Every boy goes through puberty at a different age. Don’t be worried if you see changes in your friends and not in yourself. Your body starts changing from around 9-14 yrs old. There is always a race to be the first one with hair on your nuts. Don’t worry – those hairs will come.

If you are the front runner in your group of friends, you should brag about your hairy nut sack but also be supportive of your mates who still have a clean pair of plums. Tell them not to worry. In life you should always be proud of your achievements but also mindful of those around you.

Girls get a small head start on you when it comes to puberty – they start changing from around 8-13 yrs old. This is why there might be a lot of girls taller than you to begin with. Once again, don’t worry, you will catch up and most likely overtake them eventually.

Puberty is when the body starts producing chemicals (hormones) that tell the body to start changing to evolve to become a man to survive and reproduce.

What does a man need to survive in the world?

Strength

A man needs to protect himself and his loved ones, so your body goes through a sudden growth spurt, and you develop muscles. This period is important and requires optimisation to get the best out of your growth spurt.

Sperm

Your penis grows bigger, and your balls drop and begin producing sperm so you can have babies.

Attraction

Your voice gets deeper, you grow body hair and your face changes to make you more masculine. This signals to females you are ready to reproduce.  

These changes happen for a reason. For you to biologically find a girl you can have sex with and keep the human race alive.

Not much pressure eh?

Just because you have a dick that snaps to attention at the slight hint of a breeze doesn’t mean you are ready to become a dad. Your dick and balls are descended from the cave man era when they would procreate as soon as possible to ensure the clan survived. With the medicine and technology today, we can live to 80, so there is no need to rush into fatherhood.

Condoms – you need to buy lots of condoms.

Growth spurt

Expect your growth spurt to kick in anywhere between 10 to fifteen years old. This can be a tough time as you grow into your body. Suddenly you are as tall as a man, but you don’t have the muscle bulk to go with it. This may leave you feeling awkward in your body. Growing pains are a real thing as your bones grow and often ache.

Early starters

You have shot up in height, and you tower over your fellow classmates. This can feel awkward, but they will catch up. Tall, skinny kids tend to hunch their shoulders to hide their new-found height.

Don’t do it.

A good posture is one of the most attractive things a person can have. Always have your shoulders back and stand proud of your height or you will regret it in later years. If you continually hunch your shoulders, you can develop rounded shoulders and back (eventually can lead to a hump-back). Always be aware of your posture and when you feel yourself hunching over your phone make a physical effort to improve your posture.

Your body is transforming, your shoulders broaden and your chest grows. This can lead to a slight hunch as you adjust. Fight the temptation.

Exercise is an important part of having a good posture and is explained in the fitness section of the eBook.

Late starters

This can be as awkward as being an early starter. You are the shortest in class and you haven’t hit puberty yet. Don’t sweat it. It will come and often late bloomers become the tallest in the class.

Don’t obsess about your height. Today’s world describes for both men and women a stereotype due to genetics may not be achievable. If you have short parents, chances are you will be short yourself. If you have tall parents, chances are you will be tall, although this is not guaranteed.

Remember some of the best actors are short, the best surfers, skaters, cricketers and breakdancers are short. Don’t let your height affect your self-esteem.

Power of the mind. Your mind is the most powerful weapon you have, and people use it to achieve extraordinary things. If you really want to be tall, tell your body to grow each night before you go to sleep. It may or may not work, but there is no harm in trying.

In-betweeners

The lucky ones going through your growth spurt at the same time. Be mindful of the early and late starters. Cut them some slack and don’t point out differences as you might not understand the devastating impact your words can have on their self-esteem.

Optimise your growth spurt

This is the time you want your body to be running at full revs, so you need to give it the right fuel. You need at least three meals a day of nutritious food which contains fruit, vegetables and protein. Lots of protein, because it is the building block of muscle.

The enemy of the growth spurt is fatty fast food and sugary drinks. The only growth this crap assists with is making your belly bigger. Your body reflects what you put into it.

Don’t miss this opportunity to maximise your growth spurt.

You also need to keep active by playing sports, doing resistance exercises such as weightlifting, push ups, chin ups and dips. Riding your bike, skateboarding or scooter. Refer to the fitness section in the eBook for more information.

The more time you spend on your arse in front of a computer screen the more time you are wasting of your growth spurt. So quit reading this book and get out and exercise (then come back and read some more.)

Growing pains

Your bones can grow faster than the surrounding muscles and tendons can keep up. This creates temporary joint pain. You might feel aches in your shins, calves, thighs, or behind your knees. Normally hits you in the late afternoon, evening, or overnight after active days.

Tips to manage:

• Regular stretching. Focus on the hamstrings and calves.
• Try yoga or pilates. Youtube it.
• Take a warm bath or sauna.
• Drink plenty of water.

