Natural bodybuilding involves a training regimen similar to what normal bodybuilders do, but no supplements or enhancers are used so the body builds muscle the natural way and relies on a proper diet to do so.

A lot of ingredients, chemical or naturally composed, are included in the making of bodybuilding supplements and enhancers. Drugs such as anabolic steroids are also used by some, gaining muscle mass in an incredible amount of time. A simple look at these ingredients would reveal the truth and determine if they are really helpful or not. One popular bodybuilding supplement is Creatine, believed to be the most popular bodybuilding supplement, which is an organic acid naturally present in our muscle cells. Creatine absorbs valuable water from different organs in our body and deposits them to the muscle cells, causing dehydration and muscle cramps. Creatine is also been known to increase the growth rate of tumor cells. In natural bodybuilding no such side effect could occur, provided that the bodybuilder follows a proper diet.

Andro supplements or testosterone boosters could cause baldness, facial hair growth and in some studies, breast cancer. Sexual dysfunction is also a noted side-effect of the drug as a result of the boost in testosterone level and would reduce your sex drive. Bad news for married men, unless you already have 10 children, but no such side-effect would occur through natural bodybuilding. Glutamine is also present in bodybuilding supplements, and excessive consumption could lead to manic depression, stomach upsets, inability to concentrate, nausea and body aches to name just a few. Nitric Oxide is a component also present in bodybuilding supplements and an overdose of the drug could cause nausea and migraines. Other much harmful side effects include severe breathing problems, asthma and weakness. In fact, the list goes on and on, with most scientific data still undergoing further study as more diseases and ailments are being linked to an increased intake in bodybuilding supplements when working out. Natural bodybuilding holds no such risk, as scientific studies at UCLA concluded that a proper diet is enough to enable the body to build muscle without the use of supplements and other drugs. The results vary, but with proper training you should be able to achieve the results you want and fell better in the end.

There are no shortcuts in life and the same holds true for bodybuilding.

Natural bodybuilding allows you to add muscle without the use of supplements thru a proper diet and a specific training regimen designed for your own merit, with no harmful side effects and behavior-altering characteristics that would prove disturbing and harmful in the long run. Think twice before taking that supplement.

No matter how small the dose, remember that you are what you eat, and what you put in your mouth could eventually harm you ten to twenty years from now.

Natural Bodybuilding Allows You To Avoid Nasty Side Effects is a post from Bodybuilding Articles

There is the right way and the wrong way of doing things, and opinions in between. In order to gain quality weight, the bodybuilder must have a proper diet of the highest quality food possible, that is in accordance with your training and exercise regimen. As in most cases in natural bodybuilding, no supplements and enhancers are used by the bodybuilder in the process, thereby relying on food intake to supply the nutrients to build muscle. The diet however must be executed and applied correctly and to the last detail to gain the desired benefit, otherwise too much bulking up would lead to more fat gain than normally desired and negate the reason to maintain a 10% body fat when starting the program. It would be hard to start natural bodybuilding with a very high fat index.

The best time to bulk up would be after dieting, to which the body will respond well to the increased intake of nutrients and couple this with the right training regimen the results will surely follow. Never consume vast amounts of food that would only increase your recommended intake of carbohydrates and protein, as an intake of 1.5x per pound of body mass in protein is enough to supply your body for increased muscle growth. In natural bodybuilding, this means an increased amount of tuna, shrimp, turkey meat, egg whites and salmon consumption, to name just a few. An increase in carbohydrates consumption is also necessary to give our body fuel to burn during our workout, and to help the amino acids be absorbed by the muscle for proper growth. A recommended increase of 1.5 to 2 grams per pound of body weight is essential to build muscle in natural bodybuilding, and to monitor your intake of pasta, brown rice and sweet potatoes would enhance results as well.

But bulking up does not necessarily mean that essential fats should be taken out of the equation, as a lack of essential fats in natural bodybuilding would result to a dive in testosterone levels. Omega fatty acids ensure proper hormone production and brain function, and these are essential to achieve desired muscle gain. These essential fatty acids are not manufactured by the body, so a specific amount of these fatty acids (normally found in tuna and other lean fish meat) must be supplemented by an increased amount when working out.

