Bodybuilding is generally hyped to be a very herculean task, especially for beginners. However, it may not be exactly so, as with discipline and hard work, your objective of achieving a well toned and shapely body can be fulfilled. Read through this story to know more about muscle building basics.
Bodybuilding is a positive step towards ensuring health and fitness of the mind and body. It helps in strengthening the large muscle groups and improves blood circulation. For beginners, it can be aimed to either get a muscular body or it may stem from a desire to stay healthy and fit.
For successful muscle building, you've to understand that it is a systematic sport and you have to invest time in it to get desired results. So, if you are a beginner, brace yourself for the hard work required for a strenuous exercise routine. Here are some fundamental tips for both, men and women aspiring for a healthy and fit body.
Select a Gym
Find a health club or a gym that is near your place, so you don't have to spend time in traveling. Choose a health club that has better subscription charges and personal training programs that will be helpful for you to get individual attention. The environment of the gym will motivate you and help you develop a habit to exercise daily.
A home gym is never a bad idea, if you can afford professional gym charges. However, a local gym is always productive, as you don't have to hire personal trainers.
Chalk out an Action Plan
Meet your doctor and get a complete body checkup done. Later, have a discussion with your gym instructor about your expectations from yourself in the quest to build your body. You may wish to get six pack abs, flex your biceps and other features. Based on all your views and talks, he will help you to finally make an effective workout plan. Stick to that plan, as you are a beginner and keep an eye on your daily progress.
Understand Your Body's Limitations
Being realistic is always better, when it comes to exercising. As a beginner, you may get excited and try to push yourself, often more than necessary and that can make you prone to injuries or body ache. So, never overdo any workout during initial sessions. Establish a relation with your body and learn to understand it.
If you tend to get too tired or feel weak, take rest and start the workout later. Accepting your body's limitations will automatically help you in the long run.
Don't Forget to Warm-up
As a part of daily workout activities, you have to ensure that you warm up before starting with the exercises. Warming up helps the body to gain flexibility and allows better blood flow. Perform stretches and light breathing exercises before beginning your workouts.
Diet
While a realistic workout is an essential step in muscle building, a healthy diet is equally crucial in imparting necessary proteins and vitamins to the hard-working body. And contrary to the belief, that once you start hitting the gym, you have to follow a very strict diet regime, it is exactly not so true.
In fact, for beginners, the diet plan is very simple. On an average, a beginner must have at least four meals per day. Now, don't freak, as four meals don't mean that you have to stuff your stomach with food. Light four meals that include essential ingredients are enough for keeping you physically active and mentally fresh.
The bottom line is your comfort and satisfaction after eating. Choosing the right food is imperative and at the same time, avoiding unhealthy foods is also necessary. Processed and fast foods are strictly not allowed and are an expected sacrifice you have to make. Balanced amounts of carbohydrates, vitamins, proteins, and fats are a must for beginners.
Vegetables and fruits, rice, pasta, bread (usually brown), oatmeal (not with a heavy amount of sugar), and wheat are some of the essential carbohydrates rich foods. Eggs, soy, meat, milk, baked chicken, and fish/turkey are rich in proteins.
Fats, especially monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are good for health and you can have peanut oil, nuts, salads, cheese, butter, chicken fat, lamb, pork, and veal.
However, a balance of all these nutrients is more important while planning your diet. Consult your gym instructor for your menu plan, as he will guide you on your menu, depending on the type of workout you're doing at the gym.
For beginners, bodybuilding always starts on an enthusiastic note, however, it may turn to be monotonous, as discipline and self control are important factors to achieve success. Nonetheless, if you've truly aspired for getting in shape, then victory will be ultimately yours! Wish you luck!