WEEK FIFTY-NINE :: How Can A Beginner Bodybuilder Build A Good Base Frame?

[the_fake_webmaster]

* Note: How can I win? Answer all questions in the order that they are asked.
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TOPIC: How Can A Beginner Bodybuilder Build A Good Base Frame?

For the week of: Jan 12th - Jan 18th
Wednesday @ Midnight Is The Final Cut (Mountain Time, US & Canada).

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When first starting to bodybuild you must focus on creating a base. Once your base is strong, what should you focus on after that?

What is the correct way for a beginner to build a base?

Which exercises are best for beginners? How many sets, reps, etc.?

What other factors should be considered when starting out?

BONUS QUESTION: How long will it take to build a strong base? How long did it take you to build your base? Could you have done it faster?

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[Hagakure3Thret]

One of bodybuilding's most important aspects is building a strong base, which leads to a more stable and controllable body. Easily supporting your body will make life much easier to move around and do things.

To improve your stability you must first develop some strong legs. Some improvements will include enhanced mobility, speed, and strength. Also, focus on abs, which will do all the above plus improve balance. After focusing on these parts, move on to the back. A strong back will change your life dramatically, just as a strong base.

To improve leg strength you should do heavy weight with about 4 sets because they are the bigger muscles. I would suggest:

Squat 4 x 8-12 (Or Leg Press if back pain becomes an issue) (Works Quads)

Stiff-Legged Deadlift (on a heightened platform) 3 x 12-15 (Going Heavy may result in back pain) (Works Hamstrings and lower back) (Will be sore for a while)

Leg Extensions (for definition) 3 x 12-15 (Works Quads) (Twice a week)
Standing Leg Curls 4 x 8-12 (works Hamstrings)

Calf Extensions 4 x 8-12 (Works Calves) (I would hit them twice a week)

Increase weight progressively.

And that's it for the legs! Believe me, you don't need to do 3 or 4 or 5 exercises for the same bodypart as long as you hit it hard enough. These five exercises, done with the right amount of reps, will hit the legs strong enough and every part of the legs. You'll experience higher endurance and mobility.

Now we move on to the second part of building a strong base. The abdominals! The abs are the core muscles in the body, which, without a doubt, enhances balance and strength in almost anything you do, even when it comes up to getting up in the morning to taking a dump! Just because abdominals look good doesn't necessarily mean they're as strong as they can be. You must focus on abdominal strength, just as the legs, or any other body part for that matter.

Abs are just like any other muscle. You must improve strength, which leads to all of the above.

If you haven't already started, start doing crunches immediately! Once you can do 3 sets of 30 repititions, bring in a plate. Put it behind your head, not on the chest because this will hardly bring in any resistance at all. I started out with a 5 pound weight and am now up to 25 pounds. I could do more but would rather not. When you could do 3 sets of 30 repitions bring in a heavier weight. Do this 3-5 days a week. This will enhance strength and make those abs bigger and more visible! You could start doing leg raises on the floor or on an incline, legs straight out with slow, smooth raises, but I wouldn't because of the srtess on the hips. Same with sit-ups. sit-up are ineffective because you get no contraction as you do with crunches. Try it out yourself. Put your hand over your abs when you do a sit-up, then put it there when doing a crunch. see the difference?

It should take 6 full months to make your base incredibly stronger. I was naturally born with strong legs, being able to lift 350 pounds on the leg press my first time getting on it. It comes naturally with heavyweight people. I weighed at a maximum 265. It took me about 4 months to develop strong abs, and boy was it ever worth it! My ab workout only included 3-4 sets 30 crunches with a plate behind my head.

I don't think I could've made improvements any faster than that. I hit all the muscles hard enough and couldn't have handled any more soreness.

[GMH]

I am new to bodybuilding at 40years old. My first few workouts were done under instruction as follows

Cardio work on treadmill to warm up then to start woking out on machines. MON/ WED / FRI
Leg press 2 X 8 - 12 reps
Chest press 2 x 8 - 12
lat pulldowns 2 x 8 - 12
Shoulder press 2 x 8 - 12
Dips - to failure
chins - to failure

STRETCH to cool down.

Once I had got through 3 workouts on this I was introduced to free weights & followed the same routine. Introducing Squats, Bench press, Dumbbell shoulder press as new excersises.

Now nearly three months into bodybuilding I'm looking at other excersises such as dumbbell incline bench presses, Bent over rows, Barbell & Dumbbell curls, Tricep pressdowns, the list goes on.

Now starting to favour 3 x 15 - 20 reps because the weight needed is less & the lifting form is easier to maintain on all exercises, in many articles I have read on this site it seems that good 'form' is everything.

All said, it took me only one month of consistant effort to get good lifting form & gain basic knowledge to workout safetly. I often look at the topics on bodybuilding.com, everything I need to know can be found here & I read up as the need arises.

Everything is working great & the gains are are happening for me, most important to get clued up & know your subject & ask if you don't know!

[Hagakure3Thret]

lol my last reply probably wasn't what they meant by building a base frame... oh well, I STICK TO MY POST!

[lour]

When first starting to body build you must focus on creating a base. Once your base is strong, what should you focus on after that? Symmetry and fullness of the muscle

What is the correct way for a beginner to build a base?

Timing: I think that the time you train has a lot to do with how much you will gain in muscle. The more your muscle absorbs in carbohydrates and protein will inflict a big change in muscle gains. So, by training in the morning, your muscle will have more meals in which it will be able to absorb from.

Food: Almost everybody knows that you need food to build muscle. So again, food will be a key item to build a base. To gain muscle, in my opinion, one should eat 50% carbohydrates/ 30% proteins/ 20% fats.

Strict Training: Before starting training, a person should know the difference between bodybuilding and powerlifting, which is two different sports. For building a base, powerlifting is a good way to do it, but in my opinion, bodybuilding is better. Powerlifting will help you gain muscle, and maybe help you gain MORE muscle, but will not give you the same quality of muscle that bodybuilding does. One should know that for building a good muscle, the best way is train with a strict form. What I usually do when I’m bulking is incorporate the two sports together. By that I mean doing 2-3 sets with strict form with 8-10 reps, and with my last set I do a set with heavy weight and do from 4-6 reps like a powerlifter would do. By doing that, you will get the quality of muscle as a bodybuilder, and you will stimulate your muscle to grow with your last set.



Supplements: Basic supplementation should be a multivitamin, creatine (with dextrose), glutamine and a testosterone booster (if wanted). A beginner should know though that there is no miracle product to gain muscle faster. A person must be dedicated and the food will consist of 80% of your muscle gains.

Rest: A beginner must also know that rest is one of the key items to gain muscle. Overtraining is not the key; a person must know when to take his rest days and also absorb good night sleeps. Personally, I never train more then 3 days in a row. My training routing is 3 days on, 1 day off, 2 days on, one day off, and repeat.



Which exercises are best for beginners? How many sets, reps, etc.?
Basic exercises are good for beginners. I will give you the basic exercises for every muscle groups.

