"Lee, I'm new to working out and I'd like to build muscle
and get in shape as fast as possible. But everyone that I
talk to keeps telling me different ways to go about it.
Please help me, I need advice on what I should do."
This is one of the most common questions that floods my
e-mail inbox on a daily basis. For people who are just
getting started with a bodybuilding workout program the
whole process can be a mind boggling experience. There is
so much conflicting advice out there about weight training
and exercise that you really don't know who or what to
believe anymore.
I understand what you are going through because I went
through the same thing when I began bodybuilding over 17
years ago. People always have a tendency to make things
more complicated then they really are. But when you put
aside all of the hype and get down to the basics you can
see that building muscle and getting in shape is not very
complex.
Don't get hung up on having the perfect training routine,
with the precise number of sets and reps, or following the
perfect eating plan, etc. Just get started and do it. You
can figure out the details and find ways to improve as you
go.
I am going to outline a good beginners bodybuilding weight
training program that you can follow. You do not need to
have any fancy exercise equipment. In fact you could follow
this routine with a basic home gym set up. But if you have
the option, I would recommend that you join a commercial
gym. In addition to having higher quality exercise
equipment to choose from, there is a lot more energy in a
commercial gym. And this will help motivate you to stick to
your workouts and make improvements.
Start off by working out every second day. This will give
your body plenty of time for recuperation and muscle
growth. Lifting weights will cause minor damage to the
muscles and then the body reacts by building the muscles
bigger and stronger in order to handle the demands that are
being placed upon them. Muscles do not grow while you are
working out; they grow while you are resting. Once you
workout you have to give your body time to repair and build
the muscles. Then you repeat the process of working out and
rest.
A common mistake that a lot of novice bodybuilders make is
thinking that the more they workout, the better results
they will get. This is not true because what happens is the
muscles get broken down, but they never get a chance to
build back up. This is what is referred to in bodybuilding
as "over training". When you over train your body can't
build new muscle and you may even lose some of the muscle
mass that you have now.
Here is a good solid workout routine that you can follow.
With this routine you split up your workouts by exercising
your upper body during the first workout, and then
exercising your lower body during the second workout.
WORKOUT 1: (upper body)
Bench Press 3 sets of 10 reps (for the chest)
Lat Pull Downs 3 sets of 10 reps (for the back)
Seated Shoulder Press 3 sets of 10 reps (for the shoulders)
Bicep Barbell Curls 3 sets of 10 reps (for the biceps)
Triceps Push Downs 3 sets of 10 reps (for the triceps)
WORKOUT 2: (lower body)
Leg Press 3 sets of 10 reps (for the quadriceps)
Leg Curls 3 sets of 10 reps (for the hamstrings)
Leg Extensions 3 sets of 10 reps (for the quadriceps)
Standing Calve Raises 3 sets of 15 reps (for the calves)
Abdominal Crunches 3 sets of 25-50 reps (for the abdominals)
With this routine you workout every-other-day and alternate
the two workout routines. So for example: Perform Workout
1, Take a day of rest, Perform Workout 2, Take a day of
rest, and then repeat the cycle with Workout 1.
Prior to each exercise do 1 or 2 light warm up sets using
about half of the weight that you would normally use for
your working sets. The weight that you lift for the first
couple of weeks should be light enough so you can complete
the repetitions with ease. Then gradually, over time
increase the amount of weight that you are lifting.
A good goal would be to add 5 lbs. to each exercise each
week. For bigger exercises like bench presses, pull downs,
leg presses, etc. this will be fairly easy to do, but for
smaller exercises like bicep curls and tricep push downs
you may not always be able to make those 5 lb. jumps in
weight. There is a big difference between adding 5 lbs. to
a 250 lb. leg press compared to adding 5 lbs. to a 25 lb.
bicep curl. So just keep that in mind and do your best to
increase your strength whenever possible.
At the beginning stages of your bodybuilding training it is
best not to complicate things. Keep your workout routine
simple and just focus on being consistent. The biggest
factor with success in bodybuilding is to just stick with
it and focus on making small frequent improvements overtime.
"inch by inch life is a synch... yard by yard life is hard"
----------------------------------------------------
Lee Hayward is a Physique Transformation Specialist who is
committed to helping aspiring bodybuilders and fitness
enthusiasts gain muscle, burn bodyfat, and develop the lean
muscular body that they desire. Visit Lee's website to
download a F.R.E.E. copy of his "Bodybuilding Nutrition
Made Simple" e-Report.
http://www.leehayward.com
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