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Monday, December 7, 2009

Fitness Essentials for Beginning Bodybuilders

By Francoise A. Hale

Bodybuilding and weight lifting offer several health benefits, and can complement your usual cardio routines at the gym. If you're interested in increasing muscle size and strength, you can focus on strength training to start reducing body fat, building up lean muscle and improving your endurance. However, there are specific guidelines to follow to ensure you're maximizing your workouts and getting the muscle gains you want. Here are some essential tips for the beginning bodybuilder:

1. Set realistic goals. Bodybuilding is not a shortcut to attain your desired body but rather a continuous process towards fitness. Be honest with yourself about how much time you can commit to this endeavor. Your results will largely depend on the time and effort you put into your training. You should design a bodybuilding program that you can perform over several weeks.

2. Balance your program with cardio routines. Doing cardiovascular workouts will supplement your strength training as you develop stamina, endurance and even flexibility. Try to do 3 to 4 cardio exercise sessions per week, each lasting 30 minutes long.

3. Change your workout routines regularly. Bill Pearl, the author of the bodybuilding and weight training book "Getting Stronger" emphasizes the importance of adding variety to the routine. Ideally, you will want to change your entire routine every four to six weeks so that different muscle groups can be pushed to their fullest potential, and you still enjoy your workouts as the weeks go by.

4. Wear the right attire. Injuries can be avoided by wearing proper gym attire. Just make sure you are comfortable with your clothes and shoes. Consider buying quality training apparel and gear.

5. Take 'snapshots' of your progress. You can keep track of your progress by taking pictures and measuring yourself up. Taking 'before and after' shots will give you a visual evidence of your results, which can possibly increase your commitment. You can also look at your pictures for a motivational boost when you're feeling down or bored with your training.

6. Develop your mental strength as well. Weightlifting not only builds the body, but it can also train your mind as well. You'll need self-discipline, willpower, and concentration to pull through the challenges your training might present.

You would need to invest effort and time to get your desired results out of bodybuilding and weight training. You can achieve your results faster by creating a solid training program, follow your training schedule and by applying fundamental fitness principles. - 17273

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