*primary exercises
**finishing exercises

Shoulders: - Military Press*
- Upright Rows*
- Lateral raises**
- Front raises**
- Shrugs**

Chest: -Incline and Flat Bench Press*
-Incline and Flat Flies*
-Peck Deck**
-Cable Crossovers**

Back: -Chin-ups*
-Bent over rowing*
-Deadlifts*
-Seated Cable Row**
-Reverse Peck-Deck**

Biceps: -Standing Barbell curl*
-Preacher curls*
-Incline dumbbell curls**
-Hammer curls**

Triceps: -Close Grip Bench Press*
-Dips (parallel or between benches)*
-Triceps Pressdown**

Legs: -Squats*
-Leg Curls**
-Leg extension**
-Straight legged deadlifts**

Calves: -Standing calf raises**
-Seated calf raises**

Abdominals: -Leg raises**
-Incline Sit ups**
-Side crunches**

Reps should be at around 6-8 reps for primary exercises, and finishing exercises should be at around 10-12 reps. Abdominals and calves should always be done at high repetitions because they are know as “High twitched fibers”.

Sets for every exercise should be at a minimum of 2 and at a maximum of 4.


What other factors should be considered when starting out?

Patience: A bodybuilding frame is not something that you achieve in a day, it is achieved with time and patience. A beginner must learn that he must not discourage himself and that the gains will appear with time. You have to stick to a routine, or otherwise you’ll be likely to fail your goals

Your Ego: As a beginner, it is tempting to try to show off to other people how much you can lift or be asked by others : “How much do you bench?”. You have to leave your ego at the door.


BONUS QUESTION: How long will it take to build a strong base? How long did it take you to build your base? Could you have done it faster?

How fast you build a strong base really depends on your genetics. For one person, a good base could be built in months; as for others, in years. It also depends on how much dedication you put in the sport. For myself, it took about 2 years to gain the core that I have now, and it is still far then perfect. I could have gained it faster if I would have had the knowledge that I have now. You will definitely learn how your body reacts as you go on.

[Squat_lt]

Good luck to all who will participate this week. I've decided to take a break, I'm too busy for a good article this week

[tylerb456]

How can a beginner bodybuilder build a good mass frame. I call it three Times a Week High Intensity balls to the walls training. Follow these step excatly and you will gain.

The main thing a beginner should be concerned with is the food they eat. Eat Three big meals a day, make sure the protein intake is very high. Add Pasta before a workout and lot of vegetables and fruits throughout the day.

The Second thing is beginner will like to take supplements. I recommend a stack of Whey Protein, Glutamine, Multi-vitimian and Mass building Thermogenic ( examples, ThermoGain, Pump Tech, Gacik)

The Three Thing is the workout. Stick to your power lifts to build huge mass. All exercises will be 3 sets of 4 to 6 reps. all sets should be completed with weight that on the last rep you will struggle or need help. Make sure spotter lets you struggle that is the only way to get big.
Day 1 Monday Press.
a.) Bench Press ( Alternate each week from barbell and dumbbells)
b.) Tricep overhead Press
c.) Incline press ( Alernate each week from barbell and dumbells
d.) Military Press

Day 2 Wedensday Pull
a.) Tricep Pull down
b.) Hammer Curls
c.) Bent-over row or T-Bar Row
d.) chest flye's and or Cable cross over
e.) upright row

Day 3 Friday
a.) Power Clinq ( Two sets with a press)
b.) Dead Lifts w/ shrugs
c.) Squats
d.) Leg Press w/ calf raises
e.) Leg Curls

( Bonus Question) Do as I say and you will get Mass These should take Three Months and you will have a good mass frame.

The Second Question once a base is strong you should focus on toning for about 6 months and then go back to building mass you want to keep it all even. so that you will look good for the women.

Other Factors are motivation. hang up pics of what you want go to the gym with postive people and already know what you want to accomplish. and Tell your self that you will accomplish this so a big factor is your mind.

Bonus Question) It took me 3 months on these prgramm to build a base I built a huge base i improve in the bench a little over 50 pounds all i was worried ais form and ho much i was throwing up.

[carl.c]

When first starting to body build you must focus on creating a base. Once your base is strong, what should you focus on after that?
1. Move to more radical changes in routines.
2. Move to heaver weights and more compound routines.
3. Incorporate more power lifting moves, clean and jerk, cleans, etc.

What is the correct way for a beginner to build a base?
1. Concentrate on form. Form is the most critical part of any program. Will pay off with constant gains and fewer injuries acute and chronic.
2. Keep the reps in the 8-12 rep range. Leave the low rep or ultra high rep ranges for the experienced lifter.
3. Crack the book on nutrition and learn how to eat with out supplements. Supplements important and you will need them depending on your goals, but learn to eat first.
4. Spend at lest one hour a day reading or searching the net for information on lifting.

Which exercises are best for beginners? How many sets, reps, etc.?
1. Bench press barbell. 3x12 tempo 3/0/3/0… 60-70% 1rm
2. Dead lift. 4x8 tempo 2/1/2/1 … 50% 1rm
3. T-Bar rows 3x12 tempo 3/1/2/1..60-70% 1rm..
4. Squats 4x8 tempo 3/1/x/1 60% 1rm..
5. Rotator cuff exercises.

What other factors should be considered when starting out?
1. What shape are you in. Are you obese? Are you capable of doing the lifts you picked? Have you done physically demanding work before. Your physical limitations will determine your workloads and how often you work out at first.
2. What are my goals power lifter, body builder, athlete, or weekend warrior.
Once you decide what your goal is you can build on your base properly.

BONUS QUESTION: How long will it take to build a strong base?
1.Depends on your physical fitness level. On average one year of training will solidify your base. Granted you need to change your routine in the year period and you need to increase the complexity of your routine as the year progresses.

How long did it take you to build your base?
2. Not to brag but it took about 6 months. I had the good fortune to having done extremely physical work before my freshmen year of high school.

Could you have done it faster?
1. Sadly I had a good base but little help with the fine-tuning of my program in high school. None of the coaches knew about lifting weights so I was on my own. Made many mistakes and probably never achieve my poetical but it was fun.

[Ron.Wood]

Welcome to bodybuilding 101, so you want a strong base, well you are going to have to work for it. HAving a strong base is the key factor in bodybuilding aswell as anything else you want. You wouldn't mount a brand new plasma TV on the wall with a coat hanger would you? Once a person has a strong base they should begin to focus on whats important for them; growing bigger, strength gains, maintaining, or training for that cross country run. A strong solid core base is a must, after that the decision is yours on wether you keep it, change it, or lose it. Once you have that base I guarantee you wont want to lose it!

"How do I go about building a strong base?" you ask. Well theres no right and wrong, it all depends on you, but there is one thing that is universal: DIET. Yes its a four letter word. By definition diet is what you eat. Obviously if you eat nothing but hostess cakes you probably won't ever get a strong core. But if you eat a solid 3 meals a day with 2-3 snacks/mini meals a day you will be just fine. A good workout routine is second to diet. If you don't eat right then you are just slowing down the process and perhaps hindering your potential. A sample meal plan will be included further in the article, but for now just know that you will be eating only clean foods, vegtables, low glycemic carbohydrates and egg whites. Sure you can have a nice bowl of ice cream once a week to make your mind a bit easier. Excercise, thats right its time to hit the gym. You will need a solid routine that is easy from the start but not so easy that you don't see any improvements. Well then, on to the excercise phase.