It should be remembered that your natural bodybuilding training regimen must be specifically tailored to your body type and fitness level.

An average 3 to 6 days a week of intense training should do the trick. A maximum 60 minutes of intense exercises per training session must be observed to avoid a drop in testosterone level, which others counter by the intake of bodybuilding supplements but with proper guidance and training, natural bodybuilding could be just as effective.

Natural Bodybuilding Bulking up and Weight Gain Tips is a post from Bodybuilding Articles

When you consider natural bodybuilding as your choice of training regimen it is important to know that there is a difference between natural bodybuilding and “true” natural bodybuilding. While the former is not “false” at all for starters, the wide array of techniques employed by different bodybuilders throughout the years have brought confusion to the fundamentals of what “natural” bodybuilding is all about. Some athletes claim not to use muscle enhancing drugs but admit to using performance enhancing supplements which, to purists of the “true” natural method, is unacceptable. One has to consider natural bodybuilding as being “true” and devoid of any substance, legal or illegal otherwise. The clash of ideas which inevitably resulted in different opinions regarding natural bodybuilding is not meant to alter the overall meaning of the regimen but rather, people consider it as more of a choice, and is classified on how big and muscular you really want to become.

There are certain limits that we have to understand with bodybuilding and having a realistic approach to your training will certainly serve well on what kind of natural bodybuilding, whether true or otherwise, you would prefer. But true natural bodybuilding is the choice of the minority, saying to consider natural bodybuilding as devoid of ANY performance or muscle enhancing supplement is the way to go, as supplements usually bring more harm than good, negating the need to have a great looking body at the expense of having bad kidneys, shrunken testicles and eventually, disturbing psychological effects to name a few.

In the name of a healthy lifestyle, bodybuilders from around the world have proven that its possible to obtain muscle mass thru the use of natural bodybuilding, even claiming that strong, muscular men depicted in story books and biographies would reveal that having a well-rounded and muscular body was achieved even on those times when supplements are not available.

And it’s actually true. Others claim to use performance enhancing supplements so as to achieve a much faster result, urging them to work harder and squeeze more repetitions in their training regimen but these athletes usually end up dehydrated and dead tired the next day, which is not a preferred technique of some. To consider natural bodybuilding is to avoid the intake of such supplements that may harm the body and disrupt its equilibrium. The combination of a proper diet with the right training regimen specifically tailored to your age and body fat would achieve the same results without the use of supplements.  A brief consultation with a healthcare fitness professional would be advisable before starting a training regimen, whether going natural or not.

In conclusion, it all boils down to preference. Different strokes for different folks, as they say. But the logical choice still remains for some: consider natural bodybuilding as your training regimen. As long as you work hard, eat properly, get enough rest and incorporate natural bodybuilding in your lifestyle the results would surely follow, even without the use of possibly harmful supplements.

Natural Bodybuilding Is The Way To Go is a post from Bodybuilding Articles

Testosterone is the most dominant hormone in the androgen and is sometimes referred to as “the male hormone” and is responsible for a man’s deep voice, higher muscle mass, facial hair and aggressive behavior. Testosterone is also responsible for sexual function in men and keeps bones dense and strong. The normal production of testosterone in the body is highest during puberty and gradually diminishes upon reaching the age of 30, which is why some health and bodybuilders agree that natural bodybuilding would be most beneficial during the ages of 19 to 26 when testosterone levels in the body are at it’s peak, thus enhancing muscle mass without the use of supplements. A decline in testosterone would cause lean muscle loss, weight gain, decreased libido and reduced bone density as well, which is not good when doing a natural bodybuilding workout.

Studies have shown that testosterone levels of an average normal male would decrease by 1% each year after reaching the age of 30, wherein by age 40 the results could be greatly felt by then. It’s not all bad news though. A proper diet and a sensible eating plan would help enhance testosterone levels in the body even without the use of pills or injections.

