BodyBuilding 101

Sit on a flat bench holding a curl bar with an overhand grip. Lie back so that the top of your head is even with the end of the weight bench. As you are lying back, extend your arms over your head so that the bar is directly over your eyes. Keep your elbows tight and your upper arms stationary throughout the exercise.

The biggest key to this exercise is keeping your upper arms in a fixed position. Slowly lower the bar until it almost touches your forehead. Press the bar back up in a slow, sweeping arc-like motion. At the finish, lock your elbows completely.

Sit on the edge of a flat bench with the dumbbells resting on your knees. In one smooth motion, roll onto your back and bring the dumbbells up to a position slightly outside and above your shoulders. Your palms should be facing forwards.

Bend your elbows at a ninety-degree angle with your upper arms parallel to the ground. Press the weights up over your chest in a triangular motion until they meet above the center line of your body. As you lift, concentrate on keeping the weights balanced and under control. Follow the same path downward.

Bodybuilding is the process of developing muscle fibers through various techniques. It is achieved through muscle conditioning, weight training, increased caloric intake, and rest. Workouts are designed to focus on certain muscle categories, and foods are consumed with the intention to build the body’s metabolism and increase mass.

Weight training develops both strength as well as the size of skeletal muscles. It uses the force of gravity to oppose the force generated by muscles through contraction. Weight training uses a variety of specialized equipment designed to target specific muscle groups and movements.

Some people refer to weight training as strength training. While they are not exactly the same, they are both similar to each other. Strength training focuses on increasing muscular strength and size. Weight training is one type of strength training using weights as the primary force to build muscle mass.

The basic principles of weight training are pretty much the same as those of strength training. It involves a manipulation of the numbers of reps, sets, tempo, exercise types, and weight moved to cause desired increases in strength, endurance, size, or shape.

The specific combination of reps, sets, exercises, and weight depends upon the desires of the bodybuilder. Sets with fewer reps can be performed with heavier weights but have a reduced impact on endurance.

Equipment used in weight training include barbells, dumbbells, pulleys, and stacks in the form of weight machines or the body’s own weight as in push-ups and chin-ups. Different weights will give different types of resistance.

Weight training also focuses on form performing the movements with the appropriate muscle groups and not transferring the weight to different body parts in order to move great weight. If you don’t use good form in weight training, you risk muscle injury which could hinder your progress.

Another form of weight training is resistance training. Resistance training involves the use of elastic or hydraulic resistance to contraction rather than gravity. When your muscles are resisting a weight, the overall tone of that muscle will grow over time.

If you are a beginner at weight training, you should not just “jump right in”. You need to build up your strength and over-working your muscles can cause more harm than good. Some of your muscles might be naturally stronger than others. Building up slowly allows muscles to develop appropriate strengths relative to each other.

Most gyms offer the services of a personal trainer that comes with the membership fee. These trainers can suggest specific workouts for you to begin with.

Many weight lifters tend to focus on the large muscle groups in the upper body, such as the shoulder, chest, biceps and triceps, while largely ignoring their lower body. In order to get a balanced physique, however, it is necessary to also focus on the calves, quadriceps and glutes. Always make sure to warm up and stretch out when working your lower body, ideally beginning with light cardio. Here are some leading lower body exercises to get you started:

Lunges
Working all of the large lower body muscle groups, lunges can also provide a cardiovascular workout if conducted properly. Make sure you have plenty of room to fully extend your step, so that you can get the full stretch necessary for the exercise.

Squats
This is a core, strength building exercise which targets the quadriceps, as well as the hamstrings, hip flexors, and calves. By placing a bar just below your shoulders, you align your body properly (check with a trainer) and bend at the knees until you form a 45 degree angle and then you steadily move upward until you are aligned again.

Calf Raises
By placing weight (force) downward and extending your calves upward, you can work the muscles in your calves and strength an oft-ignored part of your lower body.

Leg Extensions and Curls
Designed to help develop your hamstrings and quadriceps, these machine-based exercises strengthen your lower body core.

In order to build up lean muscle, it’s necessary to participate in cardiovascular exercise to keep your heart healthy, as well as ensuring that your entire body is in sound health. Many first-time lifters assume that they can forgo cardio workouts, as well as lower body exercises generally, but this can impair one’s ability to truly get in shape. No matter what type of physical activity you enjoy, there is a form of cardio workout that will be particularly enjoyable for you:

Running
Whether you are jogging indoors on a treadmill or enjoying a run in the neighborhood, a moderate run can help elevate your heart rate and work your cardiovascular system. Make sure you’re sufficiently hydrated and that you focus on a consistent, moderate rate over at least 30 minutes, rather than wearing yourself out on short sprints. Try to vary your settings, by listening to music or running outside on nice days, to keep yourself motivated. The Nike Plus running system is a great way to keep track of your progress for your running times.

Team Sports
Most people enjoy a quick game of basketball or football, and participating in active team sports can be a great way to elevate your fitness level. In particular, any sports that requires constant movement will provide a great workout and some fun as well. Whether you’re into tennis or hockey, you can always find the right sport for your fitness level.

Spinning
An intensive, indoor cycling class, Spinning has grown in popularity in recent years. Many outdoor cyclists and lifters enjoy the intensity and energy of the classes as a way to keep fit. You can also find related aerobics, dance and power yoga classes at your local gym to add some variety to your workouts.