Begginers to bodybuilding looking for a good solid core should stick to rows, deadlifts, and presses. First lets start of with the core of our body, the back and abdomen. Then we will follow up with arms, legs, chest, shoulders, and calves. We don't do calves with legs for the sheer fact that you do have to walk back out of the gym to go home.
Abs - use a mixture of decline crunches for 2 sets at 25 reps, roman chair leg lifts for 2 sets at 15 reps, and some cable crunches for 2 set at 20 reps. Do the cable crunches side to side for your obliques. Thats 120 reps and a nice burn on those abdominals. do these at the beginning of your workout so you don't slack off at the end twice a week. You can do them on your off days if you like.
Back - start off with wide grip pullups or cable pulldowns if you can't do a pullup for 15-10 reps at 4 sets for a nice warm-up to get the blood flowing.
Next do barbell rows, get a power stand going and tilt your body about 45 degress from parallel with the floor. Do these for 4 sets at 12-8 reps.
Single arm dumbell rows each arm for 3 sets at 10 reps.
Follow up with deadlifts in a traditional stance, aim for 3 sets at 10-8 reps. Don't over do it here. After the rows you shouldn't need a lot of weight there to tear down the muscle.
Arms - 'Hey how big are those guns' You want to start hearing that from people, well eat right and train hard.
Tricep excercises: This muscle is 2/3s of your arm, here is where you size comes from.
Cable bar press downs 5 sets for 15-10 reps to get some blood flowing and a decent pump building.
Rope tricep presses 4 sets for 15-10 reps, on the last set drop the weight down 50% and do 10 more. Hold the ropes and squeeze your triceps at the bottom of each movement and hold for 30 seconds.
Dips 3sets with 12 reps, full bodyweight or less if you can't do your own body.
Biceps: EZ curl barbell curls 3 sets 15-10 reps
Single arm isloations curls or preacher curls, 3 sets of 12-8 reps
Seated dumbell curls 3 sets at 12-8 reps.
Legs - your legs will build power and strength, along with speed.
Warm up with leg extensions, 4 easy sets of 12-15 reps.
Hack squat machine, 5 all out sets with 12-10 reps, on the last set drop the weight 50% and do 10 more. At this point you should have a nice blood rush in your quads.
Leg press 3 sets at 10-8 reps.
One legged leg curl 4 sets for 12-10 reps.
Stiff leg deadlifts 3 sets with 12 reps, after the last set do 1 more for 8 reps and hold the extension as long as you can each time.
Chest, "how much do you bench" isn't that what they always ask, well soon you will be able to go As much as I need. On chest I recommend more incline movements than flat, it builds the upper pec giving you a shelf like quality and helps to make them eye candy for the ladys or the guys.
Incline barbell press, lets go for 5 sets at 15-8 Starting at 15 then 12,10, 10 and finally 8.
Flat dumbbell press 3 sets at 12-10, keep the arms stable and the movement fluid.
Incline dumbbell flye 3 sets of 10 reps
and lets follow it up with cable cross overs 2 sets, 12 x 12 , there you go, a nice chest workout, it wasn't so hard was it?
Shoulders and calves
Side Laterals 1 set of 15 reps then 4 sets of 12-8
Rear Deltoid machine or rear delt flyes if you don't have a machine 2sets at 20 reps each.
Seated Barbell/Dumbbell press which ever is to your liking for 4 sets of 8.
Should shrugs on the smithmachine for control squeeze tight at the top and do 4-5 sets of 12 will do you just fine here.
And for the calves, we can't forget those.
Standing calf raises 4 sets x 25-20 reps followed with seated calf raised at 4 sets of 15-12 reps.
Thats it, a nice sample workout, tweak it to fit your needs, try it out for 3 weeks and if something isn't working change it. You will also need 3 days of cardio at 30-45 minutes to help with fat burning.

Now you have a routine to guide you along. What about the other 70% of getting that strong frame you want, well 40% of it is eating and 30% is sleeping. So heres the rules, aim for 4-6 meals a day, 2 large ones and 3-4 minimeals a day. Stick to low glycemic carbs yams, brown rice, and rolled oats. After 6pm no carbs! Unless you work out at night. As soon as you wake up in the mornings you should consume Rolled oats and 8-12 egg whites, thats between 24 and 36 grams of protein to start you off. Keep your meat selection to fish, chicken, and any other lean meat. Try to consume 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight along with .75 - 1 gram of carbs per pound. A good multi vitamin is also needed for supplementation. Sleep, you must sleep a full 7-9 hours a night. Sleeping is when the muscles rebuild and grow bigger and stronger. Protein powder or protein bars should be used right before bed and immediatly after work outs, if you train during the day just eat a protein packed meal then save the shake for bed. This will keep your body anabolic and growing. Water is another very very important part of body building, consume atleast a gallon a day, when you wake up in the middle of the night for a bathroom break, an extra protein shake for more protein or a small snack of beef jerky will help anabolism too. Every 4-6 weeks throw in a change of your workout to keep it new so your body keeps responding.

BONUS QUESTION: How long will it take to build a strong base? How long did it take you to build your base? Could you have done it faster?
I built my base in 6 months, I took a very serious approach that resembled most veteran bodybuilders workouts. If I would of gradually gone into it and let my muscles adjust more adequetly I probably could of gotten there a bit quicker, but hey one of the key aspects of bodybuilding is knowing your body and learning what makes it tick. Its all about what works for you, if something isn't working right change it and keep going.

I recommend starting with which ever body part you feel is lagging. I purposly left squats out of this sample routine for two reasons, 1) beginners need to grow accustom to their bodies and 2) this allows for back to be done whenever before or after legs. Doing excersises on sunday and monday resting on tuesdays then continue wednesday/thursday/friday and resting on saturday. Do cardio on tuesdays/saturdays for 30-45 minutes and do those abs 2-3 times a week whenever you can. Have adventure.

[JoeD58]

Bodybuilding seems to be a sport where everyone becomes an expert almost immediately. There is an incredible amount of information out there and used without thought could cause more harm than good.

Building a solid foundation is essential and does not have to be difficult,although hard work is mandatory. You get out what you put in.The surest way to get started properly is to find a trainer who knows what they're doing or at the very least someone who can show you around.

Check your ego at the door,establish some goals and resolve to see them through. It helps to be around people with similar goals, I believe a gym setting with other people around helps you stay motivated too.

Nutrition is a good place to start. What are you trying to accomplish? Lose weight? Put on muscle mass? You must decide as they are pretty much mutually exclusive,although it's possible to keep muscle mass while losing fat.
Keep it simple at first, a good multi-vitamin, protein supplement and creatine,
just follow the directions.

Training should also be kept simple. A good foundation comes from a few tried and true movements mostly compound. Squats, rows, bench presses and their variations. Keep the isolation excersises to a minimum for awhile.Basic training
should last 4-6 weeks, 3-4 days a week with a split that's either upper body/lower body or push/pull days. There's lot's of great training articles on Bodybuilding.com. Each session should take between 45-60 minutes and consist of 3-4 sets per bodypart using ranges of 10-15 reps per set.

With a strong work ethic and a good attitude you should start to see measurable results in six weeks. It's important to concentrate on excellent form to insure your hitting the right muscle and avoid injury. Like I said,check your ego at the door,lift safely, don't worry about what you can't lift it will come, ask the people who know what they're doing,most times they'll be glad to help.

HAVE FUN!!! It's not just something to do. It's away of life.

Good Luck
Joe

[Kane22]

How can a beginner bodybuilder build a good base frame?

Similar to an architect building a home, your body must be reinforced with a solid base frame, beginning with a strong foundation. This foundation is essential for every bodybuilder so that he/she maintains a strong, healthy lifestyle.

