Can You Recommend any Natural Sleep Aids?

Quality sleep is absolutely vital for both mental and physical health.  As far as your workouts go, poor sleep will definitely prevent you from making optimal gains.  Assuming your evening habits are conducive to sleep and you have exhausted behavioral remedies, I'd recommend looking at 5 different products, each of which I have used with varying degrees of success.

The first is Valerian Root.  This has been used for centuries as a sleep aid and many folks highly recommend it.  Follow label dosage instructions and make sure you purchase from a reputable herbalist, as many herbal remedies either have contaminants or lack any of the supposed label ingredients.  I have tried Valerian root on occasion, but have not experienced any results.

Second, is Tryptophan, an essential amino acid, that has sometimes been shown to be an effective sleep aid when used as a supplement.  This is the ingredient that supposedly makes you fall asleep after eating turkey on Thanksgiving. It effects serotonin level in the brain. Some report very good results but it has never done anything for me. Follow dosage instructions on the label.

Third, is 5-HTP. This also effects neuro-transmitters in the brain and has shown effectiveness as both an anti-depressant and as a sleep aid.  It is widely used in Europe and I have used it with some success over the years.  I normally use it for no longer than 3-4 weeks at a time, as it actually starts to disrupt my sleep after a certain period of time.  Again, follow dosage recommendations on the label.

Fourth, is Melatonin a hormone that plays a role in circadian rhythms.  This product is especially useful to older individuals as natural levels tend to drop off dramatically after age 50.  I have used it with some success and my wife swears by it.  Fol ow label dosage.

Lastly, is ZMA an amalgamation of zinc and magnesium that was first produced by the BALCO labs, the same guys that were involved in the Barry Bonds "juicing" scandal.  I find this product to be extremely effective but it does have one significant side effect which causes some to not or stop using it.  It causes very long and vivid dreams.  To mitigate this, I reduce my dosage to either 1/3 or 2/3 of the label recommendation. It still works, but the extent of the vivid dreaming is reduced.

Each of these are worth a try, if you're sleeping is not right.  Don't mix any of them and if you have no success after trying each for 2-3 weeks in succession, you might want to consult a sleep specialist.

 

I'm 14 and not Gaining Muscle

My first observation would be that at 14 you may not yet have sufficient androgenic hormones to build any significant muscle. You need to be well into your adolescent growth spurt to have enough testosterone to do the job. Personally, I did not start responding to weight training until I was 15.

If that's not the case, look to some of the good hard gainer workouts and diets that are out there.  Use basic heavy compound movements with a barbell.  Use good form for 2-4 sets of 8-12 reps and start with a whole body routine of 8-10 movements, no more than 3 times per week for the first 2-3 months. 

Eat a good healthy diet emphisizing lean protein, vegetables and fruit, nuts and healthy oils, and whole grains as needed to keep energy levels up and growth continuous.  At your age, if you can tolerate it, low and non-fat dairy is also a good choice.

Copying Arnold's program likely has too much volume and not enough rest, the latter being important because I see you use the phrase, "every day."

Learn. Be patient. Be consistent. Work Hard. Eat well. You'll grow.

What is the Most Effective Exercise for the Mid-back and Scapula

Really, any rowing movement is going to hit all of the muscles of the upper/mid-back. Picking the specific exercise is really going to be a matter of personal choice and individual bio-mechanics. Machine rows, face pulls, barbell rows, T-bar rows, various handles, various grips, are all part of the trial and error equation that are going to help you find the particular exercises that hit the specific muscles you want,  in just the way you want to feel it.

And feeling it, is key.  No matter which exercise you choose, making sure that you're pulling the shoulder blades back, at the end of the concentric contraction, is vital. In fact, you should chose a weight that allows you to hold this contracted position for a count or two before slowly lowering the weight.  This allows you to develop that all important "mind/muscle" connection in your upper back.

Further, I'd recommend starting with a weight that allows at least 12-15 repetitions while maintaining impeccable form.  Two to four sets is plenty to start with.

Once you have spent some time really learning how to use and activate these muscles, the weight can go up, the reps can drop, and (dare I say it) your form can loosen up a bit.

