Bodybuilding Tips for First Timers
Many first time bodybuilders are often worried and feel intimidated about joining a gym because bodybuilding is often associated with abnormal physiques and steroid junkies who’ll stop at nothing to achieve the ultimate body. In reality this isn’t the case.
There are millions of people who go to the gym every week simply because they want to look and feel better and weight training is the best way to achieve this. If you are new to this, don’t be put off by the stereotypes and worries about joining a gym. Simply follow my bodybuilding tips for first timers in order to help you get off to a good start.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Many first time bodybuilders think that because they are trying to build muscle, they can eat anything they want. This simply isn’t true, because eating doughnuts and pizza will not build muscle, they will make you fat. Therefore, a very important bodybuilding tip is to eat foods that are filled with muscle building protein, like eggs and lean meat. Also, be sure to eat other foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals, such as fresh fruit and vegetables.
Plan an Exercise Routine
Before you step foot in the gym, you need to know exactly what you will be doing. Plan a routine that will take no longer than 45 minutes to complete. You’ll want to start off doing no more that 2 exercises per main muscle group (main muscles groups being back, chest, arms, legs, abs, and shoulders). Also, do no more than 3 sets of each exercise and work in the range of 10-15 reps.
Keep a Fitness log
Keep a log of what exercises, weights, and reps you are doing each weight training session. When building body mass you need to make small improvements each week, so in order improve you’ll need to make a note of each weight session so you can attempt to improve on the next one.
Click here to download a copy of my printable weight training log.
Know Your Gym Etiquette
Unless you are training at home, one of the common bodybuilding tips that often get overlooked is the fact that you need to learn proper gym etiquette.
The weight lifting section of a gym is often the most crowded spot, as there are often only one or two variations of the same machine. Therefore, you may have to wait for your favorite piece of gym equipment if somebody else was using it.
If there looks like a long wait for a particular machine I would go to another piece of equipment instead. For example, if I planned to do squats on the smith machine I could go and use the leg press machine instead. Alternately, I often reverse my routine so I end up doing that exercise last instead of first.
Another important bodybuilding tip is to wipe down each piece of weight training equipment when you are finished with it. There is nothing worse in the gym than going onto a machine that is covered in someone else’s sweat. Take a towel or some paper towel and be sure to wipe down the equipment when you’re done.
Don’t Give Up!
Don’t go into body building thinking that you’ll build muscle mass in your first week. The most you can expect is plenty of muscle aches and pains at the beginning. This is normal because you’re body is doing exercises that it’s not used to. Don’t give up though, as you carry on this will get easier. The reality is that it takes time to build muscle mass, so you might not see any changes for about 3 – 4 weeks. Some people get discouraged by this and decide to stop exercising.
One of the most important bodybuilding tips is when you are thinking of quitting, seek further advice and help. This can be anything from hiring a personal trainer to help you formulate a nutrition plan and routine, through to finding a training partner. You can also speak to similar minded people using online bodybuilding forums, or read articles on sites like this one that can help motivate you through the bad times.
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Tagged with: body mass • bodybuilders • exercise routine • gym etiquette • healthy diet • joining a gym • muscle building • Muscle Building Tips • muscle mass • protein • training session • weight training
Filed under: Beginners Muscle Building • Muscle Building Tips
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