Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Bodybuilding Tips

Working out is a great way to reduce stress and increase your confidence. A general rule is to train 3 - 5 times per week, and keep your sessions under an hour. Here are a few tips that have helped me in my early days of bodybuilding.

Tip #1 1.5g per LB

Protein intake is important when it comes to building muscle mass. A good rule is 1- 1.5g per LB you weigh. So if your weight is 160LB, then you would need 160g of protein each day. You can get your protein from eggs, cottage cheese, fish, red meat, and poultry. Protein powders are ideal to.

Tip #2 Eat a lot

Good choices are rice, white potatoes, cereals, whole grain breads, muffins, and pasta. Eat several vegetables too. You'll need to eat many meals, upwards of 6 meals per day. Drink lots of water.

Tip #3 Use negatives

For most of the time lower the weight at a two-to four second count. This is an effective way to stimulate muscle growth instead of just dropping the weight on the lowering, or eccentric part of an exercise.

Tip # 4 Change your workout order

Change your workout order and rep range every two weeks or every week. This will force your body to adapt to new things.

Tip #5 Recovery

Recovery is critical to success. Make sure you get 7 to 8 hours of sleep. After a workout, your body's stores of glycogen are depleted. Carbohydrate rich foods are the best way to replenish your glycogen stores. Consume within 40 minutes after your workout.

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