bodybuilding training for beginners

The beginner bodybuilder is often mislead and given conflicting information about how to plan a bodybuilding training program. Bodybuilding magazines in particular can often give advice and tips that may be suitable for an advanced bodybuilder, but not the beginner.

If you are new to weight training and bodybuilding then don’t be put off by the conflicting advice out there and start off by learning the basics. Read on for my bodybuilding training tips for beginners.
 
Eat Healthy

Very often newcomers to bodybuilding think that because they are working out often and trying to gain muscle, then they can eat anything they want. This simply isn’t true, because eating fatty junk foods will not increase muscle, it will make you fat and fill your body with bad cholesterol and other harmful substances.

As part of every bodybuilding training program, eating the correct food is very important. You need to “feed your muscles” by eating foods that are filled with muscle building protein, like eggs and lean meat such as chicken and turkey breast. Also, be sure to eat other foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals, such as fresh fruit and vegetables.

Keep fat content low and eat only a moderate amount of foods high in carbohydrates. This includes wholegrain wheat based products such as pasta and bread.

Design a Bodybuilding Exercise Routine That Suits You

Before you go to the gym, plan exactly what exercises you will be doing. Plan your bodybuilding routine to take no longer than 45 minutes to complete, based on around 1 ½ minutes rest between each set.

You will want to begin by doing no more than 2 exercises per main muscle group from your back, chest, arms, shoulders, abs, and legs. Also, do no more than 3 sets of each exercise and aim for 10-15 reps.

As you progress and gain experience you can split your workout routine in separate days of the week, so you train different body parts on different days. At this stage you can introduce more exercises per muscle group.

Keep a Workout Log

Record the exercises you are doing at each bodybuilding training session with a workout log. This includes recording the sets and reps you did against each set.

When building mass you will need to make minor improvements each week in either the amount of weight you lift, or the number of reps you do.

Understanding Gym Etiquette

Gyms are often crowded and therefore equipment can be limited. So if you plan to do a certain exercise you may have to wait for a piece of gym equipment to become free. If it looks like there might be a long wait then go and use another piece of gym equipment instead.

Don’t get frustrated as there is always an alternative. For example, if you wanted the bench press machine, but there was a queue, grab a set of dumbbells and do your bench press with those instead.

After you’ve finished with a piece of weight training equipment, always wipe it down with a towel. Some gyms provide paper towels for this purpose, as it’s not very nice going onto a piece if gym equipment that is covered in someone else’s sweat.
 
Keeping Motivated

It is very important to remember when starting your bodybuilding exercise program that building lean muscle is a slow but very rewarding process.

In your first weeks you can experience a lot of muscle aches and pains. This is normal because you’re making your body do exercises that it’s not used to doing.

Don’t think of this as a negative thing though, as your body will work overtime to repair the damaged muscle tissue. When your body repairs your muscle it actually over compensates and repairs it better and stronger each time (as long as you eat and rest correctly). This is how muscle gains are made and why your strength increases.

In reality you might not see any changes in muscle mass for up to four weeks. Some people get discouraged by this and decide to stop going to the gym altogether.

If your bodybuilding training program is not going quite as well as planned then seek help. In this situation I would recommend that you hire a personal trainer, find a training partner, or speak to other experienced bodybuilder’s in the gym. Most people in the gym will be more than happy to help a beginner.