Bodybuilding is an art and a science. It takes time, effort and skill and most of all, it takes a plan. There are basic foundation stones you need to put down in order to be a successful body builder and if you use these foundation stones, you will succeed. These are the basics:
-Rest
-Diet
-Effort and
-Being consistent
You will have certain aims such as muscle growth, gaining weight and building mass and all these aims can be achieved by using the right plan based on the proper foundation.
You’ll notice the first point is Rest. So many bodybuilders in their desire to gain muscle and lean muscle in particular, neglect the vital routine of rest. Your body needs rest as much as it needs the right muscle exercises.
Likewise with nutrition because a bodybuilding diet is not the same as someone else’s normal food intake. We’ll discuss nutrition, exercises and more in the rest of this article. But before we do, remember the two other vital foundation stones – effort and being consistent.
You won’t gain weight fast or become a successful hardgainer unless you [a] break out a sweat and [b] stick to your bodybuilding routine, week in and week out. If a person approaches their exercise routine in a casual way or skips sessions because they don’t feel like it, they are not a genuine bodybuilder. There needs to be a challenge and there needs to be regular workouts.
Muscle growth or development
There is no shortage of advice on how to achieve these ends. And while exercises and supplements are important, one of the first things to consider is your body’s current condition. If you’re a newbie, your body is probably quite happy being the way it is. And as you plan on becoming a bodybuilder, think of your body as a partner you need to convince to try something new. Don’t attack your body but rather persuade it to come along for the journey of growing muscles and building mass.
Of course exercises are vital as are your consistency and effort but muscle growth depends to a large extent on your intake of calories. The more the better and you should concentrate on healthy fats, lots of complex carbohydrates as well as proteins which are lean and low in fat.
Now there are dozens or maybe hundreds of weight training and muscle workout programs available. Sure, some will work better than others but most, provided they are safe, will get the job done. You just need to get stronger by doing your volume training mixed in with your rest and recovery sessions. You need to stress your muscles then relax.
Bodybuilding diet
It’s important you understand what we mean by the word ‘diet’. We are not talking about starvation and dropping pounds but rather about the type and quantity of food you eat. Everyone is on a diet right now. It might be a healthy diet or a junk food dominated bad diet but it is a diet.
In any bodybuilding program, diet plays a vital role. All the muscle workouts in the world will count for little unless you get your bodybuilding diet in place. The two go together.
Whenever you create your bodybuilding diet, you should include the following basic principles.
Having a large meal is not necessary or even a good idea. It’s far better to eat small quantities of food at more frequent intervals.
Vary your diet so you are not consuming the same type of calories day in day out. Your body needs variety and such changes in diet will boost and better maintain any muscle growth.
The 40/40/20 rule is a good one which has worked for millions. 40% protein, 40% carbohydrates and 20% of the right type of fats, good fats.
Here is a list of foods which could all be part of your well balanced daily body building diet. Remember variety is important, smaller serves taken every two or three hours is preferable and the 40/40/20 rule applies.
-Oatmeal mixed with water
-Brown rice
-Baked potato
-Lean chicken, turkey, fish
-Flaxseed oil
-Eggs (whites are better than yolks although both can be taken)
-Green beans, broccoli and any other green vegetables
-Salads with olive oil dressing
-Almonds
-Cottage cheese
-Tuna in water
Supplements
Many bodybuilding diets include supplements for muscle growth, the burning of fat and the growth of testosterone amongst other things. It’s important that you seek professional advice on all matters but particularly so before taking supplements. Age and gender are some of the factors and proper guidance is essential.
Study after study has been conducted to discover what works well when it comes to bodybuilding and supplements. It’s well known that the right exercise can help you burn fat but so too can eating certain foods.
Eating lean protein is found to decrease appetite which is a certain way to help lose fat. Lean protein will also help you burn fat and keep it off.
Now protein is also available as a supplement and can be consumed in a powder form. Bodybuilders often mix it with water making a ‘shake’ and consume such mixtures as whey protein [good for muscle recovery], soy protein and egg-white protein. Of course the average person gets enough protein through their daily diet but bodybuilders want to gain muscle and lean muscle at that so extra protein is a common option.
Most of us eat eggs but they are a special food for many bodybuilders. Egg protein is highly recommended especially as it contains the important amino acids. Many bodybuilders get their extra protein from egg whites [there is no fat in egg whites whereas there is in the yolks] and from egg protein powder.
An added benefit of egg protein is that it is a food which actually fights abdominal fat.
