Sunday, February 21, 2010

Basic Bodybuilding Workout

In this post we will show a simple workout to get a nice body . 

This may come as a bit of a surprise for some of you, but the fastest way to get big arms is not through an arm specialization workout. But rather from getting bigger and stronger all over through the use of big basic compound movements like squats, deadlifts, rows, bench presses, and overhead presses. Performing big basic movements will stimulate the central nervous system and has a progressional muscle building effect on the entire body. In fact, if you gain 10-15 lbs. of muscular bodyweight through big basic exercises you’ll gain a solid inch of mass on your upper arms, regardless if you do any direct arm training or not.
In this training article I’m going to outline a good basic 3 day per week bodybuilding routine that focuses on building size and strength throughout all the major muscle groups. This routine can be used by all lifters, from beginners right up to advanced levels, with good results.



The Workout
Do this workout routine on 3 non-consecutive days per week
(i.e. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday).
Rest between 1-2 minutes in between each set.
Note: you can click on the name of each exercise to see a picture of the exercise.



Workout 1: (Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps)
1 light warm up set of 10 reps
1 medium weight warm up set of 10 reps
2 heavier sets of 10 reps
1 light warm up set of 15 reps
2 heavier sets of 10 reps
1 light warm up set of 15 reps
2 heavier sets of 10 reps
1 light warm up set of 15 reps
2 heavier sets of 15 reps
1 light warm up set of 15 reps
2 heavier sets of 10 reps
1 light warm up set of 15 reps
2 heavier sets of 15 reps
3 sets of as many reps as you can do



Workout 2: (Back and Biceps)
1 light warm up set of 10 reps
1 medium weight warm up set of 10 reps
2 heavier sets of 10 reps
1 light warm up set of 15 reps
2 heavier sets of 10 reps
1 light warm up set of 15 reps (per arm)
2 heavier sets of 10 reps (per arm)
1 light warm up set of 15 reps
2 heavier sets of 15 reps
1 light warm up set of 15 reps
2 heavier sets of 10 reps
1 light warm up set of 15 reps
2 heavier sets of 10 reps



Workout 3: (Legs and Abs)
1 light warm up set of 10 reps
1 medium weight warm up set of 10 reps
2 heavier sets of 10 reps
1 light warm up set of 15 reps
2 heavier sets of 15 reps
1 light warm up set of 15 reps
2 heavier sets of 15 reps
1 light warm up set of 15 reps
2 heavier sets of 15 reps
3 sets of as many reps as you can do
3 sets of as many reps as you can do

