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Training and exercise for children and teenagers. This article is huge! So huge it has been split into a 4 part series. You can see the 4 parts below or click the continue link at the bottom of each part.

Part 1: Introduction & body composition and development of tissue
Part 2: Physiological responses and adaptation to exercise & training
Part 3: Guidelines for exercise
Part 4: The workouts

Part 4: The Workouts

Please Note: As this forum is mainly concerned with building muscle and strength, then the exercise prescriptions given below will only include routines for strength and muscle growth and not aerobic training or fitness training. If you want advice on aerobic training or fitness training then post your questions on the forum and they will be answered.

The 3 routines given below are for complete beginners to weight training and give some progression as more experience is gained. Move onto the second routine after completing the 12 weeks of the first routine. Only move onto the split routine after at least six weeks of the 3 days week routine. It is important that the exercise technique is given more importance than the weight that will be lifted. Only increase the intensity when exercise technique is perfected.

Workout 1: 12 Week Notice Training Program

Weeks 1- 6: Total Body Circuit Workout

Workout Notes:

Thoroughly warm up 5-10 mins and stretch before working out.
Complete the following on two non-consecutive days per week.
During the first three weeks, do each exercise for one set of 15 reps: during the last three weeks, do two sets of 12 reps for bodyparts indicated (using a slightly heavier weight on all sets).

Workout 1: Weeks 1-3

Bodypart	Exercise	Sets	Reps
Quads/Glutes	Leg Press	1	15
Hamstrings	Lying Leg Curl	1	15
Upper Back	Barbell Rows	1	15
Chest	Flat Bench Press	1	15
Shoulders	Dumbbell Press	1	15
Traps	Dumbbell Shrugs	1	15
Triceps	Pushdowns	1	15
Biceps	Barbell Curls	1	15
Lower Back	Back Extension	1	15
Calves	Standing Calf Raise	1	15
Forearms	Barbell Wrist Curl	1	15
Abdominals	Crunches	1	15

Workout 2: Weeks 4 - 6

Bodypart	Exercise	Sets	Reps
Quads/Glutes	Leg Press	2	12
Hamstrings	Lying Leg Curl	2	12
Upper Back	Barbell Rows	2	12
Chest	Flat Bench Press	2	12
Shoulders	Dumbbell Press	2	12
Traps	Dumbbell Shrugs	2	12
Triceps	Pushdowns	2	12
Biceps	Barbell Curls	2	12
Lower Back	Back Extension	1	12
Calves	Standing Calf Raise	1	12
Forearms	Barbell Wrist Curl	1	12
Abdominals	Crunches	1	15

Weeks 7 – 12: Split Workout with Increased Intensity.

Workout Notes:

Divide your body into two parts (upper and lower), increasing weight training days to three non consecutive days per week (i.e., Monday, Wednesday, Friday).
Alternate between the two exercise routines. In the first week, you’ll end up doing Workout 1 twice, while in the second week you’ll do workout 2 twice etc.
Do sets and reps as indicated.
Rest 60-90 seconds between the sets.
Choose exercise alternates on occasion to work the muscles a little differently

Workout 1: Upper Body

Bodypart	Exercise	Sets	Reps
Chest	Flat dumbbell press Pec dec fly	2 1	10-12 10-12
Upper back	Barbell rows Seated cable row	2 1	10-12 10-12
Shoulders	Seated dumbbell press Dumbbell lateral raise	2 1	10-12 10-15
Traps	Dumbbell shrugs	2	10-15
Triceps	Lying barbell extension	2	10-12
Biceps	Standing barbell curl	2	10-12
Forearms	Barbell wrist curl	2	10-12

Workout 2: Lower Body

Bodypart	Exercise	Sets	Reps
Quads/Glutes	Squats	2	8-12
Quads	Leg extension	2	10-12
Hamstrings	Leg curl	2	10-12
Lower Back	Back extension	2	15-20
Calves	Standing calf raise	2	12-15
Abdominals	Crunches Reverse crunch	2	15-40 15-30

Workout 2: 3 Day Full Body Routine

This routine is completed three days per week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Warm up 5-10 minutes, perform full body stretches, and cool down 5-10 minutes at the end of the routine.

Exercise	1st Set	2nd Set	3rd Set	4th Set
Bench press (chest)	12 reps	10 reps	10 reps	8 reps
Barbell curl (biceps)	12 reps	10 reps	10 reps
Bent over row (back)	12 reps	10 reps	10 reps	8 reps
French press (triceps)	12 reps	10 reps	10 reps
Dumbbell shrugs (traps)	12 reps	10 reps	10 reps
Military press (shoulders)	12 reps	10 reps	10 reps
Squats (thighs)	15 reps	10 reps	10 reps	8 reps

Workout 3: 3 Day Split Routine

This routine is completed three days per week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. (Splitting the body into three training sessions).