Bodybuilding 101

One of the most popular questions asked of any fitness trainer is "I want to get started bodybuilding, and I have no idea where to even begin! Can you help?". Well, we're going to try to give you some basics in this article, and point you off to some other information that will help you after you've absorbed what's here!

First things first

If you remember this, and accept it now, it will help you throughout all your training.

About 30% of your results depend on your actual workouts, the other 70% is your diet. Of course, this depends on your goals. If a nice muscular physique, hidden beneath a one and a half inch layer of fat is desirable to you, then you can pretty much ignore this rule, otherwise, you should live by it.

Bodybuilding requires 24 hour a day dedication. It's far from over when you zip up the gym back and head out to the car. In fact, that is one of the most crucial times in your bodybuilding regimen, because it's time to replenish and fuel your body for maximum growth.

Now that we got that out of the way, lets start with the physical workout, and we can concentrate on the diet in the second half of this article.

As a beginner (less than 6 months steady training) I would recommend starting with something like a 3 day a week total body workout, but this is debatable. The reasoning is that it won't take much to get your muscles completely worked at this point, so it's best to hit them all with a couple basic movements. If you use "Joe Pro's" workout from the latest "Muscleguy" magazine at this point, you'll probably be out of the gym because of soreness for a few too many days. Better to take it slow at first so you don't burn out.

Try something like this, 3 times a week (Mon, Wed, Fri would be good!):

Quads
Leg Extensions	2 sets 15 reps
Squats	2 sets 10-12 reps
Hamstrings
Leg Curls	2 sets 10-12 reps
Calves
Seated Calf Raises	2 sets 15-20 reps
Chest
Incline Barbell Press	2 sets 8-12 reps
Dumbell Flyes	2 sets 8-10 reps
Back
Lat Pulldowns	2 sets 12-15 reps
T-Bar rows	2 sets 12-15 reps
Biceps
Barbell Curls	2 sets 10-12 reps
Triceps
Pressdowns	2 sets 12-15 reps
Abs
Crunches on Incline Bench	3 sets 30 reps
Cardio (OPTIONAL)
Stationary or Recumbent Bike	30 minutes on lowest setting

The optional cardio at the end is always good, even more so if you have some fat to lose (which most of us do). It's usually pretty relaxing once you get used to it, and I'd recommend spending some money on a Walkman and some good music. It helps a lot! The heart is one of the most neglected muscles, and we don't want you to fall into the habit of cardiovascular neglect right from the beginning!

This is a pretty vigorous workout for a beginner, but you'll learn a lot of the basic movements, and you'll build the foundation of your bodybuilding lifestyle! If you don't know what some of these exercises are, the best thing to do is ask a trainer at your gym. They will usually show you, and make sure you're perfoming the movements properly. There are other articles online, Nothing beats actually seeing someone doing the movement though.

Remember FORM IS EVERYTHING!

Make sure you check your ego at the door, and forget the heavy weights for now. Start light, and when you're confident and completely in control of all phases of whatever movement you're working on, increase the weight slightly. If you take a look around your gym you'll notice that the people who look REALLY good, usually aren't throwing around all the weight you know they COULD. Control and concentration play a major part in the speed of your growth.

NOW WHAT?

I would recommend doing this workout for about 3-4 months, with a solid healthy diet full of whole foods, and then move on to a 4 day split. (I'll explain this in an upcoming article). Stay motivated, and try to lift with a training partner. I know this is tough to find someone really motivated, but if you do, you'll be
surprised how much you'll push each other. Stay educated on nutrition and the latest findings in the bodybuilding world by reading anything you can, on line, in magazines, books, talking to bodybuilders, whatever! Don't just romp around in the gym for an hour a day and expect ripped abs and a mammoth chest. It wont happen. Don't spend a thousand dollars a month looking for that "magic" supplement that will inflate you like a balloon. There is only one family of those right now, and they're illegal, not to mention that they will destroy your body in the long run. (Yes, I'm talking about steroids.) What WILL get you looking good is persistence, time, determination, and education. Stick to your diet, don't miss any workouts, and get plenty of sleep and rest between workouts. Set some smaller goals for yourself, and achieve them! Think "I'd like another half inch on my bicep" or something similar, not "I want arms like Joe Musclestar". By achieving smaller goals, it will make it easier to set your next ones, and you'll always see that you ARE moving forward.