People take to bodybuilding for a number of reasons. Some do it for a living while others do it to make an impression. Whatever the motivation, the most important part to remember about body building is that you never get results overnight. You need to put in dedication and a load of effort. There is only one truth: focus on the body building basics. Start slow and once you get the hang of it, you can take it to the next level.
Exercise
There are many different exercise programs. However, they are not the perfect fit for every individual. Each individual has his or her distinct requirements. What may be effective for your neighbor might be disastrous for you. Here are a few exercises and strategies you can implement in your training program:
Stretching is an important aspect of any exercise routine, irrespective of your aims and experience. They can help you prepare for the grueling workout ahead, both physically and mentally. You will be surprised at the effectiveness of a simple, low-intensity aerobic exercise, like walking. All stretches should last for at least 15 to 20 seconds at a time and they should isolate a specific muscle. Some stretching exercises are the calf stretch, hamstring stretch, upward stretch and the bar-twist. A good and effective stretching session should last for 15 to 20 minutes.
If maximum strength or muscle is your goal, then you should opt for barbells over dumbbells. While dumbbells are a vital aspect of a resistance program, they may not be beneficial for the individual who wants rapid gains in muscle and strength. Unlike a dumbbell, you need to use both your hands to balance a barbell. Barbells are more effective with squats and deadlifts. The important thing, however, is to concentrate on whatever you are doing. Feel your muscles and pump the iron!
Chest exercises help in increasing your chest muscles. You can also do the flat and inclined dumbbell flyers. Front or lateral raises are great for the shoulders. Here are a few exercises you can adopt:
-Explosive push up - Lay down with your chest slightly off the floor. With your elbows behind your shoulders, constrict your triceps and pectoral muscle and push upwards.
-Hindu Push Up - Used in martial arts, it strengthens the chest as well as the shoulders and triceps.
Pull-ups, lat pull downs, bent over rows and dead lift are the standard exercises for improving the back muscles.
-Back Dumbbell row - With one arm on the exercise ball, hold a dumbbell with the other arm. Bring the dumbbell towards the chest slowly, and away from the chest slowly.
-Inverted Row - Lay under a fixed horizontal bar. Keeping your body straight, grasp the bar firmly and pull yourself to the bar. Return to the original position and repeat again.
Different curls like the preacher curls, hammer curls, standing barbell curls and seated dumbbell curls can do wonders to your biceps. If you want to strengthen your triceps, skull crushers and triceps press downs and dips are very effective.
-Decline Press - With a dumbbell in each hand, lay down on a decline bench. The dumbbells should be above the shoulder line. Press the weights forward until they are over your body. They should do not touch each other. Reverse the movement.
It is good to have short, intense workouts (about 45 minutes). You could split your workout routine to focus on certain parts of your body. For example, you could split a workout routine into two parts wherein one can focus on the upper body and the other on the lower body as follows:
-For the chest - bench press three sets of 10 reps
-For the back - pull downs three sets of 10 reps
-For the shoulders - military press three sets of 10 reps
-For the abdomens - crunches three sets of 25 to 50 reps
For the first few weeks, the weights should be light enough for you to easily complete the repetition. Later on, you can increase the weight.
Set time limits and push yourself. Deadlifts, squats, dumbbell and barbell presses will help you grow. Stick to your routine, while making a few improvements over the course of time, and you will achieve the desired results.
Author Resource:-
The author, Chris Kennelly, has written a number of articles on body building basics for the sports and fitness section of Sports and Supplements. The author will be happy to assist you if you have any questions.
You can also learn more about compound exercises at Sports and Supplements.
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