One of the hottest topics in bodybuilding right now is the issue of teenage muscle building. It’s evident that the popularity of bodybuilding among teens has reached an all-time high. The question, however, is what differences arise between ‘adult’ bodybuilding and ‘teen’ bodybuilding.
Based on my personal experience and all of the scientific literature I’ve read, the simple answer is nothing. There should be no fundamental differences between a grown adult’s training routine and a teenager’s training routine. The human body, regardless of what stage of development it is undergoing, is still physiologically identical. It will still grow given proper stimulus, whether you’re 12 or 90. This means that the basics should remain the same: if you focus on overload, progression and diet, gains will be swift and significant.
As for injuries and damage to health, there is certainly some merit to the theory that a developing body is more susceptible to injury. If you’re a young bodybuilder, be especially careful - injuries can happen at any age, but suffering a major injury during adolescence can be a huge setback for the rest of your life. Otherwise, all the principles should remain the same. Warm-up, stretching, and acclimation should be a part of every routine, regardless of age. Beyond that, it’s quite simple: lift hard, eat big and you’ll see great gains.
The first three came to mind without even blinking. But what exercises constitute the second tier for building muscle mass? I’m not sure, because beyond the “big 3”, there’s so many potential exercises. I needed to answer the question somehow, though, so I decided on 5 exercises. My final picks were as follows: