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1 kilo weights for 13 year old girl?

39 replies

chatnicknameyousuggested · 02/05/2020 21:35

I am about to buy some light 1k handheld weights for myself, to do some arm workouts (5 mins a night) to get rid of my ageing upper arms.
At the moment DD and I are using bags of rice - it's only a matter if time before they burst and we have a clean up disaster in our hands.
We are holed up in our apartment in one of the most depressing cities in our pretty depressing country. It's really pretty miserable for DD, who hasn't been outside for more than 50 days now.
I was thinking of buying her the 1k weights too. It would really cheer her up.
Is she too young? She has just turned 13.

OP posts:
chunkyrun · 02/05/2020 21:37

I'd buy a mix of weights 1kg is nothing. Teen year perfect to introduce weight lifti

moveandmove · 02/05/2020 21:39

Will you even notice any weight with 1 kg? My 10 year old uses 4, 6 and 8kg kettlebells.

chatnicknameyousuggested · 02/05/2020 21:40

She's a perfect size and shape. I know 1k is a tiny amount, but it seems the gentlest. Can you also use them on your legs and other body parts? I have no idea.
Was your message cut off?

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Coronacantcope · 02/05/2020 21:41

Agree 1kg is nothing. Start with 2kg at the very least. Absolutely fine for a 13yo.

chatnicknameyousuggested · 02/05/2020 21:42

Bloody hell, all that at 10! I am in awe. Is this a boy or girl?
Do they have a "lifter" physique?

OP posts:
Pinkyplonky · 02/05/2020 21:44

Not too young but 1kg is too low a weight! Get a range

chatnicknameyousuggested · 02/05/2020 21:46

Will she end up with over developed shoulders? Or nicely toned? Not that she needs nicely toning.

OP posts:
moveandmove · 02/05/2020 21:48

He's a boy and no he doesn't have a lifter physique! He does CrossFit and running and home weight workouts with me (I'm a power lifter). He just looks like a normal child Grin
Definitely get a range of weights. Look on google for ideas of workouts if you have no idea.

EmmaC78 · 02/05/2020 21:50

Agree, 1kg is too light and won't really make any difference at all. It is definately not too heavy for a 13 y o and won't overly develop her shoulders.

Dazedandconfusedpart2 · 02/05/2020 21:50

Why hasn't she gone outside in so long? Unless vulnerable or shielding, the lack of outdoor time will be so detrimental to overall health.

chatnicknameyousuggested · 02/05/2020 21:50

I live in a country famous for its gymnasts, who train from a tiny age. Their bodies are "strange", to say the least.
I am doing 5 min old lady saggy arms workout. Can you point me in the right direction for any good teenage ones?

OP posts:
chatnicknameyousuggested · 02/05/2020 21:52

She's not been outside because it's the law where we are (not in the UK). She sits on our terrace every day in the sunlight, but the view is still pretty depressing.
Hopefully children will be allowed out for walks this week.

OP posts:
Dazedandconfusedpart2 · 02/05/2020 21:58

Gosh, that sounds hard. Indoor exercise is a great idea then!
FWIW I'd recommend skipping 1kg weights and going slightly heavier if you can't get a range, especially if you're looking to tone arms.
I do hope you're allowed out soon OP.

LeGrandBleu · 02/05/2020 21:59

In barre workout, we use low weight for arms, so look at this kind of videos

Tracy Anderson also uses low weight

In this video they use wrist weight but you could use your dumbbell instead

Complement with this for abs

have a good time!
Pinkyplonky · 02/05/2020 21:59

Will she end up with over developed shoulders? Or nicely toned? Not that she needs nicely toning
Let me put it this way OP. I was going to the gym 3 times a week for several months (before lockdown) and it took me a good 7/8 weeks of many many reps and sets and constant increase in weight up to around 25+ kg to see any increase in body tone. To gain muscle you need to be increasing weight to the point where your body is tearing the muscle- where you have to work hard to lift something. You have to keep tearing muscles, lifting heavier, tearing muscles, lifting heavier and on and on to actually gain muscle. 1kg won’t do anything at all to your DD

chatnicknameyousuggested · 02/05/2020 22:04

Great, thank you!
I don't really know about this tearing muscles thing. Doesn't sound like a good thing, but I am very ignorant. I know nothing about this subject at all, so need to research. I will check out the links. Thank you!

OP posts:
chatnicknameyousuggested · 02/05/2020 22:07

I am allowed out to go to work. When I leave I turn round and see her little face pushed up to the window, waving. Her brother doesn't bother getting out of bed.
She's really into the idea, so it'd be a nice surprise.

OP posts:
RhinestoneCowgirl · 02/05/2020 22:07

We have some 2.5kg weights that my 11yr old uses sometimes, 1kg is barely there. Her 13 yr old brother has 5kg weights.

Thisonemaybe · 02/05/2020 22:13

From what I remember from a sports coaching course, she's better just doing body weight only exercises at her age, starting to use weights once she has finished puberty. It can create imbalance if not done following a carefully developed plan.

LeGrandBleu · 02/05/2020 22:16

The need to use high weight is not true. As long as you train close to failure when you can't possibly do another repetition you will gain muscle.Of curse, if you want to develop your biceps tot he size of a melon, you will need high weights and high nutrition changes, but to have lovely toned arms, with beautiful muscle definition, 1 kg is enough.

Pinkyplonky · 02/05/2020 22:22

I don't really know about this tearing muscles thing. Doesn't sound like a good thing, but I am very ignorant
They’re microscopic tears where the muscles are put under stress. The tears are then filled in with tiny microscopic fibres to fix the muscle and when those fibres are torn, they’re replaced with slightly bigger microscopic fibres and when they’re torn, they’re replaced with slightly bigger ones and so on and so on. So it’s not a bad thing at all, it’s the body repairing itself so it can cope with more/heavier exercise. The same thing happens if you do sit ups and you’re not used to it or other body weight exercises without lifting external weights- it’s why you feel aching muscles after working out.
If you stick to just one weight for months, your muscles won’t tear because you won’t be working them hard enough which is why it takes a long time and increased exercise difficulty to grow muscle.

Pinkyplonky · 02/05/2020 22:24

As long as you train close to failure when you can't possibly do another repetition you will gain muscle.Of curse, if you want to develop your biceps tot he size of a melon, you will need high weights and high nutrition changes, but to have lovely toned arms, with beautiful muscle definition, 1 kg is enough
It really isn’t enough. Sorry but you are very misinformed.

LeGrandBleu · 02/05/2020 22:30

Again not true!
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25853914/

If you want to gain strength to be able to use the muscle to carry heavy stuff, then again maybe yes, but if you are only after muscle definition then no. Low weight is enough
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28834797/

Freethefrogs · 02/05/2020 22:32

Erm, I have defined biceps using 1kg weights Confused

I use them in things like squats and presses.

DuesToTheDirt · 02/05/2020 22:34

Honestly, the weight you need depends on the exercises, so a range is good. I switch within workouts from 2kg (horizontal movements and punching) up to 4kg for shoulder presses etc. I also like wrist weights, think mine are 0.5 kg, the Nike ones are good. Get neoprene compact handweights, we have some bigger plastic ones and they aren't as easy to use.