Beginning one’s training journey as a teenager can feel overwhelming. The abundance of conflicting fitness advice online can be time-consuming to analyze and understand before testing what would work for you personally. However, help is at hand.
On Aug. 26, 2024, hybrid athlete Fergus Crawley distilled his 12 years of training experience into six tips.
Fergus Crawley’s 6 Training Tips For Teenage Beginners
- Sign up for an induction session at your local gym
- Master form
- Balance training
- Progressive overload is key
- Don’t compare yourself to others
- Set realistic goals
[Related: 7X Figure Olympia Champion Cydney Gillon’s Top 5 Ab Exercises for Beginners]
[Related: 7-Time Figure Olympia Champion Cydney Gillon’s Calf Workout for Beginners]
1. Sign Up for an Induction Session at Your Local Gym
Crawley advises beginners to get a gym membership and attend an induction session. Introductory sessions can be instrumental in learning how to use the equipment safely and effectively.
Crawley suggests joining a gym near home or work. Easy access to a training facility can significantly boost motivation and make it easier to stick to a new workout routine.
2. Master Form
Crawley recommends beginners start with machine exercises to learn basic movement mechanics. Once comfortable, progress to free-weight compound exercises like the squat, bench press, and deadlift.
Correct form is best to develop the skill of lifting, prevent injury, and ensure sustainable gains.
3. Balance Training
Instead of focusing solely on strength training, Crawley suggests incorporating cardio to build a solid aerobic base. Strength training fosters muscle growth, while cardio boosts cardiovascular health.
Cardio doesn’t kill gains. It will, in fact, make you a more well-rounded individual.
Balancing strength and cardio workouts can also help build physical and mental resilience. Being jacked doesn’t always equate to being fit. Teenagers should start with a basic workout routine and gradually increase their training intensity and duration.
4. Progressive Overload Is Key
Lifting too heavy too soon can significantly increase the possibility of injury. Crawley suggests progressively increasing the training volume (sets, reps, and weights) to allow the body time to adapt to its new demands.
Beginners don’t need to push too hard in training initially. They will invariably benefit from ‘newbie gains,’ a period of rapid muscle and strength development.
If you can’t be patient, you are in the wrong game…change your mindset.
[Related: Hunter Labrada on Mindset: “Framing Everything We Do in the Gym as a Practiced Skill”]
5. Don’t Compare Yourself
Getting fit and building muscle can take years of consistent effort. Everyone progresses at their own pace; focus on your own journey. Concentrate on factors within your control: diet, training, and sleep.
Crawley advises setting performance-based goals instead of aesthetics-based ones. This approach allows for the setting and use of tangible metrics to track progress.
There’s more longevity, mental well-being, and lessons to be learned when focusing on performance-based metrics.
[Related: The Importance of Logging Workouts: How Hunter Labrada Tracks His Progress]
6. Set Realistic Goals
Setting ambitious but achievable goals can help beginners stay motivated and on track. Goals naturally evolve over time. Crawley cautions against attaching your identity to a specific goal.
“As we change, our goals will change. But if we resist out of stubbornness, that can strain our mental well-being,” Crawley enlightened. “Start today whilst you are privileged enough to be as young as you…build that momentum.”
Featured image: @ferguscrawley on Instagram