Foods that are rich in Zinc are found to naturally increase testosterone in the body. These foods are essential in natural bodybuilding for peak performance at all times. Oysters are rich in zinc and are known in other countries as an aphrodisiac, increasing libido and sperm production which helps give a big boost to fertility and potency.  Other testosterone rich foods include animal protein, dairy and poultry products such as milk and eggs. Nuts and beans are beneficial too, but it would be interesting to note that Zinc obtained from beef or red meat is more readily absorbed by the body than from any other sources.

An important thing to remember to boost testosterone levels in a natural bodybuilding workout is to increase protein consumption accordingly and monitor the amounts of carbohydrates taken during the duration of your training. Carbohydrates that are very high in simple sugars would increase the level of insulin produced by the body, thereby affecting testosterone production negatively. Essential fatty acids are needed as well, and the increased consumption of fish such as tuna, sardines and mackerel would benefit your lean muscle building too.

The importance of testosterone in natural bodybuilding could never be denied as it plays a big part in our physiological and psychological behavior.

By observing our body before, during and after training, a more accurate assessment of the training regimen could be made, as well as adjusting one’s diet to ensure proper testosterone levels for a more effective muscle-building workout. Supplements are available in the market, but it has been proven that the right amount of testosterone foods is enough for proper metabolic function. A true natural bodybuilding workout negates the need for such supplements hence the need to focus on proper food consumption and nutrition to boost testosterone and energy levels during intense training to produce lean muscle the natural way.

Natural Bodybuilding Testosterone Boosting Tactics is a post from Bodybuilding Articles

Acute soreness after a natural bodybuilding workout could last up to an hour or more, as a result of a reduction in normal blood flow to the muscle and a buildup of metabolic byproducts such as lactic acid. This is normal as long as the pain subsides in a normal amount of time but if the pain inevitably lasts for more than a day or two, then post exercise muscle soreness is the culprit. DOMs or PEMS is though to be caused by muscle-tearing and repairing after a workout and usually lasts 2 to 3 days or longer depending on the intensity of the workout and the damage to tissue that has occurred. The body would eventually heal itself in the process but repeated application of very strenuous flexing could lead to permanent damage of the tissues, cartilages and joints. Pain should not be a motivator when doing a natural bodybuilding workout and soreness should not be an indication of successful muscle growth. Let your body heal properly by getting enough rest and let the soreness subside before working the muscle again. It may not sound like too big of a deal but dealing with soreness could be difficult as it interferes with your other daily routines, even sometimes affecting the way that you walk or move your arms, which could be disconcerting.

Having a training journal to keep track of your natural bodybuilding progress would be the best way to avoid muscle soreness, as the individual could keep track of the exercises performed, hence knowing which exercise caused the particular sore and to adjust the repetition and exercise accordingly. A training journal is a valuable tool in natural bodybuilding as it shows detailed progress of the training session, no matter how miniscule the improvement is. The goal is to be better each time but must be done safely. The training journal evaluates the overall direction of your exercise regimen so it would be wise to have one at the start of your natural bodybuilding program.

But persistent pain or muscle soreness could sometimes mean irreversible damage to the body part involved and this will put a sudden stop to your natural bodybuilding training!

A close look at the kinds of muscle soreness would help decipher the pain and its origins. It should be worth knowing that DOMS and PEMS are not completely understood but are covered under 3 kinds of hypotheses: connective tissue damage, skeletal muscle damage and spasm hypothesis. Either way, DOMS and PEMs could be avoided in a natural bodybuilding workout by paying close attention to your body’s limitation. Not all people are made the same and we all have different fitness levels and physical boundaries to consider in a natural bodybuilding workout. Never push yourself to the limit and focus on a realistic goal instead. Remember that acute pain is not an indication of a successful workout and that muscle soreness could lead to permanent injury, meaning more down time, and would hamper your natural bodybuilding regimen hence an increase in duration to experience muscle growth.

