Simple Tips for Starting Competitive Bodybuilding

As a bodybuilder you should be aiming to enter into the competitive bodybuilding area and show off your body in a bodybuilding fitness competition, especially given the amount of time, effort and money you are putting into your training. Competitive bodybuilding fitness competitions take place all over the world and display some of the finest, athletic bodies on the planet.

Each competition has numerous categories and levels, so even if you are still a novice you can still find a competition that is at your level. However, if you are going to enter you?re going to have to put in a lot of training before hand, so you?ll need lots of self discipline and dedication in terms of actually getting down the gym and training and also your diet.

If you are serious about taking up competitive bodybuilding you should really try to find your self a training partner and coach. As having the guidance and support of an experienced coach and the support from a training partner will definitely help improve your chances of success in the competitive bodybuilding arena. You and your coach need to determine your training programme, your diet and what competitions or events you want to train up to compete in. Also you need to decide whether you are going to be a ?natural? bodybuilder or whether you will use performance enhancing supplements such as steroids. The natural route is best for your body, but there is no reason why you shouldn?t supplement your diet with essential vitamins and nutrients to help optimum growth and repair of your muscles, especially if you have to eliminate some foods from your diet to lose weight.

The next step is to put some time into investigate and find local competitive bodybuilding competitions near to home, as they are a great place to ?dip your toe? in and get started. If you can?t find any locally you might have to travel to further a field to find competitions, so you?ll need to schedule this into your training plans.

Competitive bodybuilding and fitness competitions often vary in terms of the price to enter and the competition rules and regulations, so make sure you do your research carefully. Usually you?ll have a tour or guide the day before or on the morning of the event, so the more prepared you are, the more professional you will appear to the other competitors and judges.

Prior to the event, make sure that you have covered and mastered in training all the poses that you need to be able to do for the competition, and learn how to tense up your muscles for each pose while appearing relaxed. Other things you might want to do or take into consideration are tanning and removing excess hair and anything else that might improve your chances of winning. Ask your coach for advice on this or ask other bodybuilders you have met through your training.

Once you?ve done the competition, critically assess how well you have done, both positives and negatives, if you try and learn from your mistakes you?ll continually increase you chances of winning in future events. See what the other competitors are doing and ask them questions too. You should also try and speak to the judges after the event to get their opinion on how you did and get some tips for your next competition. Listen carefully to all their hints and tips and sooner than you think you?ll be the one winning all the prizes!

Do you want to learn how to pack on massive muscle, melt away fat and get the body of your dreams? If so, get your hands on free bodybuilding tips for beginner bodybuilders by clicking the following link: http://teenbodybuildingtips.info/

Beginning Bodybuilding - Questions/Answers

If you are new to bodybuilding, everything can be very overwhelming. The problem is if you ask a 100 people how to get started, you will get 100 different answers. I will try to answer some of the basic questions everyone asks:

Should I Join A Gym Or Workout At Home?

If you have access to a gym, this is definitely the best choice. There are too many distractions in a home. If you are a very discipline person, then working out at home may be an option. For the average person, home workouts do not last.

Once you decide where you are going to workout, you have to decide on a time of day that works best for your schedule. Try to pick a time that you know will have the least distractions. If you have a family and kids, try to get to the gym before work. Or see if you can get in a workout at lunch. Whatever you chose, just be consistent with your workouts.

An added benefit to joining a gym is you can work with a personal trainer and have a personalize workout routine setup for your body type. If you decide to workout at home, there are plenty of books and magazines that can help you setup a workout routine.

What kind of workout routine should I follow?

If you are just starting out, I would start out with a routine that hits each body part once a week:

Day 1: Chest/Back/Biceps

Chest:
Dumbbell Bench Press ? One warm-up set of 15 reps followed by 3 sets of 12 reps.
Incline Bench Press ? Three sets of 12 reps.
Dumbell Flyes ? Three sets of 15 reps.

Back:
Lat Pulldowns To The Front ? One warm-up set of 15 reps followed by 3 sets of 12 reps.
One Arm Dumbell Row ? Three sets of 12 reps.
Low Cable row ? Three sets of 12 to 15 reps.

Biceps:
Straight Bar or EZ Bar Curls ? Three sets of 12 to 15 reps.
Alternating Seated Dumbbell Curls ? Three sets of 12 to 15 reps.


Day 2: Cardio

Half hour on the treadmill or elliptical trainer.


Day 3: Shoulders/Triceps/Abs:

Shoulders:
DB Should Press - One warm-up set of 15 reps followed by 3 sets of 12 reps.
Lateral Raises ? Three sets of 12 to 15 reps.

Triceps:
Cable Pushdowns - Three sets of 12 to 15 reps.
EZ Bar Skull Crushers - Three sets of 12 reps.

Abs:
Crunches ? Three sets of 20 to 30 reps.


Day 4: Cardio

Half hour on the treadmill or elliptical trainer.


Day 5: Quadriceps/ Hamstrings/Calves

Quads:
Leg Press - One warm-up set of 15 reps followed by 3 sets of 12 reps.
Squats - One warm-up set of 12-15 reps followed by 3 sets of 12 reps.
Alternating DB Lunge - Three sets of 12 to 15 reps.

Hamstrings:
DB Stiff Leg Deadlift - One warm-up set of 15 reps followed by 3 sets of 12 reps.