Definition of a good foundation:

• Healthy eating habits

• Daily multivitamin supplementation

• Daily physical activity

• Understand your muscles

• Obtain a sufficient amount of rest

• Healthy Eating Habits

As a child, our parents/guardian determined our diet, in most cases trying to persuade our minds in choosing healthier food choices. As we grow older and more independent, we are to make our own food choices based on the knowledge we have acquired. With that said, not all of us, particularly Americans, have made these choices wisely. In a recent U.S. study, nearly 30% of Americans are obese, and 60% overweight, making the U.S. one of the fattest nations in the world.
As a bodybuilder, a strict diet must be obtained first and foremost before going to the next level, because as any good bodybuilder knows, a good body is built not only in the weight room but in the kitchen as well. To begin a lifestyle of healthy eating habits, one should plan his/her life’s obstacles (job, medical handicaps, schedule, etc.) around their diet and understand how the body uses certain foods.
For a bodybuilder, one needs to understand that the body is in a constant state of change, anabolic (positive protein synthesis) and catabolic (negative protein synthesis), requiring a greater amount of nutrients consumed at variable times in the day, than the average dieter. To maintain at an anabolic state, a bodybuilder must abide by the basic guidelines of a bodybuilder’s diet, which include:

• Eat 1g of protein per pound of overall body weight

• Stay properly hydrated with water throughout the day, at least 64 oz. a day

• Eat protein in every meal

• Eat at least the recommend daily allowance of calories every day

• Refrain from eating vast amounts of fats or sugars

• Eat a meal every 2-4 hours

When a bodybuilder abides by these guidelines, only then will he be on the right track to much healthier eating habits, and lifestyle.

• Daily Multivitamin Supplementation

As many know, the human body is far from perfect; it requires an infinite amount of nutrients to maintain a state of equilibrium. Many of these nutrients are derived from the food we consume, but we not always receive a sufficient amount our body may need, that is why everyone should take a multivitamin.
Vitamins have the potential to boost immunity, improve circulation, support the bones, improve vision and much more. As a bodybuilder your body uses most of its energy to repair muscle tissue, which may lower our immune system, potentially causing illness, so the extra vitamins are a must.
A good rule of thumb when buying a multivitamin is to find one that is specifically designed for your body, one of the most popular choices for bodybuilders is one that is packed with many vitamins and minerals, because what little extra is not absorbed, will only be excreted harmlessly from the body.

• Daily Physical Activity

Daily physical is not a hard task to accomplish, whether it is a light jog or a game of basketball, yet many of us still do not obtain enough daily exercise. Physical activity allows the body to rid itself of many toxins; it also increases the body’s metabolic rate, burns calories and strengthens many of the body’s major organs such as the heart. Without physical activity our bodies will not be able to burn calories, potentially causing weight gain, increased body fat, unhealthy organs and so many more negative sides.
One of the most common mistakes made by many beginning bodybuilders is that they try to jump straight into a strict physical regime/plan when there body has not been adjusted to such physical strain, and giving up shortly after just beginning because they were ill prepared. To be prepared for bodybuilding, one must know that their body is in such physical shape to handle the demanding exercises. One of the best ways to prepare a bodybuilder for a strict physical plan, is he/she can begin doing some small exercises daily such as jogging, until their body becomes more physically prepared.

• Understand Your Muscles

Unlike the beginner, any advanced bodybuilder can tell you almost anything about how the body functions, because they know that without an understanding of the body, they would not know how to improve themselves. For a beginner bodybuilder, it is natural that they understand the commonly worked muscle groups in bodybuilding (triceps, biceps, quadriceps, chest, etc.), and how they function, but a beginner must also understand what is happening to these muscles as they are being worked.
During weight lifting, microscopic tears are made in the muscle fibers that make up the muscle tissue. Since the muscle is being physically damaged, the body signals the brain to release immune cells such as neutrophils, to clean away the torn muscle fibers. Once the area has been cleared, the body begins to repair the damaged tissue with proteins, increasing the overall muscle mass of that area. To understand more about how the muscles repair itself after each set and/or session, a bodybuilder must understand what happens to the body as it’s in a state of rest.

• Obtain a Sufficient Amount of Rest

Sufficient rest is a staple in any bodybuilder’s routine, whether the bodybuilder be a beginner or a pro. Rest for a bodybuilder is categorized into two main factors, rest in between sets and rest between sessions.

Rest between Sets:
During rest between sets, a bodybuilder’s body restores an energy storage compound known as phos****en. Phos****en immediately supplies the worked muscle tissue with the required amount of energy that could not be supplied by glycolysis. Without sufficient rest between each set, a bodybuilder will notice an immediate decline in energy and focus.

Rest between sessions:
During rest between sessions your body begins to replace an important polysaccharide known as glycogen. Glycogen is used during exercise to provide the muscle with a sufficient amount of energy to complete the exercises, similarly to that of phos****en. Yet glycogen levels cannot recover quickly, it takes the body up to 24 hours to completely restore it to its natural state. During this rest, a bodybuilder’s body begins to repair damaged muscle tissue, eventually resulting in an increase n muscle mass.


When first starting to body build you must focus on creating a base, once your base is created what should you focus on?
Only after creating a base does a bodybuilder must focus on creating a goal and finding a way to accomplish that goal.

Creating a goal:
To create a goal, a bodybuilder must know what he/she wants out of the sport, whether it be a more cut physique, or an increase in body mass. The bodybuilder must also consider that before choosing his/her goal, that he/she must put the goal in the confines of there reach, and not to a point where it can not be obtained. This goal will be the focal point of everything that bodybuilder does, it will be everything he/she wants to achieve.

Finding a way to accomplish goal:
For a bodybuilder to accomplish his/her new goal is to research ways to achieve it. One of the most important things to do to accomplish this goal is to find a workout routine, and with the thousands of exercise programs available, it is fairly easy find one made specifically for the goal. Next the beginning bodybuilder is to change there diet to better fit this new routine, such as consuming more/less calories per meal. To help keep up with your changing body along the way during this new routine, it is also recommended that a beginning bodybuilder keep a log/journal to help maintain there diet/workouts.


What is the correct way for a beginner to build a base?
The correct and most likely best way for a beginner to build a base is for him/her to begin immediately, or as soon as possible. Many people that want to begin a lifestyle of bodybuilding tend to stall things off for extended period of time until they either forget, or change there mind. The sooner the beginner starts, the more he/she becomes hooked and more driven to finish what they have began.
Also, don’t try to overdue it in the beginning, take baby steps. Not all of us have the will power to completely drop our unhealthy habits for healthier ones, and no one expects us too, for which no one bodybuilder is perfect. Just start small by slowly limiting your unhealthier habits, until you can rid your self of them.
(continued..)

[Kane22]

Which exercises are best for beginners, how many sets, rep etc.?


Which exercises are best for beginners?

For a beginning bodybuilder, the majority of training (exercises) should be done with free weights rather than machines. Our muscles are naturally designed to overcome the pull of gravity rather than work against mechanized resistance (machine restraint), so the largest portion of gains a beginning bodybuilder will make in size and strength will come from free weights. Free weights also allow the beginning bodybuilder to better understand each of his/her muscles, by giving him/her the freedom to isolate certain muscles and to work the body in different ways.

How many sets?
Beginning bodybuilders should begin with four sets of each bodybuilding exercise. Four sets have been proven throughout the decades of bodybuilding to fully stimulate the trained muscle fiber, without the risk of overtraining.


How many reps?
For beginning bodybuilders, it is best to stick with the basics and do 8-12 repetitions for upper-body and 12-14 repetitions for the leg muscles. These numbers are the general guidelines for 70-75% of a bodybuilder’s one rep maximum, or the amount of weight they could use doing one full-out repetition.


