11 Bodybuilding Tips For Beginners

1. You should stick to free weights.

Although the modern gyms are full of shiny and fancy machines, they won’t help you to build a solid base of muscle mass. When it comes to building muscle, barbells and dumbbells are the best, especially for a beginner.

2. You should do compound movements.

You should stick to the basic movements first. Exercises such as the dead lift, the squat, the military shoulder press and the barbell bench press shouldn’t miss from your routine.

3. You should have a program and stick to it.

You can’t just go in the gym and do anything you feel at that moment. The thing is that you need to have a routine and you need to follow it closely. You can ask an advanced bodybuilder or a personal trainer to provide you with a program which includes the exercises you need to do, the number of reps per set and the number of sets.

4. Do not train every day.

Your routine should have three or four workouts per week. You do not need to train more often than that as a beginner. You should spend the other days of the week to recover or rest.

5. Increase the Weights.

You need to start increasing the weights once in a while, after you master the correct form on every exercise. You should keep track of how much you lift on every exercise and slightly increase the weight, for example – every two weeks. Because that will increase your strength and it will make your muscle bigger.

6. You need to eat a lot of protein.

When it comes to building muscle – protein is essential and it can be found in chicken, eggs, fish, milk, nuts and some dairy products. For the best results you should eat at least one gram of protein per pound of body weight. You can add a protein shake if consuming enough protein every day becomes difficult. Check out this interesting video from Ronnie Coleman who was a world champion bodybuilder:

7. You need to eat more often.

You should have four to five meals per day and eat every three to four hours. You need to avoid being hungry!

8. Do not eat any junk food.

You should consume quality food such as lean proteins, healthy fats and complex carbs and stay away from junk food, fatty foods and lots of sweets. Right after your workout is the only time when you should consume fast absorbing carbohydrates.

9. You need to consume vegetables and fruits.

Besides proteins, fats and carbs your body also needs minerals and vitamins. You need to make sure that you consume lots of vegetables and fruits every day!

10. You need to rest and recover.

Keep in mind that your muscles do not grow when you work out, they grow when you sleep. Make sure you get enough sleep every night (around eight to nine hours).

11. You should act as an athlete.

The thing is that you should have a healthy lifestyle and you should avoid alcohol, smoking and some other unhealthy habits.

ARMS and ABS Workout

Reasons To Eat More Protein

There are many misconceptions about protein that need to be addressed. Many people believe that consuming any amount of protein will lead to unwanted or overdeveloped muscles, but the truth is that protein actually helps in achieving a slim figure. Calorie-counters tend to stay clear of foods that are rich in protein when in reality they are not getting nearly enough. 

According to the US Department of Agriculture, more than 30% of women between age 20 and 40 do not get their daily recommended amount of protein in their diet, and the statistics are only slightly better for men. The major lack of protein intake amongst men and women is a huge contributor to why so many people struggle with their weight management goals. Protein is a key factor not only in losing weight, but in keeping the weight off as well. Let’s “break down” the top reasons why eating protein is the key to achieving your ideal weight.

1. All Calories Are Not Created Equal

Calorie counting is an ineffective dieting method. It does not accurately measure what your body is ingesting and can not be a way to determine how much to eat and/or drink in a day. For example, what would you expect to happen if you got 2,000 calories from processed, high-sugar foods like cereal, soda and candy? 

Or, on the other hand, you can get the same 2,000 calories from a diet high in healthy fats and proteins. Such experiments have been conducted and to no surprise, the people who had the high sugar diet put on weight, while the high protein dieters typically lost or maintained their weight.

2. High Protein Foods Burn More Calories

Protein takes a lot of effort from our bodies to metabolize and break down, which has a few implications. The effort exerted to digest the protein that we eat is a process that burns calories. Digesting proteins burns more calories than digesting fats or carbohydrates.

3. High Protein Foods Leave You Feeling Full for Longer

Since they take longer to metabolize, proteins provide us with increased, lengthened feelings of fullness. As a result, we end up burning more calories and eating less - without feeling hungry. 

4. Protein Protects Your Muscle and Burns the Fat

When dieting, protein helps to ensure that the weight you are losing is fat, not muscle. Protein is broken into amino acids, which maintain the muscle in our bodies. In a past study published in The FASEB Journal, thirty-nine people were given one of two weight loss diets; one diet had double the amount of protein when compared to the other diet. All of the subjects lost similar amounts of weight, but the higher-protein diet subjects lost the most fat.

5. A Pound of Muscle Uses Much More Energy than a Pound of Fat

Our bodies are burning fuel, also known as calories, even when we are at rest. Each and every organ requires this fuel to function, including muscle and fat. It is said that each pound of muscle burns somewhere between 1.5 and 6.5 calories per hour, but each pound of fat only burns a fraction of that (as low as 10%). Despite the debate over the calorie burning range, it is clear that even a small amount of muscle can add to our daily (passive) calorie burning.