Bodybuilding Weight Loss Supplements



Bodybuilding weight loss supplements come in many different forms and guises and vary massively in terms of quality and effectiveness.
As the name suggests they are primarily used by professional body builders to prepare for competition. However with rising levels of obesity in the western world they are increasingly being used by members of the general public.
So what exactly are bodybuilding weight loss supplements? First of all, like diet or slimming pills there are a wide variety of bodybuilding weight loss supplements. However in general they fall into the following categories.
Thermogens
Appetite Suppressants
Car Blockers
Fat Blockers
Hardcore Supplements
We'll examine each one of these bodybuilding weight loss supplements in more detail.
Thermogens
Thermogens are very popular within the body building community. They work by stimulating the bodies central nervous system, increasing the bodies temperature and metabolism. When a person's metabolism increases the rate at which they burn calories also increases. Green Tea and Caffeine are popular Thermogens although the effectiveness of them is open to some debate. Ephedra is a popular active ingredient used in many thermogenic formulas however it can produce unpleasant side effects such as jitteriness or paranoia. As such many people tend to avoid bodybuilding weigh loss supplements that contain ephedra.
Appetite Suppressants
Appetite suppressants are extremely popular bodybuilding weight loss supplements. They work by tricking the brain into thinking that it full, so that people can go longer between meals. Hoodia is perhaps the best know appetite suppressant, it hails from South Africa and is extremely popular. Interestingly research is showing that Hoodia is not the most effective appetite suppressant, a plant from India called Caralluma is actually a lot more effective.
Carb Blockers
These are used in a large number of body building weight loss supplements. They are purported to work by stopping carbohydrates metabolising into stored fat. Manufactures of this type of bodybuilding weight loss supplements claim that each tablet stops between 30 and 45 grams of carbohydrates from entering the body.
Unfortunately, while they make up a large number of bodybuilding weight loss supplements the scientific evidence behind them is questionable at best and nonexistent at worst.
Fat Blockers
Similar to carb blockers, these bodybuilding weight loss supplements claim to work by reducing the amount of fat that is stored in the body. They attract fat as it passes through the digestive tract and release via normal bodily functions. The most well known fat blocking ingredient is Chitosan which is derived from the shells of sea fish and other crustaceans. Again while it is a popular ingredient in many bodybuilding weight loss supplements, there is no real evidence that it can help weight control.
Hardcore Bodybuilding Weight Loss Supplements
A small number of people use hardcore bodybuilding weight loss supplements. The most popular ingredient for many of these formulas is ephedra. Ephedra is powerful stimulant that affects the central nervous system. It apparently increases energy levels and the rate at which the body burns fat. However it is also said to have extremely unpleasant side effects and is banned is most countries. It has to been said to induce seizures and even heart attacks. If you are considering using a bodybuilding weight loss supplements that contains ephedra please be extremely careful and do your research.
Hopefully you have found this piece on bodybuilding weight loss supplements helpful. Best of luck on your weight loss journey and remember that we supply also supply some high quality weight loss supplements as well. You can check them out here.

Bodybuilding Supplements for Strong and Healthy Body

Bodybuilding supplements help you to build muscles and get the desired body shape in the healthiest way. To get best results it is advisable to carry out regular workout along with the intake of bodybuilding supplements. It is advisable to spend some time in gym doing the right exercises, this will help you to maintain your body plus make the results of supplements visible to you soon.

Bodybuilding supplement is the first step towards building strong muscles without much effort. If you think you are little overweight and you need to cut down on some weight to get the right shape muscles then you can go for diet pills. Diet pills help you to get rid of the extra fat easily and quickly. Once you have got rid of the extra pounds, you can begin with your muscle workouts in combination with the bodybuilding supplements.

Bodybuilding supplements in combination with the muscle workouts are sure to give you desired results. This entire regime if followed regularly will mould your body into the right shape. Nowadays, you can get a wide range of bodybuilding supplements that can help you to attain nicely curved body without much effort. Bodybuilding supplements are approved by the FDA and if taken as per the recommendations of a renowned physician do not have any kind of side effects on your health or body.

So, if you wish to get a nicely curved slender body then you must not weight anymore and get started with your workouts and bodybuilding supplements. Bodybuilding supplements are very effective and anyone can use them to get a fitter and finer body. The best way to find the safe and high quality bodybuilding supplements is to check out the online reviews. It is advisable to buy health related products from a reliable source.

Before making the purchase, you can compare the bodybuilding supplements available in the market; this will give you a fair idea about the price rates as well as quality. There are many products that make tall claims like - get six pack abs or get a perfect body, but can actually damage your body. It is always good to check the active ingredients present in the bodybuilding supplements that you plan to buy. High quality products will naturally suppress the appetite and increase metabolism which will help you to shed the extra fat in a healthy way without starving.

7 Simple Steps To Beginning Bodybuilding (Part 2 of 2)

4. Track What You Eat

Needless to say... not a lot of people make the effort to do this. As a result, some people on "bulking" programs don't eat enough to gain any weight, while others eat anything in sight and gain more fat than muscle. People who want to burn fat often just quit eating and end up slowing down their metabolisms.

The fact is, if you don't track what you're eating, you are just guessing. Although you might guess right, guessing is no way to reach a goal with maximum efficiency. Once you know how many calories and how much protein, carbs and fat you should eat, you can easily track using a nutrition journal or software, in order to meet your daily quotas. Tracking what you eat is a must.

At this point, in only 4 steps, you've already created the entire foundation for your nutrition program! There are 3 more to go...