What other factors should be considered when starting out?

There are many other factors that should be considered when starting out, but the most important ones to remember are:

*Don’t expect immediate results Remember you are in this for the long run, the results will be come with time, and when they do you will have a broader sense of satisfaction. Remember your limitations. Although you may have changed your overall lifestyle, remember that your body still has limitations, and it’s not wise to try to overcome these limitations.
*Remain confident and strong. Having confidence in yourself is one of the most important things in bodybuilding; a bodybuilder must always believe that he/she is capable of accomplishing his/her goals, no matter what problems may occur. Also, remember to stay strong, don’t let anyone or anything get in your way, you can and will accomplish this!

**Bonus Questions:**

How long will it take to build a strong base?
When building a strong base, a beginning bodybuilder must understand that it will take time. A base is an entire change of ones overall lifestyle, he/she cannot expect to change everything immediately; it could be weeks or even months before they may fully build a strong and stable base.

How long did it take you to build your base?
When I began bodybuilding more than 3 years ago, I lived a very unhealthy lifestyle. At the age of 15, I weighed a massive 243lbs. with a body fat percentage of 33%. I was unhappy with the lifestyle I was living, so I decided that a change was in order. I immediately began buying healthier foods and began a daily workout regime. Knowing very little about my body, I began to buy numerous magazines on bodybuilding, teaching myself new ways to improve my body as well. It took me time to fully commit to this new lifestyle (I would occasionally skip on an exercise, or eat an unhealthy snack), but within a little over a month, I had finally stuck with it. I now am fully committed to this lifestyle, weighing in at only 175lbs with 13% body fat, sharing what I know to motivate others to commit to this healthy lifestyle.

Could you have done it faster?
No, I could not have done this faster. Like stated above, it takes time to commit to this lifestyle, if a bodybuilder tries to commit to fast, he or she may find themselves jumping off the bandwagon too soon, losing confidence in themselves, potentially causing him/her to quit.



I hope everyone has enjoyed this article, I have stayed up numerous nights to complete it. Any criticism is welcome.

Matthew Stiltner

[alex england]

I was lucky when I started, I got good advice from a couple of huge guys at the gym I trained at. They had me do 5x5 in all the major lifts(bench, squat, deadlift ect.) till I built up a decent level of strengh which took about a year, then I added reps (8to10). This worked great for me. I really think the beginer just needs to keep it simple.

[Kill_yourself]

Bodybuilding is no longer just a sport. It is not just about winning prizes or being featured in a cover of a magazine. Well, it is much more than that. It is a lifestyle. It is a way someone chooses to live their lives, and for many people that do not understand, would consider it as “crazy” “useless” or “egocentrical”. Bodybuilding means to be in the gym more hours than you watch television, it means sleeping as long as your new born kid and it also means eating the combined portion of food enough to feed your entire family. You constantly think of the next best way to force your legs to grow, you think about what your next meal is and you get excited by just the thought of going into the gym to pump those quadriceps.

One of the most important things in bodybuilding is to establish a stable and strong base and building up your size and frame to be bigger than normal people. The time taken for that to be achieved ranges from 1 year to people with gifted genetics to 3 years for people that have average genetics like you and me.

Once you have managed to pull through that hardship that comes along with bodybuilding, you can then slowly take your focus off your base frame and start looking at your body through a microscope and start detailing it. Like a pimped out ride, it is after you have acquired the base frame of the car, then only you could start on adding the colours, interiors and so fore.

Almost immediately after having your base, the next most important thing would be to create these factors:
1) Symmetry
2) Proportion
3) Definition
4) Density
5) Separation



Symmetry

Symmetry is extremely hard to perfect. But still that doesn’t mean it is not possible. Symmetry means that both the muscle on the left side of your body and the right side of your body must be equal in shape and size. For example, both biceps will have to be equal in shape and size and by looking at it, you wouldn’t think that either one is weaker or smaller than the other. Usually this is achieved by focusing on the “weaker” side and maintaining the stronger one. It could be to add more sets and reps to the weaker both part. But the main idea would be to create equality between the 2 muscle groups.

Proportion

Proportion is commonly mixed up with symmetry. Proportion actually means the equal development of body parts while symmetry is the equal development of the left and right side of the body. For example, proportion would the size of your legs in comparison to your back. There shouldn’t be a strong point or a weak point. They must look like they have been equally focused on. The key to proportion is the mindset of the bodybuilder when in the gym. Sometimes you will have the urge to push one more set for the chest or one more rep for the back. You must have the same kind of attitude for all the other body parts. Even when you are doing a blood and gut workout of legs, you must have the attitude like you would have while doing the more “observed” body parts like the chest or biceps.

Definition

Definition is the amount of fat covering the muscle; high definition meaning that you carry low fat percentage and low definition meaning that you have a high percentage of fat. Every one of us needs fat to survive. We need to have body fat in order to insulate us and to protect our organs and body from external impact. But when putting bodybuilding in context, high definition must be attained. It is to allow the muscles to be clearly visible. With a layer of fat over the muscle it tends to shade the muscle’s actually size and shape that you have work so hard to achieve. Although it would make the body part look bigger, but on stage, that is not what the judges are concerned with.

Density

Density is defined as how deep and full the muscles are. This is very important in the overall look of a bodybuilder. For example if we were to take a look at the abs. The every single one of the 6 or 8 abdominal muscles must be able to be seen. They should almost look like they were chiselled out and are deep from within. That is the look that a bodybuilder should strive for.

Separation

We all know that body parts are defined as chest, back, legs and arms. But being a bodybuilder, you will have to look at the separation within these body parts. For e.g. how the 3 portions of the quadriceps are separated; they must be able to be easily seen and the cutting between the portions should be deep and visible.


Building a base

Building the base frame of a bodybuilder is very important. It is going to be what your body shape will generally look like till the day you die. One good example would be Arnold Schwarzenegger. He was a champion bodybuilder in his time; one person that had almost everything; the height, the frame and shape. And through these times, he developed many career paths, from a bodybuilder to an actor then to a state governor. Although he is not as fit as he was back in the days, he has still been able to maintain that base frame. He is not someone that shrunk within weeks after he stopped competing. During his time, it was an era of little advancements in the supplementation industry and they relied on the concept of more is better and no pain is no gain. Even now when you take a look at his recent pictures, sure he is not larger than life which he once was, but you could still see the outlines of what used to be his large frame, unlike Kevin levrone that shrunk to almost 1/3 of his size within months after he stopped competing.

The Correct way to build a base:

The main concept to building a strong base is to use compound exercises; such as squats, deadlifts and bench press, while using a range of 3-5 sets with reps ranging from 10 and below. The main point in building a base is to get the initial size, you don’t need muscle definition or anything like that. A good way to get started to is to include the 3 giants of exercise. Namely, deadlifts, squat and bench press. These exercises can help you release natural growth hormones and improve your muscle growing abilities.

These are what you should do:

Chest:
Flat Bench press
Incline Bench press
Pullovers

Back:
Pull ups
Bent over rows
Deadlifts

Shoulders:
Shoulder press
Military press
Shrugs

Arms:
Preacher’s curls
Barbell Bicep curls
Overhead barbell Triceps extension
Triceps pushdowns

Legs:
Squat
Leg press
Leg curl
Stiff legged Deadlift
Standing Calf raises
Donkey calf raises

• For every body part you should do 3 warm sets of 50%,60% and 70% of your max weight
• You should push your max weight that you can do. 4 sets for each exercises and 8- 10 reps for each exercise.

