question was does anyone no how much those bodyweight challenges are or could the reccomend somthin differant?

 

[Powerlifting57]

It looks like it would be fine i wouldnt let him go any further than the 200. My dad had me working out w/ him when i was young. I couldnt touch free weights till i was 14 tho.

 

[ExtraMile]

Haha, well on the 200 i think it says u need to finish in 15 mins? he finished in 7. Should I just keep that as a base and make a few moves harder? Just mix it up a bit? Or should he keep doing it until like he does it in under 5mins?

 

[Powerlifting57]

make it harder on him, i think the 500 is going to be bad for his joints.

 

[*The_West*]

Yeah he does all that but its in the evening after he's home and in the house, he just really wants to tone up and really has enjoyed it so far, but anyway my main question was does anyone no how much those bodyweight challenges are or could the reccomend somthin differant?

whoa, extra, slow down. listen to yourself. he is 8, and he really wants to "tone up" ??? am i the only one that is shocked by this statement? why on earth does an 8 year old want to tone up?
as a few others have said, he should be out playing with his friends, getting dirty and scraping his knees, not working out. at 8 years old the best thing to do for him would probably be just to encourage him to eat well, teach him the magic of the steak and the chicken breast nice and early.

 

[ExtraMile]

Yeah lol he looks up to me so bad, I came home the other day and he was wearing exactly the same colours as me, I used to have longish hair, so did he, last year i had it cut short, so did he, he just wants to have a six pack and big biceps, like alot of young children, Im not tryin to make him workout he just wants to do more exercise i dont push him to do it, he pesters me to watch him and things like that, iv alredy said that healthy eating and things like that are more important,..
He is outside all the time, gettin dirty in the garden playin football things like that, he's very mature for his age and always wants to go on my pull up bar lol, but your saying that i should just scrap it?

Oh and power, i havnt told him to do the 500 thats just the first one i found for a link, but just stay on the 200 and make it harder by altering moves like higher blocks to do step ups on and things like that or like the west said just scrap it and he'll have to wait till he's older? Could always go for somthing simple like just pullups, press ups star jumps and sit ups?

 

[*The_West*]

Could always go for somthing simple like just pullups, press ups star jumps and sit ups?

tbh honest that wouldnt do him any harm, but the thing is once he has done that, he will want to start working out. what do your parents make of him working out?
i think it is borderline worrying when an 8 year old child wants to "tone up" but the thing is, you cant really change the shape of your body much until you start going through puberty anyway, when you will see dramatic changes. he just needs to eat lots good food and carry on as he is for the next few years.

 

[ExtraMile]

Yeah he just wants to get fitter I think, iv talked loads about it to my mum and dad and they both did some research and that sorts stuff and they said aslong as I was with him while he did it and they were all bodyweight exercises he should be ok, so I should just make a simple one? Any ideas?

 

[ExtraMile]

And Iv explained to him about using free weights, he understands. I said that if when he is goin into secondary school he still wants to then thats when he might be able to, and how many days a week should he do it? 3 at the maximum?
Somthin like:
Jump squats
Pullups
Pushups
Handstand Pushups
Plank

?

 

[Big_BK]

As others have said he shouldn't be lifting. What it sounds like is he is looking up to his big bro and wants to be just like him. Let him do some curls or something easy just so he is happy, he will get tired of lifting after a week probably, he's only 8. He doesn't need a training program just let him be a kid and mess around with weights.

 

[ExtraMile]

He's been doin bodyweight stuff for just over 2 weeks now, curling? Parents wont let me let him use weights, they say bodyweight stuff is fine, and your right, looking up and wantin to be the same as me is exacty what he is duin, does it with everythin, every so often i let him have a mess around with weights, let him see if he can curl 10kg or somthin like that but your sayin i should let him follow a list of things to do then?

 

[ExtraMile]

We did some "cardio" today with my other brother (10) a nice 45ins of football followed up by about half an hour of wrestlin in the garden Haha thats my brothers for ya.

 

[*The_West*]

good choice. stuff like that is the best and only workout they need at the moment. make sure they finish their dinner!

 

[LucSulla]

Personally, I believe that children are our future. It is up to us to teach them well and let them lead the way- show them all the beauty they possess inside and give them a sense of pride to make it easier. We need to let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be.











*couldn't resist*

 

[ExtraMile]

Yeah ill just leave it at that, I told him not to worry about being muscly or stuff like that untill he gets older, I said if he wants to do anythin then the best thing to do is just some press ups, squats, sit ups and pullups before bed, and yeah if i can like BK said, just let him have a mess around with light dumbells every now and then.
Cheers lads.

 

[SaiBoT]

Yeah ill just leave it at that, I told him not to worry about being muscly or stuff like that untill he gets older, I said if he wants to do anythin then the best thing to do is just some press ups, squats, sit ups and pullups before bed, and yeah if i can like BK said, just let him have a mess around with light dumbells every now and then.
Cheers lads.

I would suggest martial arts like kung fu. It works on flexibility, bodyweight exercises for strength and tone up, plus it would be very entertaining a 8 yo kicking your teenage ass.

 

[ExtraMile]

He is alredy fkin violent, i have no idea why, he fights like a fukin physco when we are at home, but at school he is shit scared about gettin told off, the 10 year old never fights properly at home but gets in fights like everyday at school. We are no way a trampy family, they just somehow got dead violent over the last year :|
The 8 year old one started fightin 10 year old the other one the other day, then the older one flipped and dropped the younger one in one punch. Not seen that happen at home in a long time. Thats some next level entertainment shit right their.