A Beginner’s General Reference

To Bodybuilding:

A Guide For Aspiring Bodybuilders

In watching television and action movies, one will usually find action stars who are well built and can show off muscles that are well defined.  Seeing how cool they look and move, and how effortlessly they perform in an action sequence, will draw out admiration from natural guys – who thru the movies are able to play out in their minds their fantasies of being an action hero.

Health, exercise and muscle magazines are abundant.  With each cover, muscle-bound men and firm bodied women usually take the spot.  Seldom do you see the normal and real men and women with some fats here & there, who probably represent most of the population in the world.  With such imagery almost implanted in the minds of many, a lean body and a perfect figure have become the standards of beauty and coolness.

Those who idolize such figures, and have put upon themselves to possess the body worthy of a front cover, have started on the path towards beautiful & muscular bodies.  One way or the other, one may have tried different strategies in getting the body they want. 

Some used metabolic-enhancer pills, some have gone on a diet, some have gone to aerobic classes, or signed in gym memberships or yoga classes, and some in many other ways and combinations of the many available solutions that claim to be the answers to one’s bodybuilding needs.

Purpose of Bodybuilding

Before anything else, you must know what your intention is in going into bodybuilding.

One should understand, that when one talks about bodybuilding, it doesn’t necessarily equate to an exercise program to bulk up – as you most probably relate bodybuilding with.  Most of the time, bodybuilding has been associated with guys having big guns (arms), very wide chests, “V” shaped backs and quads that seem to have the potential to explode.  These though, are the professional bodybuilders – and they are in it for an entirely different reason.

For starters, however, the goal is usually that of achieving a lean body – nice muscles all throughout, less fat in the middle, bigger arms perhaps for show-off purposes, and a firm butt to impress women. 

But let’s face it, while this may be the goal in the beginning, in the back of the minds of men, they really want more – but while one is still not even in good shape, it is best to keep that for later purposes and use that perhaps on the later part of your bodybuilding pursuit.

One may fall in either of the 2 categories:

1.      Those who get into bodybuilding to become lean and healthy.

Under this group would fall those who want to gain muscles to reach one’s ideal weight.  Another would be those who want to lose weight, still to hit one’s ideal weight. 

Mainly these groups want to have firm bodies and muscular ones at that. Those who are underweight will reach their ideal weight by putting on pounds of pure muscle.  Those who are overweight will hit their ideal weight by shedding off those fats, and transforming the make-up of their bodies – one that has more muscles than fats.

Either way, these two groups fall on this category.  But their approaches in carrying out the exercise would be different. Their diet and supplementation will also differ in some aspects. What they share in common is that their goal is towards their ideal weight – and this would mean hitting it by becoming lean and healthy.

2.      Those who get into bodybuilding to gain massive muscles – either for the reason of being a professional bodybuilder or simply for the love of it.

Those that fall in this group are usually the veterans in the field of bodybuilding.  These individuals have already achieved transformations in their bodies’ composition, and have already a good amount of years spent in bodybuilding. 

This group usually plans their own exercise program, as they see fit for their needs.  They vary their diet and supplementation based on their assessment and current goals.

If one is a professional bodybuilder, would mean having different training programs and diets - depending on whether they are mainly building mass (usually long before a competition), or towards achieving definition (competition is nearing), or towards getting ripped (on a couple of days prior competition day) or towards pumped, ripped & defined muscles on the competition day itself.

Bodybuilding Basics - Useful and Valuable Tips

Get The Doctor’s Nod – Important !!

Always refer any physical activity, any exercise regimen, or diet & supplementation that you plan on taking, to your doctor.  Be safe and always consult your doctor. 

Learn The Proper Execution of The Exercises

One can learn through bodybuilding books, magazines and websites.  If you are enrolled in a gym, which is preferred, especially if you are new to the world of bodybuilding - ask your gym instructor for tips.

Enrolling in a gym would do you good since you will be under a professional trainer’s guidance.  Through him, you will learn the right techniques in executing a particular exercise. Proper execution will not only be for the effective development of the muscles you are hitting with the exercise, it is also about preventing injury on your part. 

If your execution seems awkward and seems uncomfortable, you may be doing it wrong.  Exercises are built around the body’s usual & normal range of motions.  Any deviation would pose some risk in injuring the muscles involved.

Learn the right diet & ask for recommendations for the appropriate supplements to take

Your doctor or nutritionist will be able to help you here.  If you are enrolled in a gym, they have their own health advisors there whom you can ask for advice.  Ask especially on the right protein intake for you to build muscle.