[Kill_yourself]

Other factors in the quest for bodybuilding greatness

Sleep

I just cannot stress enough the importance of sleep. Especially if you are not a full time bodybuilder, rest is doubly as important because you are constantly moving around and also using up more calories then someone that stays at home all day and the only time he goes out is to the gym where he works out. Sleep is where you can build muscle. Without sleep, all the hard work in the gym will go down the drain. Because muscle is not built when you are pumping iron in the gym or when you are squeezing in a last rep for your squat. To efficiently and effectively take advantage of all your hard work in the gym, you must sleep 10 hours if possible. I know what most of you are thinking. Sleeping 10 hours is impossible given my daily schedule. So in that case the only way to achieve that figure is through naps. You should take a 2 hour nap after your workout and after you have taken your post workout meal. In that way you accelerate your body’s rest period. And during the night, all you have to do is hit 8 hours and you have completed your 10 hours in total.

Supplementation

With the increase of technology in the supplement industry, we are always getting new supplements almost on a monthly basis. There is always this new product that is supposed to be the best yet and the one that can build your 100 pounds of muscle in less than 3 months. Then they will go ahead by placing a before pictures of a skinny or extremely fat person, followed by an after pictures of someone that looks like they pump steroids like the liver will never die out.

The main point is not to believe and get caught up in the hype of it all. Use the supplements that are basis and down to earth.

Whey Protein powder

Try to get optimum’s whey protein powder. They not only have an incredible tasting protein powder, they are also extremely absorbent in the body which makes it a perfect nutritional drink after your workout. Whey protein is extremely fast to absorbed into the body and utilized very quickly; which is exactly the effect you should be looking for in a post workout meal.

Multi Vitamin

Being a bodybuilder, your body uses up the available nutrients faster than an average Joe, so that is why you would have to replenish it the moment it finishes. These nutrients may not seem that important to you because you think that all you need is protein. But I assure you, investing in a good multi vitamin will help you gain muscles much faster and easier. Universal animal pak is an extremely good choice to go for. It has a higher anabolic effect and I personally have used it and it is great.

Creatine

The wonders of Creatine have been proven over and over again through the decade. It has withstood the test of time which many other hyped up supplements couldn’t achieve. That is why till this day, it still stands as the most popular supplement in the market.
Some of the benefits are:
• Increase growth of lean muscle
• Improved strength
• Improved recovery rate
• Improved energy levels

And the most stunning thing is that Creatine is cheap. A good Creatine tub can last you anywhere from 3-6 months and it is not merely as expensive as what I should be considering the fact that it has this much amount of good benefits.

Your pride

One thing that is very important when starting out in bodybuilding and that is your pride and ego. When first starting out, you will have almost no ego. Because you know you are just starting out and you are not the strongest around. So you do weights that you can manage and not to impress. That is also one of the reasons why you grow the most in the initial stage of working out. So as you grow bigger and have established a decent amount of strength you will tend to want to do more because you think it will look good. But remember, it is not how much you lift that builds the muscles for you, it is how your muscles respond to the weight that you used. So which ever stage that you are in; beginner, intermediate or even advance, always leave you ego at the door of the gym.

Listening to your body

This is extremely important. You have to learn to know what your body is trying to tell you. If it is telling you something and you go against it because it was not part of the plan, it will only lead to frustrations and lack of gains. For example, if you were supposed to finish up 4 sets of pullovers for the chest after your entire chest workout and you are extremely exhausted already, you should stop. You must know when your body is saying it is exhausted. Signs such as you tend to struggle at weights you used to do warm-ups with, or you tend to only be able to do a few reps. These are just some of the sure signs that you need to stop. Although it is part of the plan to finish up the 4 sets, your body is just not able to take it anymore, so you should stop. Do not take it as a form of laziness, but a way of listening to your body. Another example would be if you wanted to go to the gym, and on your way there you are extremely tired and you feel like skipping the workout. You should listen to your body and go ahead and skip the workout. Because if you are exhausted and you still go ahead you risk the chance of injury, you are also less focused and you will not be as motivated to lift the weights. Bodybuilding is a marathon, it is not a sprint. So skipping one training to come back with another 10 good its definitely worth it.


Bonus Question:

How long will it take to build a strong base?

Like mentioned before, genetics will play a very big role in deciding the time needed. Some people maybe more, but some may be extremely fast. But on average it will take about 3-4 years to actually get a solid base or frame to work on. Because you will also have to learn how your body works etc.

How long did it take you to build your base?

It took me a total of 5 years to build a solid base. And the main reason being that I was learning, I was only beginning to find out what works and what didn’t work for me. I didn’t know anything about bodybuilding neither did I have anyone to teach me. Basically I started from scratch. I took about 3 years to know how my body worked and about 2 years figuring out what my body best responds to. So actually I am very slow in building a base. But then again, it is a marathon not a sprint.

Could you have done it faster?

Oh yes for sure. It definitely could have been done faster if I had someone to help me by pass all the trail and error portions of my training. If someone that you know of is much more experienced in bodybuilding then you, listen to them and seek advice. What works for them may not necessarily work for you, but it is worth a listening ear.


Referances:

http://www.npcnewsonline.com/new/npc...dybuilding.htm

http://www.exrx.net/Bodybuilding/JudgingCriteria.html

http://english.pravda.ru/science/19/...003_sleep.html

http://www.rlrouse.com/multivitamin-supplements.html

[Dallas68]

TOPIC: How Can A Beginner Bodybuilder Build A Good Base Frame?

For the week of: Jan 12th - Jan 18th
Wednesday @ Midnight Is the Final Cut (Mountain Time, US & Canada).

-------------------------------------------------------------

Base-the basics of something, the beginning and grounding for all further knowledge

For a beginner bodybuilder the basics can be immensely profound to comprehend. People always say you just have to learn the “Basics” to get a grip on the idea.
Yet I tell you that no skill or lifestyle is that easy to have a Base on. There are sub categories and many different tips and insights that take you further and further.

Opinions flood the gyms and fitness centers around the globe. Whether heavy weighted sets are better with low reps or high volume with lower weights are better.

I hope to create an idea of how to begin your journey to a built base frame that can only advance higher


When first starting to body build you must focus on creating a base. Once your base is strong, what should you focus on after that?

When you have brought your body’s size and strength to the level you are happy with, or to a place where no bodyparts are severely lagging.

Then you can begin specializing on gaining on whatever ultimate goal you have in mind

• Gaining another few quality pounds of lean muscle tissue

• Cutting down to reveal those shredded deltoids and separated quadriceps or hard earned abdominals


• Pure strength which can help smaller muscles such as the arms and chest

• Creating the desired look of a bodybuilder “example” the X-Frame, V-Taper, large sweeping quads and small waist going to a thick back. To give you that edge


• Focus on maximizing your genetic advantage “example” if you have a small waist from previously being an Ectomorph (naturally skinny)
Then accentuate this by building a thick back to create an incredibly amazing shape.
Or if you have big calves then build them to the ultimate size and diamond cut shape

• Keep your two main power movements exceeding your expectations “example Squat and Dead lift” these two exercises bring your whole body up to size.
If you gaining on the squat and dead lift and definitely are eating enough quality calories you will grow. Perhaps in areas you may still struggle with.

[Dallas68]

What is the correct way for a beginner to build a base?

