Adding muscle weight prior to the start of your freshman high school football season is an excellent way to improve your competitive performance. Coaches often recommend strength training as the most effective method to gain weight, or muscle mass, although the training can be dangerous when not performed correctly. Consider these tips for gaining weight to help ensure you remain injury-free throughout the season.
Step 1
Build with your body weight. Young athletes often benefit the most from strength training with body-weight exercises like push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups and abdominal crunches for at least a few weeks prior to lifting weights, the Mayo Clinic explains, because the activities allow more control over your movements.
Step 2
Ask the experts for assistance. Your coach or a personal trainer at the gym can recommend a safe strength-training routine based on your overall size and skill level.
Step 3
Warm up early and often. Arrive at the gym early enough to perform at least five minutes of warm-up activities like light walking or jumping rope and aim to cool down with light stretching after your workout.
Step 4
Stretch safely. Sporting-goods stores offer lightweight, inexpensive resistance tubing that adds muscle weight by providing resistance when stretched. Resistance tubing is ideal for freshmen since the exercise carries a low risk for injury.
Step 5
Pick your preferred method. Free weights like dumbbells or barbells let you build several muscles at once, while weight machines are ideal for football players who wish to add mass to a specific muscle, the TeensHealth website explains.
Step 6
Aim for reasonable repetitions. Your coach can help you select a weight level that will tire your muscles after about 12 repetitions and still allow you to maintain correct form and technique.
Step 7
Bring a partner. Ask a friend to spot you when lifting heavy weights, especially when you are lying on a bench. An adult should also be nearby at all times to help in the event of an accident.
Step 8
Monitor your body. Avoid permanent damage to your muscles by seeking medical care if you suffer pain or hear a popping noise.
Step 9
Give your muscles sufficient rest. Limit your strength training to two or three days weekly and never work the same muscle group on consecutive days, which increases your chance for strain, the Mayo Clinic warns.
Tips and Warnings
- Football freshmen who strength train to gain muscle weight also benefit from stronger bones and a healthier metabolism, as well as lower cholesterol levels, the Mayo Clinic reports. Young athletes require a larger amount of calories to ensure that their bodies grow properly and have the endurance for sports like football. Your parents can help you plan a diet that contains between 2,000 and 5,000 total calories daily. Plan to drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated.
- Ask your parents to schedule a visit with your family physician prior to the start of any exercise regimen to add weight, particularly if you have a heart problem, high blood pressures or suffer seizures.
Things You'll Need
- Resistance tubing
- Free weights
- Weight machine
- Workout partner
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