The more muscle on the body, the higher the resting metabolic rate is. This is why people always say it is easier to maintain weight than to change it.

SIX PACK FUNDA

The upcoming stars with six packs come from the ecto-mesomorphic young man with moderate structure with low body fat physique. These types of people carries a body fat % of 10-12% without exercise or dieting has great chances to become six pack models rather than meso-endo type of people carrying body fat more than 22-25%. People above more than 30% body fat can never dream of six packs even they go under world’s best coach or the world’s high-tech drug and supplementation.

Training Tips

• If you really want good six packs never train the abs daily.
• Best to do upper abs and lower abs on separate days
• Upper abs with back or chest days after the major exercises.
• Lower abs after the leg workout
• Never perform more than 2-3 sets of 1 or 2 exercises in one session.
• Never perform 100s of repetitions for abs. That will not makes abs rather it will break your back.
• Perform 15-20 very slow reps with all concentration on working abs muscles.
• Never over train the abs muscle otherwise they will squeezed in size and will not be visible in more lights.
• You can use inclined positions or hold some dumbbells or weight plates on your chest for increasing the limited 15-20 reps difficult.

Nutrition Tips

• Use kitchen as the only abs building arena.
• Cut all simple carbs.
• Consume 6-8 high fibres moderate protein low fat small balanced multiple meals.
• Never eat a big meal or consume full bottle of water or beer at a stretch, this will put intra-abdominal pressure on the abdomen and it will loosen the abdominal wall and your belly will look bloated.
• Eating protein does not ensure a six pack, but eating a balanced diet definitely ensured a good muscular physique.
• Steroids and supplements may help you to get some temporary kick in the muscle building and body fat lowering but make it sure that once you leave these bla bla, the fat is going to come on to the abs first, and then to the other body parts.
• So please avoid all these bla bla and concentrate on the lifelong low cal, high fibres, and moderate protein diet with plenty of water and keep in enjoying the sea shore six pack physiques.

EXERCISE THE STRESS BUSTER

Exercise in almost any form can act as a stress reliever. Being active can boost your feel-good endorphins and distract you from daily worries.

You know that exercise does your body good, but you’re too busy and stressed to fit it into your routine. Hold on a second — there’s good news when it comes to exercise and stress.

Virtually any form of exercise, from aerobics to yoga, can act as a stress reliever. If you’re not an athlete or even if you’re downright out of shape, you can still make a little exercise go a long way toward stress management. Discover the connection between exercise and stress relief — and why exercise should be part of your stress management plan.

Exercise and stress relief

Exercise increases your overall health and your sense of well-being, which puts more pep in your step every day. But exercise also has some direct stress-busting benefits.

• It pumps up your endorphins. Physical activity helps to bump up the production of your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins. Although this function is often referred to as a runner’s high, a rousing game of tennis or a nature hike also can contribute to this same feeling.

• It’s meditation in motion. After a fast-paced game of racquetball or several laps in the pool, you’ll often find that you’ve forgotten the day’s irritations and concentrated only on your body’s movements. As you begin to regularly shed your daily tensions through movement and physical activity, you may find that this focus on a single task, and the resulting energy and optimism, can help you remain calm and clear in everything that you do.

• It improves your mood. Regular exercise can increase self-confidence and lower the symptoms associated with mild depression and anxiety. Exercise also can improve your sleep, which is often disrupted by stress, depression and anxiety. All this can ease your stress levels and give you a sense of command over your body and your life.

• Put exercise and stress relief to work for you

A successful exercise program begins with a few simple steps.

Consult with your doctor. If you haven’t exercised for some time and you have health concerns, you may want to talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise routine.

Walk before you run. Build up your fitness level gradually. Excitement about a new program can lead to overdoing it and possibly even injury. For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends getting at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity (think brisk walking or swimming) or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity (such as running). If you’re new to exercise, start at the moderate level and then add vigorous activity as your fitness improves.

Do what you love. Virtually any form of exercise or movement can increase your fitness level while decreasing your stress. The most important thing is to pick an activity that you enjoy. Examples include walking, stair climbing, jogging, bicycling, yoga, tai chi, gardening, weightlifting and swimming.

GYM FOR FITNESS

Upper body circuit work out 3 sets x 15 reps

Seated bench press 15 reps

Lats pulley 15 reps

Peck deck fly 15 reps

Front press 15 reps

Dumbbell curls 15 reps

Triceps push down 15 reps

Lower body Circuit training 3 sets of 15 reps

Calf raises 15 reps

Free squats 20 reps

Leg press 15 reps

Leg fly 10 reps

Side leg raises 10 reps

The Top 3 Best Muscle Building Supplements

Almost all the bodybuilders at the beginner’s stage have heard it said that the best and healthiest way to build muscles and bulk up is through sessions of weight training and following a proper diet. But any pro bodybuilder will tell you that the right bodybuilding supplements in the right dosage are an integral part of any bodybuilder's regime if he is looking to maximize his growth potential seriously.