• Understand the physiology of the body or what changes are occurring

• Understand correct nutrition for bodybuilding purposes

• Understand Training philosophies and how to use that to the individuals advantage


Physiology of the body

Skeletal muscle

These are the physical muscles that we see everyday, made up of individual fibers that look like cables. Example flexing your chest or back, guess what you’re flexing the skeletal muscles. They are Voluntary Muscles which mean you can move them when you want to.

Interesting Fact

The human body has close to a quarter billion skeletal muscle fibers!

They are split up into their respective categories such as

• Type 1 fibers
• Type 2 fibers (which has a sub category of two fast-twitch muscle fibers types we will call them A1 and Bx type)

Type 1 does not interest us for what we want to achieve as these fibers respond to endurance and long distance running stimulatory exercising.

Type 2 of course is where we want to be. These muscles are put into the fire and used when more than 25% of your maximum strength is activated in a task.

“Bx” fast twitch muscle fibers are the big and strong ones, yet they activate for only a mere few seconds. “A1” fast twitch muscle fibers are also used for power and strength yet can last for up to a possible 3 minutes.

So basically “Bx” is mostly what power lifters use for their highest rep max
While the “A1” is for prolonged intensive effort

You need to know what body type you’re most inclined to be! Take this quick test!

EctoMorph

MesoMorph

EndoMorph

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/becker3.htm

Smooth muscle

They come in thin layers and protect your blood vessels and internal organs such as the bladder and gastrointestinal tract. It is involuntary muscles that thusly act spontaneously.

Cardiac muscle

These muscles are connected to one another; this allows signals to be sent to cell after cell in the body.



Correct Nutrition

• Protein
• http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/planet4.htm
• Carbohydrates
• http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/anthony4.htm
• Fats
• http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/david47.htm



Protein is an incredibly valuable component of muscle growth and repair. Protein is necessary for hormones, enzymes and blood transport.
Protein is comprised of Amino acids, there are 9 essentials amino’s that we need. These are complete proteins.

Make sure as a beginner to at least get yourself going with 1 to 1.5 grams per pound bodyweight!

Carbohydrates are in essence glucose a sugar. This is the bodies’ energy source primarily.
Carbohydrates can be evaluated by the individual but they are relatively
Good in the 2 times pound bodyweight category

The glucose is stored in the liver and in the muscles as glucose. Carbohydrates are made up of three sugars namely glucose, fructose and galactose. In some complex carbohydrate foods they provide nutrients and essential vitamins to the body.

Fats are also a source of energy. Fats help keep the skin maintained and the growth of the body happening. Stay away from saturated fats and stick with unsaturated fats, such as Mono- and Polyunsaturated fats.

Training Philosophies

• http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hreadid=136049

• The above thread is quite simple and has some key implements to remember!

• I recommend printing them and sticking them on a wall!

• More is not always better

• Go with instinctive training

• Leave your egotistical self at the door

• Keep form before heavier weights

• Use heavy weights you can handle

• Keep the intensive weight training to a maximum of 45 minutes or else you fatigue

• Do not train too much a minimum of three sessions for beginners and maximum of 5 for advanced.

• Rest is incredibly important get plenty of it

• Pre workout nutrition is as important as Post workout nutrition

• An anabolic window exists for 45 minutes after training make use of it with the necessary carbohydrates and proteins if you use whey protein try for an isolate. It has the highest biological value as well as it is very quick to feed your muscles.

• Lift hard so that you feel relaxed and “feel-good” when you get out the gym you should be sweating a load

• Keep your goal in your mind

• Always change your training and keep your body and muscles guessing how they will be built

• Take these training philosophies and apply them

[Dallas68]

Which exercises are best for beginners? How many sets, reps, etc.?

These topics are always debated so I have listed the top few I seem to hear being argued more often than not


http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/issa74.htm
http://www.teenbodybuilding.com/joe5.htm
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/manny1.htm
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ice2.htm
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hreadid=138288
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...smith+machine\
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...erous+exercise

Beginners must take their exercise and training regime in, well a beginning manner. It is best to learn how to chew before swallowing your food. So basically im saying take it in steps


http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showpo...24&postcount=2
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showpo...30&postcount=3


Very good posts for beginners and intermediate trainers that need to grow and get bigger muscles or power. They are good because they combine compound exercises with very strenuous other exercises.

Which shock the muscles into new levels of growth and muscular development. Of course as the trainee develops so does the bodies’ resistance to the various exercises being waged on the muscles so change it up all the time.

The ideal is every 3 to 4 weeks .One workout use cables another time use free weights it’s all cyclic and interchangeable.

• Reps

• Generally accepted are
• 4-6 reps for power building or strength
• 8-12 reps for bodybuilding purposes
• 13 reps and above are generally counter-productive to the bodybuilders purpose of building muscle. Although if used correctly you may see results.

• Sets

• Generally a good flick of the thumb is
• Different bodyparts require more stimulation
• Example the back is an incredibly large and complex muscle which is to be worked tirelessly
• Whereas smaller muscles such as arms may be worked heavy or intensively but not with as many sets.
• Sometimes to shock the muscle you may add Failure sets to the end of the workout. These must not be done often.
• From failure sets I have gained an impressive amount personally


What other factors should be considered when starting out?

• You need to center your life around the bodybuilding lifestyle and not it around the rest of your life, if you’re serious.

• Patience as a beginner will need to wait a couple of months to see a huge change in muscular physical appearance.

• Be consistent with your meals and training.

• Do not binge out on alcohol or drugs even if your friends want you to.

• Do not pig out on junk foods depending on how you feel you may have a slight cheat meal once every week for one meal and one only!

• Bodybuilding is all about general health and musculature so make sure if you need it, to be checked by a physician.

• Practice your health before risking death or injury.

Do not fall into the trap of muscle dysmorphia conditions

Example: aggression or severe mental panicking due to a missed meal or missed training session.

• That is very dangerous and can lead to mental illnesses even if you train and your life is surrounded by it do not stress if:

• You miss a workout every blue moon it wont affect you dramatically
• If you miss one meal make it up later but try stay very consistent with food!
• Tomorrow is another day and you can make up for it then
• Im not saying to relax about your bodybuilding lifestyle but don’t make it a hassle.

[Dallas68]

BONUS QUESTION: How long will it take to build a strong base? How long did it take you to build your base? Could you have done it faster?

It all depends on how far off your target “base” is from where you are now. If you are obese that will take longer than a skinny person to muscle up and they would have an advantage.

It also counts the training discipline, diet you had and regimen for the whole plan.
Perhaps a good rule of thumb to be truly satisfied with your gains is half a year.

It took me the better of 2 years, only this past year or so have I truly undertaken to understand what exactly im doing to my body and how to do it best. That has helped tremendously. You have to know how to apply all you have learnt.

Knowledge is power when put to action

Yes of course. At the start I never trained legs as I didn’t really have the willpower to do so to get under heavy steel and rep it.
But as soon as I added it I gained a lot of bodily mass in the space of two months.
I am gaining almost fortnightly (these are not beginners gains im finally doing the necessary right.) It is because of hard work every training session, every meal put down the hatch and all the sleep which I get.
So please take your time to understand what you’re involving yourself with!


Peace Brothers and good luck with your goals. Old or new

References
Men’s health Muscle by Ian King
Various bodybuilding.com articles and forum threads shown on the article...

[Dallas68]

good luck to all...these totws questions have been great to answer and are more of a intellectual hobby than anything else i do like the competition and knowledge sharing aspect 2


good luck people......

