AboutDavid Dickeson, A.S. Expertise I am a 56-year-old man who has been 'strength training' for 24 years. I have been giving free advice on weightlifting in AllExperts; since July, 2005. I am also in AllExperts under "How To Get What You Want in Life" and under "Aging."
Experience I let people who have written to me "show you my experience." Read their questions, my answers, and especially their comments! You will learn a LOT!
Question Hi, I am 16 and I have noticed that all my friends have got thinner faces than me. They are starting to look like men and I still look like a kid. I'm fairly skinny, but I still have a round face. The length to width ratio has gone down a bit, but I wish it would be more angular and less pudgy ^.^
I have heard about facial exercises, but some say they cause wrinkles and don't work. I also heard cartiovascular exercise might help, but what is that? Like running? My dad said wieght lifting firms up the muscles in your face @.@ Is there a diet I could try or special exercise routine?
Do the cheekbone and lip exercises I hear about really work? Cuz I would love to have more cheekbones and muscle and less cheek fat. I believe people judge be by looking at my face. They either think I'm fat or really young. Some people think I look 12! I even got a child's ticked for the movies by kneeling when I bought the ticket!
Okay, I have a weight machine thingy, so is that a start?
Stats:
Hgt: Just under 6 feet.
Wgt: 168 lbs.
My arms are very skinny, and my torso is flat but not toned. My face is round on the bottom, except for when I smile or open my mouth certain ways.
BTW, I'm a big fan of yours!
Answer Hey Matt!
First, Dad is correct. Weightlifting gives you that "chiseled" face because when you lift heavy, your muscles in your face contort in all kinds of ways. Especially impressive is your jaw muscles. After a while, when you close your mouth, they stick out of the sides of your face. Sounds gross, but when you are a guy with with stong, big, tight (especially the neck!) face muscles, it get's a lot of respect from others.
Next, when I was 18, I was 6'2" tall, weighed 187 pounds and wore 35" pants and a medium shirt. Skinny was definitely how I looked. Now, at age 53, I wear a XXXL shirt, 46" waist pants (any smaller, when I squat down, I split the seams!) and weigh 273 pounds! All this from weightlifting.
And most important, THANKS! It is great to have fans out there. I really enjoy answering the questions and helping people with their problems. Wish Allexperts AND the internet was around when I was a kid. I use it everyday, but suprisingly, computers and the internet have not been around for that long. How did we live with out them?
Now, let's focus on your concerns. Especially your worries about your friends looking like men, and you still looking like a kid. With exercises, you can look MORE than like "one of the guys" You can look like THE guy everyone wants to be around. I know, this is my life every day. People admire and respect strength.
I am not sure what type of weight machine you have. But I can tell you IF you can get your family to buy it; have them buy a power rack and an assortment of weight plates, a standard weight bar, and a manta ray attachment. When you do, I can give you an exercise that will completely change your appearance.
Until then, let's assume you are starting out with no equipment. Here is what you buy:
Go to Home Depot and buy a concrete construction block and two 5-gallon pails with lids.
When you wake up, wearing shoes, step up and down on the concrete block. Step up with your left foot, then your right, down with your left foot, then your right. When you do 10 steps, pause. Then resume, but this time with your right foot. When you get to 10 again, pause. Then go back to your left foot. Your goal is 50 steps in the morning. 50 more steps when you go to sleep at night. This speeds up your heart, your metabolism. It makes you sleep better, eat better, have a better outlook on life. THAT is the cardiovascular exercise you mentioned. And, a bonus; when you do this exercise, it lasts 3 days. So you can skip a couple of days and not miss out on the benefits.
Do this every day.
Next, stretching. Go to your kitchen. Stand facing the counter top. Hands on the edge of the counter top. Place one foot back a bit. Bend the other knee a bit. Push forward with your foot set back, while pushing back with your hands on the counter top. Push hard. Push and stop, 10 times. Feel the calf on the back of your leg stretching. Now do the other leg. Do every day.
Next, place your hands on the kitchen counter top for balance. Squat down and up slowly. Do 10 times. Do every day.
Remember the 5-gallon pails? Put some water in each. Lids back on. Pick up the pails, bent over a bit, knees bent a bit, elbows bent a bit. Pick up and HOLD the pails for 60 seocnds. Use a clock with a sweep second hand or count slowly to 60. By bending the joints, you use your muscles to hold the pails, not your bones.
What happens: this exercise tightens up all your muscles. You do this exercise every OTHER day. Once a week, you add a bit more water to the pails. As they get heavier, your muscles work hardier, and then get stronger. When you can hold them full of water for 60 seconds, then start adding white sand to the pails. Slowly again. Eventually you will have pails full of wet white sand. VERY heavy!
This also makes your bones stronger, too.
Diet is easy; eat every 3 hours. Eat a small meal. Avoid white bread, white rice, sausage, burgers, fries, breaded meats, milk and other dairy products. Focus on nuts, fruits, vegetables, whole-grain breads, etc. If you must drink soft drinks, drink the kid size drinks. Do not drink diet sodas.
They make you eat and drink more.
And finally! You have about 62 years of life ahead of you. Probably more, as science learns more about how to keep all of us alive. That is 62 years of developing your body into an amazingly strong and physically-built male. OR, you can end up like most other people; fat, out of shape, a wreck!
As always, if you have any more questions, please write to me again.