Energy shifts

Growing requires immense energy. You might experience huge hunger sessions followed by crashing out with fatigue as your body recovers. Get at least 8–10 hours of solid sleep to support tissue growth and recovery.

Sore man boobs

60-70% percent of guys experience sore man-boobs during puberty. Tender or slightly swollen tissue under the nipples. It can be one or both nipples.

It occurs because your hormones are raging out of control, an imbalance between estrogen and testosterone as your system seeks balance.

Don’t stress, it’s completely normal, and resolves itself within a year or two as hormone levels stabilise.

Manstank

A new type of sweat gland activates in your armpits and groin and it ain’t pleasant.

As a pre-teen you used to have cooling sweat (mostly water), now your sweat contains proteins and lipids that produce a healthy dose of manstank.

Read the article: The ultimate teenage guide to manscaping (head to toe) for more information on smelling nice.

Voice change

When your voice breaks, it can produce some weird squawks and high-pitched warbles. Naturally these usually occur just as you are talking to the girl you have a crush on. Don’t worry about it too much as you only have to push through it for a few months at the most.

Once your larynx is finished growing you have a deeper voice girls find more attractive. During these months try to avoid participating in any school plays, musicals or making any speeches. This can be tricky, but you’ll figure it out.

Body hair

When those first wispy hairs begin to form on the base of your nut sack it’s time to celebrate. You are becoming a man. They grow around your penis, under your arms, chest, back and butt crack. This is all perfectly normal and nothing to be ashamed about. Just use the manscaping techniques described in this article to keep them under control: The ultimate teenage guide to manscaping (head to toe)

Acne

Pretty much everyone gets acne as they are going through puberty. Unfortunately, some people get it worse than others and it can be a real hit to your self-esteem. Like most problems though, there is a way to manage it.

Pimples are a rite of passage so don’t let them get you down. Eventually they clear up although some adults still get the odd pimple.

Tips to avoid pimple break outs.

• Eat clean and avoid high-processed food and sugary drinks like soda.
• Wash your face in the morning and night. Use an anti-acne face wash.
• Keep your hands off your face. Don’t prod or pick.
• Look for non-comedogenic sunscreen and moisturiser. Formulated to not clog your pores.
• Wash your pillowcase every few days. It absorbs oil and sweat. Changing it keeps the pimple causing bacteria away.
• Wash your hair product out each night, otherwise your pillowcase absorbs it.

Severe acne

If none of these things help, go to your doctor and ask them to prescribe acne-medication. This is usually a pill you can take once a day.

To squeeze or not to squeeze? That is the question.

The experts recommend you never squeeze a pimple even though that little bubble of white pus is screaming to be popped. When you pop a pimple, you risk permanent scarring, so it’s better to leave it. It will eventually take care of itself.

What if you see a monster pimple in the morning before you go to school?

In this case, weigh up the embarrassment of walking around with the big whitehead all day against the risk of scarring. Make the call.

Girls have more luck in this department as they can use make-up. Although they get their period every month and have to pee sitting down.

Moodiness and aggression

Your body starts producing hormones you are not used to. This rise in testosterone increases your desire for dominance and power and reduces your empathy.

Empathy

The ability to understand and share the feelings and emotions of another person.

You might feel aggressive towards the other boys at your school as you feel the need to show them you are more powerful than they are. This all comes from primal instinct where males fight each other for the attention of females.

Due to civilisation, this aggression has to be hidden somewhat, and physical violence is not tolerated in society. This doesn’t stop the urge you feel to punch Benny in the face after he teases you about your haircut.

You need to find outlets for your aggression and recognise when the feelings build up to the top of your dam wall. When they tip over the top, you lose control and the rage sets in. This is to be avoided as you end up hurting someone or yourself.

You need an outlet for your aggression and physical activity is the answer. Grab a pair of boxing gloves and beat the shit out of a boxing bag until you exhaust yourself.

Go for a ride on your bike, go for a skate and attempt a new trick. Slapping your nuts on a rail is a great way to lose your aggression…

Play your favourite violent video game and kill the shit out of your Fortnite buddies. Release the rage against imaginary foes, not against real people.

Don’t bottle it up as the dam isn’t built to contain the amount of aggression you are pumping out. Don’t aim it at your little sister or your parents. They understand you are going through puberty, but they don’t understand why you have to be such an asshole.

This is where you need to be aware of their emotions and understand how your actions are affecting them. If you’re being a moody, aggressive prick at home you make the whole mood of the family come down. You are not the only person in the house dealing with shit.

Your dad or mum might have had a shit day at work, and they come home to you being a tool bag which makes their day doubly shit and they question what they did wrong. Being a parent doesn’t come with a handbook, so they are winging it as much as you are winging it being a teenager. Respect that fact and channel your aggression away from the family.

Changes below the belt

For all the information about changes in your equipment below the belt, see the article: Below the belt – a guide for down there