More tips about supplements
Taking supplements is fairly easy if you know your goals. A weightlifter and a bodybuilder are not the same. So you need to be sure about your goals. Know what you want to achieve and then develop
[a] your exercise routines
[b] your diet and
[c] your intake of supplements
But which supplements should you take and in what quantity? Again you need to know your goals. A professional bodybuilder will have different goals from a person who simply wants to lose weight and get fit.
The two key factors are to take advice from an instructor, someone who knows about bodybuilding and supplements and secondly, to be strict in your regime. You can’t take your supplements for a few days and then forget about them for a week. Take professional advice and follow the instructions religiously.
Muscle exercises
If you’re a beginner you should understand that Rome wasn’t built in a day and that without dedication and effort, you will struggle. So don’t expect miracles in a week and be prepared to work hard.
Before you begin to build your body, here are some valuable tips.
-Have a plan
-Know what you want to become
-Talk to the experts (doctor, dietician, gym instructor)
-Drink lots of water
-Work on your whole body
-Warm up first
-Wear appropriate clothing
So before you begin your muscle exercise routine, spend 5 minutes or more doing simple things like skipping, stretching or walking on a treadmill. The aim is to get oxygen flowing to all parts of your body. This improves the benefits of your routine and reduces the risk of any injury.
Many instructors don’t recommend machines. They believe using weights is the best way to develop lean muscle growth. To start, you should concentrate on strength building. Start with an empty bar and get your technique right before you begin to add weights. Apart from weights, you can use other forms of muscle exercise with chin-ups, push-ups and reverse crunches.
Beginners should do exercises which work several muscles at the same time e.g. squats, bench presses and push-ups. Remember the professional bodybuilders have been doing their routines and workouts for years. Don’t copy them. Have a beginner’s plan drawn up by your instructor and build from there.
The professionals will often engage in isolation exercise. Here they isolate a part of their body and work to build muscle in that particular area. At first you don’t want that. You need a solid overall body development and that may take weeks even months. Once your core strength is established, then you could consider isolation exercises.
Squats are ideal for overall body development. Aim to make your hips drop lower than your knees. Rehearse with only a bar to get the routine right first. Once the weights are added, build slowly and if you can squat 150% of your body weight, you will see a marked improvement in your muscle development. Dead lifts and overhead presses are also good for rapid muscle development.
Remember that a vital part of any routine is rest. You are pushing your body to new limits. Your muscles may never have had that treatment before. They need time to rest and recover. It’s like two steps forward and one step back. You will make progress but not in a rush.
Gain weight fast
But it is possible for you to develop muscle at a reasonably rapid rate if you use the three key ingredients of diet, exercise and rest. Only when all three factors are properly developed will you really see the benefits.
Genetics play a part in your bodybuilding life. Some of us are more fortunate than others. Some of us inherit genes from our folks or a parent and we find it easy or easier to gain weight and build and gain lean muscle growth. So because your friend is making more progress than you, it could well be because of their genetic background. Just run your own race.
Build muscle mass
Some of us want a particular look with our bodybuilding and often that look is muscle mass. The simple way to achieve this is to work hard and heavy. You don’t train like this too often. You have short, intense sessions with lots of rest and recuperation between training drills.
And keep up your hydration levels. A minimum of 10 glasses of water a day is required; more if you can and if you sweat a lot.
It’s not how much but how
One major mistake many budding bodybuilders make is to concentrate on the weights they are using. They look at the weights and feel good they are working with such figures. But that’s all wrong. They important thing is how you are lifting.
So a bodybuilder who has the wrong tempo but uses very heavy weights will get less benefit than a bodybuilder who uses lighter weights but has the correct technique and tempo.
The best muscle workout comes when you don’t rush your routines but concentrate on your tempo; that’s when you can watch your muscles grow.
4/0/2 is a good tempo in training. Count to 4 on one movement, no waiting equals 0 and then count to 2 on the next movement. If you are doing a bench press you would lower the weights as you count to four, don’t pause and then raise the weights as you count to 2. The counting can be out loud but the other bodybuilders might prefer you count silently to yourself. That also helps you focus on your work and forget whatever is happening around you.
Conclusion
Bodybuilding has many benefits if you go about things the right way. Follow expert advice, start slowly, don’t expect a brilliant result in five minutes and remember all the safety tips such as rest and hydration.
It’s a good idea to take photos of your progress. Your before and after shots will give you a lot of satisfaction as you watch your muscles grow and your body take on a new look and feel.
Happy bodybuilding.