Body building tips for beginners

 

Body building tips for beginners

Bodybuilding is the art of sculpting and developing muscle mass. Bodybuilding can help improve your self-esteem and confidence. It builds good habits if practiced regularly. It also helps prevent obesity and diabetes. In addition, bodybuilders often have higher levels of testosterone, endorphins, and vitamin D than people who do not exercise.

The two major types of bodybuilding exercises are free weights (or barbells) and machines. Free weight training requires using your own bodyweight to perform movements such as pushups, squats, lunges, presses/pulldowns, rows, etc. Machines offer less physical effort and provide a safer way to work out. You can use them at home or at a gym.

Free Weight Exercises

Squats

Stand straight with feet shoulder width apart hold a dumbbell in each hand. Lower both dumbbells to your thighs, then return to starting position. Squat down and back up to the top again. Repeat 10 times.

Bench Press

Sit on a bench and place both hands behind your head. Slowly lift your chest off the bench until your arms are parallel to floor. Return to original position. 10 reps.

Crunches

Lie flat on your stomach keeping your legs together and bring your hips forward toward the ceiling. Hold this position for 2 seconds then slowly go back to position where you started. Do 15 repetitions.

Lunges

Start in a standing position with feet hip width apart. Step forward with left leg and bend knee until bent 90 degrees. Keeping the front thigh close to the calf, step back with right foot and lower the right knee to the ground while pushing the toes towards the buttocks. Stand erect after completing the movement. Complete a set of 12 lunges before switching sides.

Barbell Rows

This exercise targets the upper back muscles and shoulders. Start with a full range of motion and allow your arms to hang over the edge of the bench. Your elbows should be slightly bent. Without bending your torso, pull the bar from its resting position over your head and press it back down. Keep your abs tight and squeeze your butt cheeks together. After performing the desired number of repetitions, begin again by extending your arms fully.

Seated Cable Row

Begin in a seated position on the floor with shoulders squared. Feet should be hip width apart. Hold onto cable handles and pull handle toward chest until arms are straight then return to starting position. Perform 8-12 repetitions.

Standing Cable Row

Begin in standing position with feet shoulder width apart. Hold handles at sides and pull handles towards chest until arms are straight. Return to starting position. Perform 6-10 repetitions.

Single Arm Dumbbell Cable Row

Perform exercise 1 and hold dumbbells in each hand. Pull handles towards side opposite arm until arms are straight then lower down. Repeat 4-8 times.

Double Arm Dumbbell Cable Row (or single)

Hold both handles in hands and lift weights to chest. Squeeze biceps and slowly lower back down. Perform 10-15 reps.

Reverse Dumbbell Cable Row

Start out in same squatting position as exercises 1-4. Raise dumbbells overhead using momentum, then bend forward and extend back legs. Lower dumbbells back to starting position. Perform 12-20 reps.

Alternating Dumbbell Cable Row

Stand with feet shoulder width apart holding dumbbells at sides. Alternate between lifting right and left arms to perform 8-12 reps. Then repeat with the opposite arm. Continue alternating arms until arms get tired.

What does bodybuilding stand for?

Bodybuilding is the practice of getting fit and toned by exercising under controlled conditions, usually in a gym. Bodybuilders work out to build muscle mass and tone their muscles to appear bigger and stronger than they actually are. In short, bodybuilding means building muscles.

How do I get started?

If you want to begin bodybuilding, you need to have a solid base of fitness before you start working out. If you've never exercised before, take a look at some basic exercises to get yourself familiar with how to move your body. Once you're comfortable with a few simple moves, you'll be ready to move onto more complex exercises.

When should I lift weights?

In general, lifting weights three times per week is enough to build muscle. However, if you want to really pack on muscle, you might consider lifting weights five days a week. You may find that a weight routine that requires less rest in between sessions works best for you.

Where do I go to buy equipment?

You don't have to buy a whole lot of equipment to get started on your journey to becoming a bodybuilder. In fact, starting off with just a dumbbell and a bench press could give you the results you're looking for. If you're looking for even more flexibility and range of motion, however, you might want to invest in some lighter barbells and free weights.

What kinds of workouts are right for me?

Different people respond differently to different types of exercise routines. To ensure that you're going to achieve success, try a variety of different workout plans. Workout programs that require high intensity intervals such as sprinting, plyometric, and HIIT training will help you burn fat and add lean muscle faster. A lower-intensity program, on the other hand, can help you maintain your current level of activity while adding muscle mass over time.

How long should I work out each session?

