Beginning Bodybuilding: What you need to know?

If you have decided to start bodybuilding today, then congratulations is in order. Your decision is a life changing one and should be treated with all seriousness.

It therefore goes without saying that as a beginner, you need to fully understand the basics of bodybuilding including how to start bodybuilding, diet and nutrition, and a beginner bodybuilding program that will get you started on the right path.

 

Basic concept about Bodybuilding

First of all, it is important for you to know that bodybuilding is a sport that involves the development of your skeletal muscles through a combination of diet, and coordinated hypertrophic workouts.

Bodybuilding is made up of the two main components of resistance training with progressive overloads and diet for muscle growth. Bodybuilding focuses on aesthetics, and you need to be healthy to look good.

A bodybuilding for beginners program will provide you with a routine that helps to get you into shape in order to be healthy enough to take your reaistance exercise and dieting to more advanced levels.

 

How to start Bodybuilding?

Before you start bodybuilding, you should take time out to consult with an experienced bodybuilder and personal trainer. It is important to meet a coach because your beginner bodybuilding program should be tailored to your needs rather than being generic.

You should know that we all react different to diet and training dur to several factors including our genetics, age, sex, body weight, and current health status.

But what is essential is that you start with a program that will see you workout for at least three days a week, usually a day apart with the days in between reserved for recovery.

So for example, you may workout on Monday, Wednesday and Friday with Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday reserved for recovery. Recovery is an essential part of training, as during your rest days, your body is better able to heal and when your skeletal muscles repair themselves from the wear and tear from a hectic training week, you tend to build muscle mass in the process.

In summary, you exercise hard during your training days and rest well during your recovery days to grow and develop lean muscle mass. However, before you start bodybuilding, there are some things you need to know.

Below are a few of the things you need to take to heart before you embark on a bodybuilding program.

#1. Training Log

A training log is an essential part of your beginner bodybuilding program. You need to be able to know what type of exercise is scheduled on a training day and when on that day such an exercise will be done.

Your training log will also highlight your dietary program and meal plan for each training day including your recovery days.

#2. Maintain Proper Form

Your form during training is critical to the success or otherwise of your workout sessions. There is a proper way of executing every exercise routine and you need to learn this before you start bodybuilding.

This is where your personal trainer can be realy helpful as he or she can bring their wealth of experience to bear in ensuring that you keep proper form, especially when lifting weights.

Poor form can be counterproductive to your bodybuilding efforts as you may not work targeted muscle groups well rnough and you put yourself at a greater risk of picking up injuries during your workout sessions.

#3. General Warm-ups and Active Stretching

Before you start any intense resistance training, you need to first get your body and muscles warmed up. You also need to stretch out your limbs and muscles to avoid going into a high-interval intensity training (HIIT) or weight training session with cold muscles which increases your risk of injuries.

#4. Sets and Repetitions (Reps)

The sets are basically the number of rounds of a particular exercise you intend executing while the repetitions or reps are the number of times you intend executing the exercise within a round or set. For example, 3 sets of 10 reps of squats simply means 3 rounds of squats exercise with 10 repetitions in each round.

#5. Pyramiding

Before you start lifting heavy, you need to first begin a session with warm-up sets using only a light weight. This allows you to perfect your form while lifting the weight and also to warm up your muscles before you begin your workout sets.

During your warm-up sets, you may reach a higher number of reps, but you will reduce your reps as you increase the weight for your workout set routine.

The process where you start your training with more reps during warm-up sets, then gradually reduce the reps as you embark on more tedious workout sets is known as Pyramiding.

A typical example of this can be seen below:

• First Set (Warm-up sets) = 20 reps
• Second Set = 15 reps
• Third Set = 12 reps
• Fourth Set = 10 reps

 

 

How to Train Bodybuilding as a Beginner?

To train properly as a beginner, you need to put the following into consideration.

#1. Weight

You need to try out several weights in order to know that particular weight for a certain workout that you can comfortably complete specified sets and reps.

For example, if you intend doing 3 sets of 10 reps each for a barbell squat exercise, you should pick a barbell weight comfortable enough for you to complete 3 sets of 10 reps.

Note that the weight you pick should give you some level of stress and should not be too easy for you.

However, it also should not be a weight where you can only achieve one-repetition-to-maximum or 1RM. 1RM is that weight that you can only lift once before running out of steam and needing a rest.

#2. Repetition Tempo

Many bodybuilders are left frustrated when engaging in their bodybuilding for beginners program because they fail to understand the importance of rep tempo to their overall bodybuilding performance.

You shouldn’t lift a weight at an extremely fast or slow tempo, you have to consistently lift weights at a steady pace (not too slow and not too fast), this way you will be able to reap bulking gains while also avoiding injury.

You should take an average if 2 to 3 seconds to raise your respective weight and 2 to 3 seconds to lower the weight. At the peak of your lift, you should pause and squeeze your targeted muscle group for about a second before lowering the weight.

#3. Progressive Resistance

During resistance training, you have the choice to either increase your intensity, sets, or weights. You also have the choice to reduce the time you have allotted to resting between sets.