Calves:
Standing or seated Calf Raises - One warm-up set of 15 reps followed by 4 sets of 15-20 reps.


Day 6: Optional Cardio

Half hour on the treadmill, elliptical trainer or fast walk.

Try to keep a journal of your workouts (including weights and times). This will help you keep track of your progress. Following the workout for a few months increasing the weights whenever you can. Try to keep strict form to avoid injury.

Should I use nutritional supplements?

Definitely! When you workout, you are breaking your muscle down. Your body requires nutrients to build the muscle back up. Building muscle is 10% working out and 90% nutrients/rest. You build your muscle when you are resting.

If I have to pick the top bodybuilding supplements, it would be in this order:

a)Multi Vitamin ? Make sure your body has all the necessary nutrients, antioxidants and minerals to build muscle.

b)Whey Protein ? Try to make sure you eat at least 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight if you are following a workout routine.

c)Creatine ? Try for 5 grams of creatine a day. If you have a sensitive stomach, try Kre-Alkalyn.

d)Water ? Water is not a supplement?but it is very important. Drinking lots of water keeps the muscles full and helps flush your body of toxins.

With the supplements listed above, also make sure you stick to healthy foods like oatmeal, egg whites, tuna, chicken, brown rice, vegetables, etc. If you need to cheat, do so in moderation. Try to stay away from processed foods, sugar and alcohol.

Eating small meals 5-6 times a day is more beneficial then 3 meals a day. It keeps your muscles fueled throughout the day.

By following the advice above, you will be well on your way to develop the body you dreamed about. The key to bodybuilding is consistency. If you stay consistent, you will succeed!

Warren Kuhl is the owner of http:www.suppsearch.com. SuppSearch.com offers bodybuilding supplement reviews and nutritional supplement price comparisons.

The Five Best Bodybuilding Supplements You Don't want to be Without

Bodybuilding supplements aren?t essential. The focus of your bodybuilding should be your training and proper nutrition. There are five supplements, however, that can help you achieve your results faster and are beneficial to both your muscle growth and your overall health.

1. Quality Multivitamin. A quality multivitamin will help you get all the essential nutrition your body needs. Look for one with high-potency. A more expensive multivitamin will not always be better, but avoid buying generic brands.

2. Protein Supplement. Whey is probably the most common and least expensive of the protein supplements that you can buy. In addition to its cost and availability, whey is good because it contains little to no fat, lactose, or cholesterol.

Another protein supplement you might want to consider is hemp. Hemp has the same benefits of whey, but is arguably superior. In addition to the complete protein, it?s also a source of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, fiber, and chlorophyll. Two-thirds of hemp protein is edestin, which is only found in hemp and is the protein that is most similar in form to that in the human body. The only disadvantage to hemp protein is that it is not as readily available as whey protein. Other protein supplement sources to consider are soy, egg white, or casein.

3. Monohydrate-Creatine. Creatine?s function is to help supply energy to muscles. Many bodybuilders take it to increase performce and to help build muscle mass. It is not a steroid and is not banned in sports in the US. Short term studies show it to be safe, but long term studies haven?t been conducted.

4. Glutamine. Glutamine is perhaps the most important supplement you can take if you are a bodybuilder. During exercise, the body uses its stores of amino acids. Glutamine helps to replenish your body with the amino acids. A deficiency of glutamine in your body can lead to a weakened immune system and possible wasting of muscle tissues. You can buy this as a powder from most health food stores or vitamin shops.

5. The final supplement bodybuilders need to consider is essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids are omega 3 and omega 6, also known as the good fats. These EFAs will help ensure that you have the energy you need for good performance. You can buy supplements in liquid or capsule form, or choose to incorporate adequate amounts of the food sources of the omega fatty acids into your diet. These food sources include fatty fish, flaxseed, hemp oil, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and leafy vegetables.

Take the action necessary to get the body you want today. Visit How To Start Bodybuilding to get your free copy of 8 Things You Must Do To Build Maximum Muscle Mass.

Stop kidding No home gyms allowed

Not long ago my wife went shopping for home gyms. No not for her but of all people for me. I was devastated. The idea, me exercise? I sit and work at the computer all day and that's plenty of exercising for me. I told her we didn't have room and the (2) extra bedrooms were for visitors besides.

Nevertheless off she went and darned if a couple weeks later she drug one home. A home gym of all things!

My wife was telling me that the convenience of privacy at home, no driving and time efficiencies is what I really would enjoy. Humbug! She also discussed her goals for me and frankly I was impressed. Lose 20 lbs or else! Else what? Rabbit salads and vinegar for life.

She also told me that in making her decision she considered our budget, room available, weight based or rubber band machines and relative versatility. I told how appreciative I was of here thoughtfulness.

She assured me I wouldn't need the motivation that a real gym provides, nor would we miss the room lost, and that putting the thing together would be a blast.

Also, just because I wasn't surrounded by other hard exercising chargers my tendency to be lazy and slack off wouldn't be a factor.

Thus far, the only thing that's lost weight is my wallet but I'm assured perseverance would prevail.

Before starting that home exercising program I suggest seeing your doctor to check on your health condition and your brain because when you're grand kids see you trying to do your thing they'll think you lost your mind.

Having home gyms is probably a pretty good idea and I for one am all for it. My grandson looks so fit now he can't keep the girls away from him. Boy, am I glad I have a grandson.

More good gym stuff http://www.home-fitness-gym-4u.com/