[hybridx]

There are a lot of great articles here with excellent information. Getting started is difficult. Luckily, once a base is established, the sport becomes easier. Your knowledge and understanding of the sport will increase & you will begin to seek out new information to help you advance and make more rapid progress.

Yes, building a base is fundamental. However, developing the right mindset is what will ultimately determine if your interest in the sport will evaporate within a few months or if you are destined to make bodybuilding a permanent part of your lifestyle. In terms of mindset, here are a few things you must believe before you set foot in the gym:

#1 Consistency is the most important factor in the sport - No matter how advanced your training or nutrition, you have to go the the gym week after week without fail - or you will fail. 4 days per week absolute minimum. I recommend committing to 5.

#2 You have to like it - If you hate it, you will never turn it into a lifestyle nor will you see the great rewards of success in the sport. Fortunately, liking it IS easy. As soon as you become accustomed to the gym, it will no longer seem like pain and hardwork. It will become more like a social activity that involves healthy physical play - and you'll have great fun. After two weeks of consistent workouts, you will become a believer.

#3 You should set reasonable goals and forget about advanced training, nutrition, supplementation for the first 3 months. Besides a basic exercise schedule & some basic nutrition information, showing up 4-5 days a week for 3 months will ensure your success. Don't make the task too difficult or you could be setting yourself up for failure, disappointment, & unnecessary expense (when it comes to supplements). In fact, forget about supplements for your first 3 months. Let them be your reward in your 4th month if you are successful.

Following the above 3 immutable laws, you will not only achieve your base in 3 months, but you will also look and feel fantastic both physically and mentally. Here's how you do it:

Training Frequency & Structure

- Train 4-5 days per week @ approximately the same time every day
- Make your gym appearance the highest priority (short of medical emergency) for the day.
- Split your workouts into the major muscle groups & choose enjoyable yet challenging exercises (see below).
- If you are not active in your lifestyle, add 30 minutes of cardio 3 times a week. Remember, cardio can be done outside of the gym! Just find something that gets you moving and your heartrate up. Make it something fun & it's a game not work.

Nutrition

- Eat a source of protein every day whether it be eggs/meat in the morning, a chicken salad or grilled chicken breast for lunch, and a meat item at dinner. But make sure that you have a significant protein source in your diet on a daily basis.
- Lay off the alcohol. Hangovers lead to missed days at the gym & alcohol prevents effective muscle generation. Choose beer/wine over hard alcohol even with the extra carbs. But don't try to completely alter your entire lifestyle too quickly, or you will find the task overwhelming and be subject to failure. Remember, we are building a "base", in terms of training, nutrition, psychology, & lifestyle.
- Try to cut your fastfood frequency by 50% and cut out unnecessary white foods. Sweets for sure, but try rolling back on bread, potatoes, & rice for a good start. You'll lose weight and gain muscle while training and doing just this alone.

Training Program

Adhering to the following training program 4-5 days per week for 3 months will result in your success:

5 Day Per Week (M-F)

1- Legs (w/ Abs)
2- Arms
3- Shoulders (w/ Abs)
4- Back
5- Chest (w/ Abs)

4 Day Per Week (M-F)

1 - Arms + Quads
2 - Shoulders (w/ Abs)
3 - REST
4 - Back (w/ Abs)
5 - Chest + Calves/Hams

Exercises Per Muscle Group:

[Legs - Full]
- Seated Calve Raises (3X 15 Reps)
- Leg Press (3X 10 Reps)
- Leg Extensions (3X 10 Reps)
- Leg Curls (3X 10 Reps)

[Legs - Calve/Hams]
- Seated Calve Raises (4X 15 Reps)
- Leg Curls (4X 10 Reps)

[Legs - Quads]
- Leg Press (4X 10 Reps)
- Leg Extensions (4X 10 Reps)

[Arms - Biceps/Triceps]
- Standing EZ Curl Bar Bicep Curls (3X 10 Reps)
- 1-Arm Preacher Curl (3X 10 Reps)
- Standing Hammer Curls (2X 10 Reps)
- Seated Incline Barbell Curls (2X 10 Reps)

- Triceps Rope Push Downs (3X 12 Reps)
- Bentover Tricep Kickbacks (3X 10 Reps)
- Standing 1-Arm Tricep Extensions (3X 12 Reps)

[Shoulders]

- Seated dumbell press (2X 10 Reps)
- Arnold Press (2X 10 Reps)
- Standing Forward Dumbell Raises (3X 10 Reps)
- Standing Lateral Dumbell Raises (3X 10 Reps)
- Shrugs (3X 12 Reps)

[Back]
- 1 Arm Barbell Rows (3X 10 Reps)
- Wide Grip Lateral Pull Downs on Cables (3X 10 Reps)
- Seated Cable Row (V-Grip) (3X 10 Reps)
- Straight Legs Barbell Deadlift (2X 8 Reps)
- Hyperextensions (3X 10 Reps)

[Chest]
- Flat Bench (4X 10 Reps)
- Decline Bench (3X 10 Reps)
- Incline Bench (3X 10 Reps)
- Dips (Chest focused) (3X Max Reps)

[Abs]
Tri-sets: Do each exercise after each other with 15 second break & 2 minute break before repeating

- Incline Crunch w/ Weight (3X Max Reps)
- Hanging Leg Lifts (3X Max Reps)
- Flat Bench Leg Raises (3X Max Reps)

For all exercises with weight, weight should be selected so that the final lift is almost too difficult to complete. If you complete the reps without effort, you are doing too light of weight and will not make progress. Increase weight whenever, you complete all reps and feel as though additional reps could have been completed with extra effort. This is how you will ensure your muscles grow.


Training with the above program consistently for 3 Months will build the perfect physical and psychological base for success. At that time, you should begin to learn more about new exercises, training cycles, nutrition, supplementation, etc. But everything should progress in a stepwise refinement fashion, ensuring that your goals are obtainable.

Since consistency is the most fundamental principle in my base building program - it cannot be accelerated. 3mMonths is the maturity date. However, if one factor can be tweaked for greater physical results within those 3 months, it is nutrition. Eat better and you will trim fat & accelerate muscle growth as you train.

Remember, consistency is #1.

The 2 most important things post-3 months, after your base is established, is adding extra and/or more advanced exercises & better dieting & nutrition. But still just the basics. No need for rocket science until the 6th month!

Good luck with your program. There is no mystery to it. Get into the gym each week & you will succeed.

[Aussie LTD]

What is the best way for a beginner to build a base?

[RippedJordanian]

Please find my article attached, i hope im not too late lol

[bald and crazy]

to build a solid base is really simple. I said simple, not by any means easy. Use mostly compound movements, heavy enough to cause failure between the 8-10 rep range. Use good form, dedicate and EAT. I cannot stress that enough, if you want to grow, you must eat and eat. Ronnie Coleman didn't get to be 300lbs, by eating twinkies and donuts either. Protein and complex carbs, meat and potatoes man. If after a couple of months you don't notice a difference in how you look and feel, and you kept pumpin and strapped on the feed bag, find a different sport.

[Dallas68]

to build a solid base is really simple. I said simple, not by any means easy. Use mostly compound movements, heavy enough to cause failure between the 8-10 rep range. Use good form, dedicate and EAT. I cannot stress that enough, if you want to grow, you must eat and eat. Ronnie Coleman didn't get to be 300lbs, by eating twinkies and donuts either. Protein and complex carbs, meat and potatoes man. If after a couple of months you don't notice a difference in how you look and feel, and you kept pumpin and strapped on the feed bag, find a different sport.

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