The length of time that you spend working out varies depending on who you ask. While beginners often stick to around 30 minutes per session, experienced athletes can complete several hours of training without any problem. As always, listen to your body and stop if you feel soreness or pain.

Is cardio good for my health?

Cardio can provide many benefits to your heart and lungs, but it doesn't necessarily make you stronger. Cardiovascular exercise is great for endurance, stamina, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. If you're trying to bulk up, however, then you should avoid cardio sessions altogether and focus on strengthening your core and upper body instead.

Bodybuilder’s food

Protein

Protein is a critical muscle building nutrient, especially if you’re lifting weights. Your body uses protein to build muscles, repair damaged tissue, make hormones, regulate blood sugar levels, and even produce antibodies. Proteins that your body makes naturally include hemoglobin, albumin, globulins, and enzymes. You need about 50 grams of protein per day for optimal physical performance, while athletes may need 70-100 grams. However, some individuals who train extensively may require 200 grams. There are many different types of protein including milk, meat, eggs, soybeans, beans, nuts, seeds, and grains. When choosing protein foods, look for those that have high amounts of leucine, cysteine, methionine, lysine, tryptophan, arginine, and valine. These amino acids help promote lean mass and increase muscle gains. Protein is the building block of muscle and helps build lean body mass. Without protein, muscles would not be able to repair after exercise. Most people do not get enough of this nutrient and need to eat about 0.8g/kg of body weight per day, however some individuals may require 1.0-1.2g/kg of bodyweight. To put this into perspective, if a female weighs 75kg then she needs 225g of protein per day.

Fat

Fat is necessary for proper hormone production, brain development, and skin healing. The right type of fat is also necessary for producing vitamin D. Too much fat can cause heart disease, increased cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes. People should eat no more than 25 percent of their calories from fats; however, experts recommend 30 percent to 35% of calories from fats. Good sources of good quality fats include avocados, fish oil capsules, flaxseed, olive oil, pumpkin seed butter, sesame seed oil, and walnuts. Fat is the largest storehouse of energy in the body and provides sustained energy for hours. If you have ever tried to go without food for a long period of time you know how quickly energy levels drop. Fat is what keeps our bodies fueled and prevents us from starving to death. When we consume fat, the body uses it immediately and stores the rest in places throughout the body called adipose deposits (tummy rolls, hips etc.). Having plenty of these stores means a longer happier life.

Carbs

Carbohydrates are the most commonly consumed group of nutrients. They provide energy for workouts, drive hunger, and give us a feeling of satiety. Carbohydrate consumption helps maintain blood glucose levels, which gives our bodies the ability to produce energy. Good sources of carbohydrates include fruits, vegetables, whole grain breads and cereals, pasta, rice, oatmeal, barley, quinoa, potatoes, corn, sweet potatoes, yams, millet, buckwheat, tapioca, oats, lentils, black beans, chickpeas, peas, tofu, tempeh, and legumes. Avoid eating refined carbs, which lead to higher insulin levels, weight gain, and poor health.

Fiber

Fiber includes substances containing cellulose and resistant starches. In addition to helping improve digestion and reduce risk of colon cancer, fiber helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides and boost HDL (good) cholesterol. Fiber can be found in fresh veggies, fruit, beans, and whole grains. Consuming at least 18 grams daily lowers risks of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.

Water

Water is arguably the most important nutrient for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Dehydration causes fatigue, headaches, constipation, nausea, and low energy. A lack of water can also affect the immune system and digestive tract. Adequate intake of water aids in the function of organs and systems throughout the body, and reduces the chances of dehydration from exercising. One guideline is to drink half your bodyweight in ounces each day. So if you weigh 150 pounds, you would need 75 ounces of water each day.

Minerals

Minerals help our bodies carry out chemical reactions and help keep bones strong. Essential minerals include sodium, chloride, potassium, iron, manganese, molybdenum, copper, zinc, iodine, fluoride, boron, chromium, selenium, cobalt, nickel, and silicon. The list continues on and includes many others. To get enough minerals, eat plenty of leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, berries, oranges, salmon, oysters, broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower, garlic, onions, peanuts, almonds, pecans, cashews, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds.

Energy Balance

Energy balance refers to the relationship between calorie intake and energy expenditure. Exercise is just one way to burn extra calories and maintain a healthy weight. Other ways include drinking water, using stairs instead of elevators or escalators, walking rather than driving, taking the bus or public transportation, spending less time watching television and surfing the internet, and turning off lights and computers after hours.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the easiest to understand and use energy source. When glucose enters our bloodstream, it gives our brain the energy it requires to function properly. In order to produce enough blood sugar each day, we require around 200g of carbohydrate.