DS20, weedy, wants to bulk up. How?

[Miljea]

Bear in mind I think he's lovely 😊 but he is as thin as a yard of pump water, as my mother would say.

He's a student; and, importantly has a friend who has a gym in his student accommodation that DS can use for free. Friend seems quite switched on about how to use the gym, nutrition etc, as far as DS can tell.

I'd like DS to get some professional instruction as I worry he'll dick about with protein powders and wrong exercises, for him.

Can anyone direct me, thus him, to some reliable, safe and free 😂 background reading so he can set off on this journey better informed? I know my DS. I doubt he'll keep it up, but I don't want him to quit weighing 20 stone from high energy foods consumed but then not converted to muscle; or injury from misuse or overuse of gym equipment.

Ta.

Watching for my ds who keeps mentioning it.

When my son (similar build) wanted to put on weight he went to the doctor who told him to double-carb on every meal and then to go back to single-carb meals when he was happy with his weight.

High protein diet and high weight, low rep exercises. Bodybuilding.com used to be good for workout routines, ive not used it in a while though.

DS1 is naturally thin as a hosepipe. he went through a phase of body building a while back and did put on weight and get much broader. he was really feeding himself. He seemed to be forever making banana milkshakes with a dollop of peanut butter in them, and eating cereal or wholemeal toast with peanut butter and lots of protein bars late at night - so definitely added carbs and protein. Did lots of heavy weights to build muscle.

When that obsession ended he went back to eating normally and not pumping iron and is now thin again.

DH got a personal trainer however he also uses a website, I'll ask him which.

Another one with a pipe cleaner who wants to be beefier.

He’s had some success from just eating huge amounts of extra carbs and protein. He tries to force down a protein shake too on gym days. He weight trains about 3x a week.

He’s 17 and very much still growing, so I’m hoping he’ll naturally broaden out over the next few years.

My son (who was heavier than he'd like) went to a personal trainer at 13 (qualified to work with kids) who gave him a routine and nutritional guidelines. He was very motivated, did loads of reading and followed athletes on YouTube and Instagram.
It worked - now at 16 he's slim yet muscular and fit and studying to become a personal trainer himself.

Thank you everyone, especially for not going 'MN' on me ('Why is his self esteem so low?' etc... YKWIM).

It's hard for me as a late 50s overweight woman to not go 😳 at protein and/or carb loading when that's what your 20 yr old DS wants to do in order to beef up.

200 cals eaten, for me = 2lbs on my arse.

Tell him to have a look at the starting strength program. He can find it easily on various websites. It's tried and tested, free and very effective. Don't let the simplicity of it put him off, building muscle is actually not that hard if you exercise the right way and eat properly.

Nerd fitness was written by a guy who was in your son's shoes. Lots of good sound advice on there.

There's an app called Stronglifts 5x5 - good starting place for lifting and getting bigger.

I really wouldn't worry about protein powders, they're not going to do him any harm!

Again, all advice and input gratefully read and accepted. Thank you, all.

I don't have any constructive advice, but he should definitely follow a proper program, not just try and bulk up on his own.

That's what DH did in his late teens, swallowed raw eggs and who knows what else, and pumped iron at the gym.

Then he stopped doing it and the muscles turned to fat and stretch marks! Of course, I met him when the muscles were deflating so never had the full benefit of them.

Kino Body DH says. With Greg. Who is an enormous arsehole but DH swears by him.

Thanks for the replies, everyone.