The body you want is within reach
Bodybuilding is a sport that uses intense muscle hypertrophy to modify the body. The goal of a professional bodybuilder is to achieve a “cut” physique in which groups of muscles are pronounced with a combination of skin conditioning, tanning and fat loss. Many amateurs strive for a “cut” appearance, superior muscle tone and a trim, fit body.
Bodybuilding for anyone is best done in a gym with specific equipment and weights, under the supervision of a trainer. There are some basic bodybuilding tips for men that will help ensure successful and healthy bodybuilding.
1) Keep it simple – focus on compound movements
The most effective way for a beginning to intermediate level trainee to quickly build muscle is to focus on multi-joint compound movements. The four cornerstones of any effective routine consist of squats, deadlifts, bench press, and overhead press. These movements will hit more muscle groups than simple isolation exercises and induce a greater ?shock? to the central nervous system, in turn stimulating greater muscle growth.
2) Improve your diet
Think of food as fuel. It?s impossible to see significant gains without putting the proper fuel in your body. Trainees looking to add mass should focus on training at a caloric surplus (eat more!), while trainees looking to lose weight and improve tone should strive for a caloric deficit. Look for foods that are high in protein — fish, lean cuts of meat, milk, fat-free cottage cheese, eggs, and nuts and berries are all staples of the beginner?s diet.
Under no circumstance should junk food or alcohol find their way into your daily diet. If you can?t resist, allow yourself one ?cheat day? to eat or drink whatever you please.
3) Take proper supplementation
There?s a lot to choose from when evaluating nutritional supplements, and much of what is on the market is over-priced and ineffective. These items are often best purchased online from specialty retailers, that can typically offer better prices than local vitamin and nutrition stores. For the beginning and casual trainee there are four essentials:
- A high-quality protein powder (a dietary supplement that provides nutrition in quick doses)
- Creatine Monohydrate (effective in increasing muscle size and endurance)
- Fish oil (improves cardiovascular health and helps with joint pain)
- A multi-vitamin (think of this as a dietary fail safe)
Start with these, use a common sense diet, get into a workout routine, and soon the body in the mirror will be the one you always wanted.
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4) Get enough sleep
Sleep is when the body heals itself. Without proper sleep a trainee can never see the full benefits of their hard work in the gym. Try for at least 7-8 hours a night.
5) Always be safe
The easiest way to limit your gains is to keep yourself out of the gym with injury. Always lift with proper form, and leave the ego at the front door. Remember, if you can?t lift the weight yourself, you can?t lift it. Consult a personal trainer with a proven track record of training strength athletes (this is critical) for help on proper form if you?re not sure how to perform certain exercises. A trainer will add to this list of bodybuilding tips for men, providing guidance that is customized to your physique and fitness level.
6) Be consistent and track your progress
An improved physique and added strength don?t happen over night. For most, it?s the result of years of hard work. Be sure to build a routine around the compound movements — many beginning lifters will benefit from one day a week dedicated to squats and legs, one day dedicated to pushing exercises (bench press and/or overhead press), and one day dedicated to deadlifts and pulling exercises.
Try to lift on the same days of each week, and do not skip days if it?s at all possible. Keep a journal of the weight used and the reps performed, and dutifully update it every day you go to the gym. This will be used to track your progress, and will become your greatest source of motivation as you begin to see significant progress.
References:
Body Building Tips Guide
Video: Bodybuilding Tips for Chest Muscles
Video: Arnold Schwarzenegger Bodybuilding Tips