Learn on your own as well.  There are a lot of reading materials around that you can learn from.  Some health stores have memberships (with fees) wherein you will be able to obtain discounts when you purchase on their stores, and they also give out monthly health magazines for free.  This could be your means of getting information, or you could also visit websites as MensHealth.com – a lot of free and valuable information there.

Do warm up and cool down exercise

Before a rigorous exercise, one must first prepare his body for this.  This is done by warm up exercises.  These are simple exercises as ankle rotation, trunk rotation, neck rotation, shoulder rotation and many more.  The purpose mainly is not to shock your muscles with unexpected stress levels with your exercise regimen.

In the same manner, directly after a work out, do cool down exercises so that you will be able to gradually bring your body’s system back to normal levels.

Don’t Fret About The Weight You Lift 

Since you are a beginner, you must not lift very heavy weights.  One must let his muscles become accustomed with a particular weight before putting in more.  If those muscles are strong enough, only then should you consider adding more weight.  Remember that adding weight is not the only way to increase the intensity of your exercise.  There are many others – one is in the increase in repetitions, or by minimizing rest periods between sets.

Use the appropriate weight as per the exercise program set by your gym instructor.  Never hurry to go to the next level.  You will eventually get into that.  But one must get there in the right way and in a safe manner.  Never hurry for quick results, in time your patience will pay-off. 

Going for it right away, would lead you to do exercises in haste – increasing your risk for injury.  So be cool about the current level you are in, what is important is that you know you are on your way towards your goal.

No Pain, No Gain – Not Right!

While one should expect some minor muscle pains, if it should persist for more than a couple of days, rest it and have it checked up by your doctor just to be sure.

There is that “no pain, no gain” theory subscribed by traditional bodybuilders. This is true in some ways, but should be understood in the proper context.  Never subject your muscles to pain, just so you will be able to feel that a specific exercise actually works.  In fact, if you feel pain, there must be something wrong with how you are executing the exercise, or the appropriateness of the weight you are lifting.

The Exercise Proper

Ø      A general guide for the underweight:

·        Go for fewer repetitions per set.

·        Intensity should be increased with safe & gradual increase of weights.

·        Exercise three times a week and no more than one hour per session.

·        Improve flexibility with yoga.

·        Special Note: Take in sufficient protein for muscle building.  Protein shakes and amino acid supplements will help. Multivitamins and minerals should be taken.

Ø      A general guide for the overweight:

·        Go for more repetitions per set.

·        Intensity should be increased with gradual increase of repetitions per set, less rest time between sets, and less rest time between exercises. 

·        Exercises done in successive cycle is ideal.

·        Exercise three times to five times a week and no more than one hour per session.

·        Improve endurance with tai chi.

·        Engage in other sports and do cross training.  Go swimming every once in a while.

·        Special Note: Go for smaller serving of meals 4 to 5 times a day. There are supplements that curb your carbohydrate cravings and control your appetite - you might consider taking one.  Or drinking a glass of water before every meal would be of some help.  Multivitamins and minerals should be taken. Drink green tea as well for cleansing purposes.

Drink Water and Have Lots of Rest

Drink water to avoid dehydration.  Water is vital to the body.  And with the rigorous exercises you do, you will sweat more and you will need enough water to keep your body hydrated.

Rest is vital for recuperation and growth.  During exercise, your muscles will be subjected to stress, and it should be healed afterwards.  And the healing process mainly takes place when you rest.  So have the discipline to sleep early or have around 6 to 8 hours of sleep for good recuperation.  You must also know that your muscles grow when you rest - and not when you exercise and feel the pump of blood on your vessels.  It is definitely necessary to have sufficient rest. 

The Way To Go – Beginners On To The Gym!

Whether you are losing weight or gaining weight towards your desired weight levels, keep on to your program and never quit early on.  Visualize your goal in mind; picture yourself with a new body – firm and muscular.

And while you are on your way towards achieving the body of your dreams, never cheat and take shortcuts in your training.  Never take in fad supplementations and wonder drugs, either to take away the fat immediately or to put on more muscles quickly – because if you do, in no time you’ll come to regret it.

Go the hard path, where others fear to tread. Take the long but safe road, and take the difficult but right way towards getting the muscular and lean body aspired upon. The way to go is nowhere but the right way.  Stick to the plan, and stick to it more – discipline will lead you to success, it will lead you to your goal of a perfect body.