This is all done in an attempt to offer your training some sense of progressive resistance which helps you to easily adapt to changes in weight by offering you strength gains that allow you to lift heavy at improved sets and reps.

#4. Resting Between Sets

Whenever you workout, you need to take time-out between sets to rest. Your rest time can vary fepending on your level of intensity or on the weight you are lifting.

Your rest time between sets can range from 45 seconds to 180 seconds. It is at this time that you try to catch your breath, as well as regain your composure and form before your next set of repetitions.

#5. Breathing

Many beginners are inaware that the way they breath during an exercise can actually enhance their performance. You should try to breathe in when lowering a weight and then breathe out when lifting the weight.

It may seem tricky at first, but with mentoring, practice, and in time, you will get a hang of the breathing technique for optimal workout efficiency and performance.

 

 

Beginner Bodybuilding Program

You can check out the beginner bodybuilding program below, but as mentioned earlier, you should always consult with your personal trainer for a program that will meet your respective bodybuilding needs and goals.

Your personal trainer will take into account your peculiar circumstance including your genetic make up, gender, age, body composition, weight, health status, and so on.
Workout Days:

• Monday
• Wednesday
• Friday

Rest Days:

• Tuesday
• Thursday
• Saturday
• Sunday

Note that you can dedicate each workout day to training a particular muscle group, such as your arms, back, chest, and legs.
Exercise Routine:

#1. Barbell Curls

Barbel Curls are particularly great for your arms. You should try 1 set of between 12 to 15 reps as a beginner.

#2. Bench Press

With a Bench Press workout, you will train the muscles of your chest and arms.

– Warm-up Sets = 2 sets of 15 reps each
– Working Sets = 2 sets of between 10 and 12 reps each

#3. Crunch

With the Crunch exercise, you get to train your ab muscles. You should try out 2 sets of 15 reps each.

#4. Deadlifts

Deadlifts help to train different muscle groups all over your body, but they are particularly great at training your back.

– Warm-up Sets = 2 sets of 15 reps each
– Working Sets = 2 sets of 10 reps each

#5. Lat Pull-downs

Also called Chin-ups, Lat Pull-downs are great for training your arms, back and chest. You should run as many Lat Pull-downs as you are able to, but not less than 2 working set of 12 reps each.

#6. Seated Overhead

You will train both your side and front deltoids with this exercise. A working set routine of 2 sets with 12 reps per set should suffice for beginners.

#7. Squats

Squats will train mainly the muscles of your leg along with your lower back.

• Warm-up Sets = 2 sets of between 15 and 20 reps each
• Working Sets = 2 sets of 12 reps each

#8. Triceps Extensions

As the name of this workout says, Triceps Extensions will train your tricep muscles. A single set of 10 reps should be sufficient for beginners.

 

 

Diet And Nutrition

When starting out, nutrition is perhaps one of the most perplexing aspects of bodybuilding. I frequently interact with males who have no concept of what a healthy calorie, protein, or carbohydrate consumption looks like for them. They don’t know when to eat, or what kinds of meals they should be eating. They aren’t aware of the benefits of different supplements or how to properly use them.

Typically, one and a half grams (gm) of protein per pound (lb) of bodyweight is the ideal range for protein consumption. Divide this sum by 6, and that’s how many meals you should have each day. I’m not talking about six lavish dinners here.

I’m referring to more frequent, smaller meals. A protein drink and a low-fat, low-sugar granola or sports bar can count as two of your three daily meals.

For your macronutrients consisting of protein, carbohydrate and fats, you can consider consuming the food choices below. However, it is always advisable to consult your physician, dietician, nutritionist and/or trainer before deciding on the type of macronutrient foods to eat during your bodybuilding for beginners program.

Protein

• Chicken
• Fish
• Lean beef
• Low-fat dairy which includes foods like eggs and skim milk
• Turkey

Carbohydrate

• Brown rice
• Oatmeal
• Sweet potatoes
• Whole grain

Note that for your pre and post workout meals, you can consume simple carbohydrates that will provide you with the jolt of energy needed for your sessions.

You can try foods like yogurt and fruits which can be taken along with a protein powder shake.

Fats

• Almonds
• Avocados
• Canola oil
• Cold water fish
• Peanuts
• Safflower oil
• Sunflower seeds
• Walnuts

For your daily meal plan, you should chat with your trainer to structure one that meets your bodybuilding expectations like your daily calorie requirement for example.
Your trainer will also recommend the right supplementation mix with creatine, essential minerals, and multivitamins making up your daily supplement requirement.

 

 

Conclusion

It is never easy starting a bodybuilding program. As a matter of fact, the beginning of your program is arguably the hardest part. But once you have decided to start bodybuilding, you then need to make the wise decision of aligning yourself with a mentor and coach.

You will learn a lot from an experienced trainer who will ensure that your beginner bodybuilding program is designed to meet your exclusive training needs and bodybuilding goals.

If you want to start your journey into the world of bodybuilding, you can do so now by chatting with an IFBB PRO right here.