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Opinion - from the age of 18 using weights is fine if you keep a good diet (fruits, vegs, and good protein), under the age of 18 you should concentrate on endurance and stamina, running, swimming and other fitness sports.

Pumping iron can give you bigger muscles but it does not contribute to a fitter body. Besides which - and the girls can back me up here - a taut, tight body is far more prefered.

Anyway, should boys pump iron? Yes, but only when they have reached maturity and only if they have the correct diet. Pumping iron uses calcium to build muscles and in an immature body the muscles growth will take calcium from the bones to increase muscle mass. A friend of mine started pumping at 14, he got really big and then at the age of 15 was doing weights and snapped his forearm in two. Went for scan, hospital etc, his bone density had dropped 34% and he had to go on a calcium rich diet with weekly injections for the next two years. Why? he was too young to be doing it and basically lived on macdonalds, fish n chips and cola.

Boys should, if they want to look good physically, do isometric training and basic fitness - sit ups, press ups, pull ups etc. If they want a really tight body then get then doing gynmastics, nothing for building a strong body like gymnastics.