| Bodybuilding is simply the process of increasing the | | | | Tricep pushdowns |
| muscle mass of the body and decreasing the amount | | | | Barbell curls |
| of fatty tissue in the body. This is accomplished | | | | Crunches |
| through the use of Progressive Resistance Training. | | | | Leg extensions |
| Progressive resistance means increasing resistance | | | | Leg curls |
| (weight) over time in a particular movement (exercise). | | | | Standing Calf raises |
| Increasing resistance is possible due to the body's | | | | You should start out each exercise with a warm up |
| ability to adapt to stress by becoming stronger in | | | | set. For this set, choose a relatively light weight that will |
| response to the stimulus of exercise. Simply put, when | | | | allow you to do 25 reps without killing yourself. This will |
| you work a muscle hard, the fibers are actually | | | | get your muscles ready for heavier weights. Then do |
| damaged or broken down and the body responds by | | | | 3 sets of each exercise of 8-10 repetitions. |
| repairing the muscle and making it slightly bigger and | | | | For your first set, choose a weight that will allow you |
| stronger to prepare for the work to be repeated. If the | | | | to 10 reps without struggling too much. Rest for 30-60 |
| work (exercise) is repeated frequently (with enough | | | | seconds, then increase the weight for your second set |
| rest in between for the repair process to take place) | | | | that makes 10 reps considerably harder. For your third |
| with increased resistance each time, theoretically, the | | | | set, choose a weight that is heavy enough that you |
| muscle will get progressively larger and stronger. That | | | | cannot do any more than 8-10 reps no matter how |
| is the basis of bodybuilding weight training. | | | | hard you try. This is called muscular failure. You must |
| It is a simple process, but there are many variables | | | | take your muscles to the point of failure or they will not |
| that can affect how fast and how much the muscle | | | | grow. The last few reps of the last set are the ones |
| will grow. These factors include, but are not limited to, | | | | that will trigger your body to respond by making the |
| the following: | | | | muscle bigger and stronger. |
| Nutrition | | | | Write the weights down for each exercise so you |
| Rest | | | | know where you are for the next workout. |
| Intensity of workouts | | | | It will take a bit of trial and error until you find the |
| Frequency of workouts | | | | correct weight in each exercise. Be sure to take care |
| Nutrition is a huge part of successful bodybuilding. I | | | | when you first start out not to load the bar up with |
| would highly recommend reading everything you can | | | | some ridiculous weight that may cause injury to your |
| get your hands on dealing with bodybuilding nutrition | | | | muscles, tendons, or your foot when you drop it! |
| and supplementation. One way to keep informed in this | | | | As time goes on and you are diligently following your |
| area is to subscribe to a good Bodybuilding magazine | | | | training program, you will notice that when you get to |
| such as Flex or Muscle & Fitness. Both of these | | | | rep number 10 on your last set, you feel like you can |
| fine bodybuilding magazines have many great articles | | | | do one or two more. This is good! Go ahead and do |
| each month dealing with diet, nutrition and supplements. | | | | one or two more for a total of 11 or 12. When you are |
| Rest is another important area to consider. In this day | | | | able to do this for 2 or 3 workouts in a row, it is time |
| and age, it is not unusual to get less than 6 hours of | | | | to increase the weight in that particular exercise. |
| sleep a night for a lot of people. I recommend trying to | | | | If you are training a relatively large muscle group, such |
| get at least 8 hours if at all possible, even if you need | | | | as chest or quads, you may try increasing the weight |
| to take a nap! Your body does most of it's growing as | | | | by 10 or 15 pounds. If you are doing biceps or delts, |
| you sleep, so get all you can! | | | | then maybe increase only 5 pounds or even 2.5 |
| Workout intensity is something that entire books have | | | | pounds. The new weight should limit you to 7 or 8 reps |
| been written on. I recommend reading up on this topic | | | | on the last set. Soon you will be back up to 12 with the |
| as well. Flex and Muscle & Fitness deal with this | | | | new weight, and then you will bump the weight up |
| topic in depth. Basically you need to find the right | | | | even more. These increases are what you are |
| amount of intensity to trigger muscle growth. When a | | | | working so hard for. Increased weight means |
| bodybuilder is just starting out, it does not take much to | | | | increased strength, which means increased muscle |
| trigger new muscle growth. However, the body will | | | | mass! |
| quickly adapt to repeated stress and this can cause | | | | Be sure to write everything down as you train. This is |
| muscle growth to slow or stop all together. When this | | | | very important for several reasons. First, you may not |
| occurs, bodybuilders refer to it as a "plateau". This is | | | | remember what weight you used in a particular |
| when changes to workout intensity must occur. The | | | | exercise the next time you workout, and you will |
| muscle must be subjected to a new kind of stress | | | | waste time and effort having to figure it out again! |
| that it is not used to in order to stimulate new growth. | | | | Second, you need be able to gauge your progress as |
| Fortunately, there are many methods of changing the | | | | time goes on. When you see that you are using 10 or |
| workout intensity, but that is beyond the scope of this | | | | 15 more pounds than you did a month ago, you know |
| article. | | | | your strength is increasing and this is great feedback! I |
| Frequency of workouts is something that will vary | | | | recommend getting a good training journal, but you can |
| from bodybuilder to bodybuilder. Some bodybuilders | | | | use any pad of paper. Create a space for the |
| workout every day and some only 3 days per week. | | | | following data for each workout: |
| You will have to experiment with this to determine | | | | Date |
| what works best for you. You must give your muscles | | | | Muscle Group worked |
| enough of a break between workouts to repair | | | | Exercise name |
| themselves, but you don't want to wait too long | | | | Number of sets |
| between workouts or you will not get maximum | | | | Number of reps in each set |
| results. | | | | Weight used each set |
| Beginner Level | | | | Personal Notes |
| First and foremost, check with your physician to make | | | | Write things down that may have a positive or |
| sure you are in good physical condition to start a | | | | negative affect on your workout, such as energy level, |
| weight lifting or bodybuilding program! I recommend that | | | | whether you were tired or still sore from your last |
| beginners to bodybuilding start with a simple workout | | | | workout, or maybe your left shoulder has been |
| plan. This plan should consist of one exercise per | | | | bothering you, etc. If you are detailed here, you may be |
| bodypart, working the entire body 3 times per week. | | | | able to learn some important clues as to what makes |
| Bodyparts are divided as follows: | | | | you have a good workout verses an "ok" workout. |
| Chest (pecs) | | | | Maybe you'll find that when you workout right after |
| Back (lats) | | | | work you have more energy than when you wait until |
| Shoulders (delts) | | | | 8 o'clock. Or maybe certain foods you eat before a |
| Triceps (back of upper arm) | | | | workout help you with your energy and focus. Write |
| Biceps (front of upper arm) | | | | down if you have a cold, or if you are recovering from |
| Forearms | | | | an injury, or if any particular exercise hurts you when |
| Abdominals (abs) | | | | you do it. These notes will come in handy sooner or |
| Quadriceps (front of thigh) | | | | later in the course of your bodybuilding program. |
| Hamstrings (back of thigh) | | | | Use this program for 4-6 months and you should see |
| Calves (back of lower leg) | | | | some real progress. At that time, you may want to |
| Here is an example of a workout: | | | | start to include some advanced techniques to increase |
| Bench press | | | | your workout intensity in order to continue making |
| Lat pulldowns | | | | good gains. |
| Military Press | | | | |