Natural Bodybuiding and Deciphering Pain is a post from Bodybuilding Articles

Have a medical check-up – If you have not needed to go to the doctor for the longest time now, it does not automatically make you fit to undergo weight training. Though it might generally make you feel lucky to be healthy, adding an unusual strain on yourself may not necessarily give you the same feeling. You might end up for the worse so you also have to tell your doctor that you need clearance for you to go into a bodybuilding routine for beginners.

Consult a trainer – Although you can’t afford one, you definitely need someone to look at your workout activity if it is a plausible training regimen or not. You can ask for a trainer’s consultation instead and then show them your workout plan. You can also just ask them to design the plan for you and since there will be no supervision involved, it will be cheaper for you in the end. This would also allow you to really be on top of things since you will be the person supervising yourself and doing the bodybuilding routine for beginners on your own.

Once you are able to do these two most important things, then that’s the time when you can start your bodybuilding routine for beginners. After you have planned these, it’s time to prepare yourself to follow your workout plan. There are important factors that you would need to consider. First is your schedule. Remember that you also have other tasks to accomplish on a daily basis and consider how much energy you expend to do these tasks. If you plan to have a workout right after work, do you really think you can still get on with your workout? Would you have enough strength left to do these activities?

Another important thing to consider is your diet. You may have to change your eating habits. You would need to cut back on some things and maybe totally eliminate fatty food items off your meal plan. But the most challenging thing to combat is not necessarily hunger but your cravings. There are healthy and natural ways of making yourself avoid unnecessary cravings. Considering the expert of a nutritionist would come in handy here. Be honest about your current food choices and tell them that you are worried about your cravings and how you can possibly win the battle against them.

As you get these things sorted out, you can now formally begin planning your workout activities. Since you are doing this all on your own, here are some great places to get your information from:

Video tutorials – There are a lot of free sites online where you can search for possible workout activities. The best thing about them is that you can actually see how the exercises are done so you can understand how to really do it the right way.

Online articles – There are lots of articles on bodybuilding sites where you can find a bodybuilding routine for beginners.

Choose those which have enumerations and bullets in them so you can easily identify if they really are the right ones for you to use.

Blogsites and forums – Get in touch with other people online. Read the blogs of well-known bodybuilders because you just may be able to pick up some good advice from them. You can also try signing up for an online forum where you can post questions and also read through first-hand experiences of oth

Bodybuilding Routine for Beginners – DIY Guide is a post from Bodybuilding Articles

Bodybuilding Routine for Beginners Do’s

Always do stretching and warm-ups – Since your muscles are currently used to normal use and effort prior to training, they can be overwhelmed when you immediately plunge into your workout. Aside from conditioning your muscles to do the workout activities, warm-ups also help stretch your ligaments and cartilages so that they can be more flexible to do your activities.

Engage in repetitive exercise – Doing a certain activity once or twice is not enough. The usual number of reps for any new workout is ten. After that, you should work to achieve more. There’s no stopping or slowing down. All you have to target is moving forward. If you find that you are having difficulty accomplishing your workout, maybe you have to tweak it a bit or empower your body to better prepare you to do it. Also, make sure you follow the schedule of your workout to the dot.

Have a change of diet – Remember that exercise alone won’t bring you the results you desire. You also have to observe proper diet and make sure it coincides with the activities that you do. Your diet should not deprive you of important nutrients, which is why it would be best to actually consult a nutritionist as you are creating your bodybuilding workout plan. This way, you can really identify the good energy-giving nutrients versus the ones you should do without.

Bodybuilding Routine for Beginners Don’ts

Don’t be impatient – If you feel that you have been doing so much already and yet you still can’t see the results, maybe your body just needs more time to develop. Keep in mind that we all have different ways of naturally coping with changes. What worked for other people may not necessarily work the same way for you. You are not Arnold so don’t go and try to copy his routine and end up overexerting yourself. Keep within the workout plan that was designed for you.

Don’t lose discipline – You should be consistent in all things you have in your workout plan. Whether it’s the schedule of your exercise, how many reps you have to do for an activity, or the food that you must eat during the entire workout plan, you have to be consistent. Sticking with the plan should be your mantra. You can’t push yourself when exercising and then continue to munch on the bad calories from fats and sugars right after. You need to watch yourself.