Most have a hard time learning to activate their upper back muscles, primarily because they can't see, them.  Consequently, they rely on the relatively weak biceps and body momentum to lift increasingly heavy weights, with no results.

Start small.  Work patiently and consistently.  Work hard. You'll get the results you want.

Am I Gaining Weight too Fast

Although there is something to be said for a "bulking" phase in the first few years of a serious bodybuilding or strength gaining program, there is never a good reason to get overly fat in the process.  And, while there needs to be an energy surplus to gain appreciable muscle size, especially in the long-term, it does not need to be huge. A couple hundred calories per day is sufficient to grow quite quickly.

In fact, most successful natural bodybuilders now rarely go more than 10 pound over their competitive body weight while working to gain more size in the off season. That 10 pounds also comes slowly as the energy surplus is ratcheted up over a period of weeks and months to facilitate new muscle growth.

The easiest way to gauge whether you're gaining too fast and putting on more fat than muscle, is to either consistently measure your waist, or easier still, just make sure your pants are not getting tighter.  As a "rule of thumb" most folks who are already relatively lean, or display an "athletic physique, are gong to put about an inch on their waist for every 4 pounds of fat gain.  8 pounds is going to equal 2 inches and that should be your limit.  Once you hit that, and that should take at least 3-6 months on a solid, well planned bulk, slowly cut back on the calories. Is just too hard to lean out and keep your muscle, naturally, if you go too high.

Unless you're playing offensive line, excess fat just does no good in either bodybuilding or sports and doesn't do your health any good either.

If your current gains are solid, and your waist is not growing appreciably, keep at it.  Your gains seem to be outstanding, at this time.

Why are my Quads not Responding to Squats

You state that your Central Nervous System is giving out on you before you're able to really tax your quads.  And, you're forced to stop your workout because your cardio vascular (CV) system (heavy breathing and a very high heart rate), is not allowing you to continue.

I have three thoughts on how to proceed.

First, it sounds as though your CV system is not well conditioned.  High rep squats, especially for multiple sets, are extremely demanding on the CV system. Take some time, a few weeks or months is realistic, to build a solid CV base using both steady state cardio as well as some high intensity intervals.  The specific exercises you use, running, cycling, elliptical, rowing, is less important than enhancing your overall CV system and your ability to do high intensity work.

Second, several recent studies have shown that for anything other than an all out 10 second or less sprint, or lifting in the 5 rep or less range, it's the mind, not the body that is the limiting factor. Structured, positive, rehearsed self-talk has been shown to both ease perceived effort and significantly increase time to exhaustion in  controlled studies.  Take the time to practice some basic sports psychology and add it to your gym repertoire.  It might help significantly, especially for something as demanding as squats, if you do not come from a sports/athletic background.

Finally, although most consider squats to the the "king" of exercises, some simply do not respond as well as others because of genetically based bio-mechanics.  Have someone knowledgeable check your form and work to correct it, if it's not right.  If that doesn't work, consider other exercises, specifically to better hit your quads, e.g. leg presses of various types and various foot placings, lunges, etc.
 

Should I be using Creatine

Creatine is one of the most extensively researched supplements on the market and its safety and effectiveness is now unquestioned.  At the same time, just like with anything else, there's going to be a "bell curve" of responsiveness.  Some will have an incredible response (I gained 10 solid pounds and my lifts all went up 15-20% during my first month of use, after an almost 2 year plateau) while others may not respond much at all. Most will fall somewhere in the middle and be very pleased.

Creatine will allow you to get several more reps per set because of its ability to replenish ATP in the working muscle.  This translates into immediate strength gains as well as increased work and resultant improvement in both strength and size over time.

I don't recommend one form of creatine over another, and have been more than satisfied with plain old creatine monohydrate. 

Since one of the functions of creatine is to pull more water into the muscle cells, increased water consumption is recommended as you load or when you first start using it.  This will also help to alleviate any stomach distress and minimize cramping, a couple of the side effects that were reported frequently when the product first came on the market.

I don't think a load phase is necessary and I don't think you need to cycle off.

If you can afford it, creatine is at the very top of list of  supplements I would recommend.