I am 16 years old, 5-foot-5, 125 pounds, with, in my opinion, a rather disappointing physique. I have been working out seriously for the past six months because I have goals such as taking my shirt off at the beach, modeling/bodybuilding, R&B singing group gig, and getting strong for wrestling. Will I stunt my growth if I start training at 16 years old? How old were you when you started training?

I began training at 18 years old only because I was into athletics and worked quite often during high school. I did not have the extra time to spend in the gym at that time. I have heard all these negatives about stunted growth and negative effects from weight training, also. I am not a doctor, but I know from experience that bodybuilding can be very safe if you are smart about it. I would suggest a basic routine, sticking with basic movements such as squats, dead lifts, presses, curls, etc. I suggest not pushing ridiculous amounts of weights, rather weights you can handle for 10-12 repetitions. Stick to a three-day per week routine. You need to eat proper foods and frequent meals throughout the day. Remember, I stress that diet is 85 percent of being a healthy, muscular person! Without it, you will see little or no improvement.

I'm 17 years old and I have been working out for three years now. I'm beginning to get pretty big and I'm getting a lot of compliments on my arms and legs. The problem is that I cannot get my chest much bigger or stronger. I've gone from bench press to dumbbells like you, but it has only gotten me more cut. The problem is mostly in the upper pecs. Any tips would help.

I had this same problem at a younger age. I seemed to do all I could for chest with little improvement. Some body parts develop more slowly than others. Chest (pectoralis) seems to be a common one. I was a big believer in lots of flyes and dumbbell pullovers early on in my training. In fact, I still keep flyes as a major part in my current routine. Since you have tried dumbbells and barbells, I suggest that you try something similar to what I do. I begin with a pre-exhaust movement, usually flat dumbbell flyes. My next exercise is an incline barbell press. I then move over to the pec dec and bang out three sets. The next exercise is flat barbell presses on the Smith machine for three sets. Finally, I move to cable crossovers for three sets and I finish with three sets of pullovers. There you have it- the Jay C workout. I suggest about 12 total sets with controlled weights, shooting for six to 10 reps on each set.

I've heard that you cycle your carbs when you are in an off-season. Would this work for a lot of people? I am getting ready for a show; I have six months and I am 220 pounds, 12 percent body fat. What would you recommend as a good carb cycle for me?

          Give yourself proper time to begin the diet phase. I always suggest 16 weeks of contest prep for a person such as yourself. The first four weeks is basically eating clean and allowing your body to adjust to a low-fat, scheduled diet. It usually takes most bodybuilders three to four weeks to get their bodies in a fat-burning mode. Weeks 12 and down is where you need to begin a cycle phase with your diet. I would begin by doing a low-carb cycle for three days and adding a higher-carb day every fourth day. I like to have my high day on the harder body part days such as back or legs. I also prefer a two-on or  three-on, one-off schedule for training. This allows body parts to rest. Here is a suggestion: Low-carb days should be 150-250 carbs depending on your progress. Your high-carb day should be double that, about 500 carbs. Keep your protein at 1.5 grams per pound of body weight on the low days. Your adjustment of protein on the high days should be kept to one gram per pound of body weight.  I hope this will help serve as a guide for you! Good luck!

           I have recently been learning about dieting and I found everything says to diet all day long and work out in the evening. What about working out in the late morning-early afternoon? Should my diet differ? What would a normal day of eating be like?

          I can never stress enough the importance of proper nutrition. My knowledge of what works best for me has been crucial for my career. I have trained all different schedules and consistently have different routines. It is important to learn the timing of meals, which becomes crucial also. I suggest a proper breakfast to start any day, consisting of quality protein and a big boost of fibrous and simple carbs. Meals closer to workouts should consist of a higher ratio of carbs also. By this, I mean your pre-workout and post-training meals. I always stress quality, meaning low-fat, higher-fiber, and non processed food. Here is a sample diet:
       Meal 1: 8-10 egg whites, one cup oatmeal, one banana
       Meal 2: protein shake(35-50 grams), or protein, one cup oatmeal
       Meal 3: 5-7 ounces of beef, 1-1/2 cups rice
       Train
       Meal 4: 16-ounce Gatorade, 40-50 grams whey protein, one large potato
       Meal 5: 6-8 ounces fish, 1/2 cup rice, veggies
       Meal 6: protein shake (35-50grams)


         Let me first say man, you are awesome. I am a hard gainer- I have a lot of problems gaining mass. I am always on the go and find it hard to mix up a shake. Is a protein bar just as good a source as a protein shake? If a bar will do, what should I look for in a bar? Thanks, Jay. Looking forward to the 2003 Arnold Classic!

                 Protein bars versus protein shakes have become somewhat confusing for consumers. Supplements such as bars and shakes were produced for convenience, and that is where I leave them. I am a big believer that food is your ultimate supplement. You cannot steer from proper nutrition to add proper mass. I began training in 1991 and the market did not have such things as protein bars. Protein bars are, for the most part, comprised of a mix of proteins such as whey, casein and frequently soy. Soy has less branch chain amino acids (BCAAs) than whey and casein. BCAAs have been found to prevent overtraining. It has also been found that when the protein bars are made and heated, some of the protein is destroyed in the process. The level of heat used to make protein powder does not do the same. I would personally suggest using protein bars as a back-up plan. I would suggest remaining with food or powders.