5. Choose An Exercise Routine

There are so many workout systems being promoted today, how are you supposed to know which one to choose? Here's a hint... choose one that involves every major muscle group with basic exercises. A good basic workout for beginners should include:

*Legs (squats, lunges, leg extensions, leg curls, leg press) * Shoulders (military press, dumbbell raises, side laterals) * Chest (bench press, flyes, dips) * Back (pull-ups, rows, deadlifts, lat pull-downs) * Arms (ez-bar curls, barbell curls, dumbbell curls) * Abs (hanging leg raises, incline crunches) * Cardio (for the heart)

I could go on and on and post 500 different workout routines complete with reps, sets and complete explanations and instructions, and you might still be confused about which one to choose. So let me ease the confusion by saying this...

I've tried dozens, maybe even hundreds of routines. Max-OT, H.I.T., Tom Venuto's supersetting, volume training, jeff Anderson's Optimum Anabolics and many more, and I'll tell you something interesting: I've gotten gains out of all of them even though they all have very different philosophies. Which leads me to conclude that...

THERE IS NO SINGLE-BEST, "GOLDEN" ROUTINE THAT WILL WORK FOR EVERYONE!

It also leads me to conclude that variation in your training programs is essential. Here's more proof:

Do you see the same people in your gym, doing the same things month in, month out, and a year later they look exactly the same? It's really quite simple. If you keep doing what you've always done, you will keep getting what you've always gotten.

There are so many variations on exercises and routines you can do, your choices are virtually unlimited! You can find many of them just browsing around on forums and bodybuilding sites. By investing less than $100 in a few of the better programs, books and ebooks, I had enough routines to last me for an entire year!

A word of advice if you're tempted to stick with just one workout routine or workout philosohpy. Don't. Try it, evaluate it, then try another one. Within 6 months, you'll know your body very well and what it responds best to. But regardless of the fact that people often respond better to some training systems than others, variety is the one training principle that applies to everyone.

6. Take Supplements, but start only with the basics

While 97% of your progress will come from nutrition and training, there are still a few basics supplements you should consider.

What are the basics of supplementation?

* Daily multi-vitamin * Omega 3 and 6 EFA complex (fish oil, flax seed) * Whey protein (specifically for after workouts)

Just this small trio is all you should need to get started to be certain your intake of viatmins, minerals and essential nutritients is 100%. Consider them your nutritional "insurance policy."

You may reach a point when you want to go beyond the basics. For example, once your nutrition and training is in completely in place, then additional supplements may help you gain that extra few percent in results that bring you as close to 100% of your possible gains as you can achieve. Just remember, start with the basics before you even consider the latest "whiz bang breakthrough" because no supplement will make much of a difference if you aren't eating and training properly and consistently.

7. Monitor Your Progress

It never ceases to amaze me how many people fail to follow this simple, but critical step. If you don't test your body composition, take your measurements, track your workout progress, or snap some photographs, it's almost impossible to know whether you're advancing from where you started to where you want to go.

Setting small daily goals and keeping track of your progress toward them is a wonderful method for keeping your forward momentum going and for keeping yourself motivated to reach your long term goals. It's much more difficult to stay motivated when you're not keeping track of your progress because you have nothing to compare your current results to; no personal bests recorded to beat.

Failure to monitor your progress is the #1 reason why people get frustrated and demotivated with their diet and training routines. Many people take one quick glance at at themselves in the mirror and decide on that basis alone whether the last 4 months of effort were worth it. They make judgments on what they perceive to be reality in that one moment, without considering whether they did better today than their last workout, or realizing whether their waist measurement is smaller than 6 weeks ago. Unfortunately, we are often our own worst critics and our perceptions of oursleves are often distorted, and that's why it's so imporant to measure your progresss objectively.

Methods of tracking your progress include:

* Writing down what you eat in a nutrition journal or software program * Journaling your workouts in a notebook (or using software) * Testing your body fat and calculating lean body mass * Taking measurements of various body areas (waist, hips, chest, arms, thighs, etc) * Taking before and after photographs

When you track your progress on a frequent basis, you will soon see clear, measureable evidence that your efforts are paying off. Seeing the little improvements will be a constant source of motivation for you. If there is a course correction necessary, you can make it quickly before it's too late.