But an individual searching for the right muscle building supplements will be presented with a wide range of products, and it becomes really difficult to choose the best supplements for muscle gain from these options. And it is obviously not important to take in all these supplements. Therefore, in this article I have listed 3 of the most effective supps that are my personalfavorite and have withstood the test of time to prove their functionality.

Because of the unique nature of our bodies, different people respond differently to the various types of supplements. Despite the differences, here are the supplements that will work for anyone.

1. Creatine

Creatine is a naturally occurring substance in the human body, and almost 95% of it is found near the skeletal muscle tissues. Bodybuilders take this substance in the form of supplements for its capacity of fast muscle mass building.

Creatine is an amalgamation of three amino acids: arginine, glycine and methionine and it is more of an amino acids supplement than an individual amino acid. Creatine is one of the best weight gain supplements that enhance post-workout growth by boosting the level of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the muscles.

It also increases the level of fast energy in the muscles that is essential for performing the reps efficiently, which helps you to become stronger and bigger in the long run.  Creatine is used is various forms such as creatine monohydrate, creatine ethyl ester, creatine malate, etc. for supplements. But I personally recommend creatine monohydrate.

Benefits of Creatine Supplementation:

- Promotes lean body mass- Enhances post-workout recovery- Increases muscle cell volume- Boosts fast muscle performance- Increases glycogen storage- Protects against heart diseases- Potent source of antioxidants- Protects the brain against damage- Can relieve chronic fatigue syndrome

Dosage - Bodybuilders weighing over 200 pounds should take 5 grams of creatine monohydrate with their protein shake in the morning and 5 grams with their protein shake after workouts.

Bodybuilders weighing less than 200 pounds should take 2.5 grams of creatine monohydrate with their protein shake in the morning and 2.5 grams with their protein shake after workouts.

Doing this will keep the muscles loaded with creatine all through the workout and enable you to lift more.

2. Zinc Magnesium Aspartate (ZMA)  

Zinc Magnesium Aspartate or ZMA is a power-packed combination of zinc, magnesium aspartate and vitamin B6 which is one of the best muscle building supplements for athletes and bodybuilders who train hard and are often deficient in these important minerals that are essential for balancing the levels of hormones and promoting restful sleep - integral for recovery after a strenuous weight training session.  Zinc monomethionine aspartate in combination with magnesium aspartate and pyridoxine (vitamin B6) helps in boosting the testosterone and IGF-1 levels and strength in athletes and bodybuilders. ZMA is a breakthrough nighttime anabolic formula that increases anabolic hormone levels in bodybuilders and works as an effective recovery aid.

Benefits of ZMA Supplementation:

 

- Enhances testosterone levels- Surges the level of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)- Anabolic effects of ZMA improves sleep efficiency- Enhances recovery after workout sessions- Greater gains in strength and power

Dosage - The ratio of zinc, magnesium aspartate and vitamin B6 in the supplement is extremely important, and the suggested ratio is 30 mg of zinc, 450 mg of magnesium aspartate and 11 mg of vitamin B6. Follow the dosage advice on the label and take the supplement on an empty stomach 30 to 45 minutes before bed. Don't mix it with any form of dairy.

3. Caffeine

Here is one more reason to enjoy your favorite morning coffee without guilt. Caffeine is one of the most invaluable and easily available bodybuilding supplements that is always available at your kitchen table. Drinking a large cup of black coffee an hour before you hit the gym can help in enhancing performance and boosting motivation and focus so that you can push through the last reps when your body is extremely tired.

It is also an amazing fat burning supplement that increases the release of fat from the fat cells, yet another reason to celebrate your coffee. Caffeine opens up the airways, promotes the heart to beat faster and increases blood flow tothe muscles so that you can train harder during resistance training.

Benefits of Caffeine Supplementation:

 

- Works as a stimulant to increase workout intensity- Promotes the release of fat from the fat cells- Boosts muscular strength- Raises testosterone levels and improves focus and motivation- A powerful antioxidant- Protects against neurodegenerative diseases

Dosage - Recent studies show that the human body can tolerate 400 to 800 grams of caffeine per day without causing any health risks. It is ideal for double training days because it helps the bodybuilder to perform better during the second session when the body is tired.

- for strength and power - take 200 to 400 mg one hour before workout

- for fat loss - take 100 to 300 mg every four hours

- for increasing mental acuity and focus - take 100 to 200 mg every four hours

So, here are the 3 bodybuilding supplements that I personally use. Do share your thoughts and recommendations about what should be the top 3 muscle building supplements according to you. Let us know about the dosage, side effects and brand recommendations of the supplements you have used.