This critical step of tracking progress is often overlooked by beginners because most haven't even figured out which workout to follow or how to eat, let alone be bothered to take all sorts of measurements. However, if you skip this step, you'll soon become one of those people who constantly complain that their body looks the same, month after month, year after year.

If you're a parent, here's an analogy you can relate to (if youre not a parent, just think back to when you were in school.) Report cards and homework quizzes are a method of tracking your child’s scholastic performance. You know where there might be a problem and can correct it before it becomes a major issue. What about your investment porftolio? Would you dump money into stocks and mutual funds, then just let them go without ever paying attention to whether they were going up or down? If you wouldn't ignore your child's report card or your own investment performance, then why ignore your own body's performance?


7 Simple Steps To Beginning Bodybuilding (Part 1 of 2)

7 Simple Steps To Beginning Bodybuilding

Although my hypothetical letter would be written for me, I'm certain that the 7 steps in that letter would apply just as well to you or to any other teenager or beginner who is frustrated and at a point (early in their training education), where they would waste a lot of time if they started heading down the wrong path.

I wasted so many years making so many training and diet mistakes, that I hope by sharing these 7 steps with you, that you will get started on the right track and make great gains right from the beginning.

Before I take you through each of the 7 steps one by one, first, it's a pre-requisite that we define the word, "bodybuilding."

"Bodybuilding" isn't just about getting massive muscles. "Bodybuilding" isn't just for men, either. The word "bodybuilding" should actually be two words to eliminate confusion, sterotypes and preconceived notions. Using resistance training, in any way, shape or form, even if you're female and only lifting 5 pound dumbbells, is "body building!" Body building can mean anything to anybody, so regardless of your goals, don't be intimidated by the phrase.

Now that we have that out of the way, onward to the 7 steps! The first step to beginning "body building" is...

1. Pick A Goal

No matter what, if you don't have a short term and long term goal in mind, you'll just wander around aimlessly like a zombie with your arms out, towards anything in sight. Five, ten, or fifteen years later, you'll wonder what the heck happened when you still look the same!

You'd be floored if you knew how many people are frustrated with their lack of results, but when asked what - specifically - they are trying to accomplish, they cannot clearly define or articulate it.

Having a clear goal is the ONLY logical way to start. If you want to gain, maintain or lose weight, that is a goal. Know precisely which of these goals you want before you start as well as how much you want to lose or gain and when you want it.

2. Figure Out How Many Calories A Day You Need

Once you have a specific goal, your next step is to determine the proper nutritional intake required to achieve that goal.

In many cases, beginning body builders complain that they're too skinny and tooth-pick-like, but in the very next sentence, they say they can't eat much.

When I was 16, I didn't eat much either. I thought the weight lifting alone was enough. I skipped many meals (especially on weekends), and I tried all kinds of protein powders and supplements, but I was clearly failing at nutrition.

My mom would cook big meals, but I'd barely put a dent in the pile of food on my plate before running off to do something... all the while, wishing I was bigger, stronger and not so skinny.

There are many simple ways to calculate your calories, and I will review them in a separate article. For now, just remember, calories are not hard to calculate, but if you don't know your goal, you cannot calculate the right caloric intake, and if you don't know the proper caloric intake, you're not likely to achieve your goal.

3. Figure Out How Much Protein You Need Each Day

Protein is muscle. Proteins are the building blocks of muscle, and eating the optimal quantity and quality of protein combined with the optimal caloric intake, is the only way you are going to build more muscle

If your goal is burning fat, protein is equally important to maintain the muscle you already have. It's also proven that getting enough protein can actually help to make you leaner.

There are very simple formulas for caluclating protein requirements that do not require a degree from MIT to perform. For example, although more precise methods exist, a general guideline for protein consumption is to start with one gram per pound of body weight.

These steps will be continued in part 2