Don’t take supplements without proper advice – This is the most important thing to remember while training. As you get impatient and perhaps lose the discipline to accomplish your workout, you might stumble upon programs that tell you a certain tablet or protein shake is supposed to jump start your workout plan much faster. Well, don’t take any of these medications without proper consultation. Your body may turn out to be unfit to take on these new chemicals so instead of being a help, it might even turn out to be a disastrous decision.

Keeping a bodybuilding routine for beginners successful is mainly all about you.

Sure, you may have your professionals beside you—your doctor, nutritionist, and trainer—but in the end they can only so much. The success of your bodybuilding workout greatly depends on you alone

Bodybuilding Routine for Beginners: Do’s and Don’ts is a post from Bodybuilding Articles

Before you start getting into your bodybuilding routine for beginners, there are two important things which you need to consider.

First, is that you have to subject yourself to a medical checkup. Get in touch with your physician and tell them that you plan to engage in bodybuilding. It would also be better if you can give them an idea about the activities which you are thinking of doing so that they can see if you are indeed fit to accomplish the said tasks. Do all the necessary lab tests and get yourself clearance before you start working out.

Second, getting a trainer is highly recommended. Since you are doing this for the first time, it’s best to have expert opinion around who can also observe how you have been progressing so far. It’s hard to train all by yourself because you can possibly push yourself beyond your limits and possibly injure yourself in the process – that is not a good thing. You should not overwork yourself and you should always allow your body some proper time to rest.

Bodybuilding Routine for Beginners Ideas

Other than these two most important tips, here are some noteworthy ideas that you can remember as you are doing your workout:

Make a definite schedule – One way you can train yourself to get used to what you are doing is by sticking to your schedule. Draft regular days which you will allot for training. But before you can do this, take note of the other daily activities that you need to do. Can you really squeeze in some time for a heavy workout during weekdays? And if you need to train on weekends, would you still have enough days left to rest from all those activities?

Allot a rest period – It’s not all about the workout really. Sometimes, the most important part of bodybuilding is actually the time you take to rest. You need to know that your muscles actually get toned and perfected while you are resting. It is in this time that your muscles fill up the stretched spaces and newly developed fibers take shape due to the stress your body took while training. You also need to stock up on energy and the most effective way you can do so is by resting.

Have practical goals – When you are bodybuilding, you may find yourself looking up to all those muscular images of people who have the build that you dream of having. But always do a reality check. People have different ways of developing their bodies. Also, do not simply adapt a beginner’s routine because someone swears by its effectiveness. What you need to do is consult the experts if the same routine would also fit you.

Progress the intensity of your workout – Once a your bodybuilding routine for beginners becomes easy and you are way ahead of your workout plan, up the intensity.

When it becomes easy, it means your body and your muscles are already getting used to the work. Therefore, you no longer exert extra effort to help develop your bones and muscles much further.

Bodybuilding Routine for Beginners Design Basics is a post from Bodybuilding Articles

There are lots of personal trainers out there that you can hire for this. All you need to do is set up an ad posting your specific requirements. Here are some good places where you can try to find your own personal trainer as you start a bodybuilding routine for beginners:

Placing your ad in newspapers and other printed materials – Although digital media has taken the world by a storm, you can still rely on traditional means when it comes to advertisements. A lot of people still read these things and an average person can get a newspaper much easier than they can probably connect online if they are always on the go.

Place your ad online – If you don’t want the hassle of creating your own design and would like to be upfront with your ad then you can also place it online. There are also several online sites where you can make job ads for free, although the ones which require you to pay are usually the ones which have a bigger and better reach.

Get referrals – Ask around from your own network. People might be able to connect you with someone who personally trained them before. They might also be able to hook you up with a bodybuilding or exercise gym which has trainers you can hire on a personal schedule basis.

Soon as you get your potential trainers to help you create a bodybuilding routine for beginners, here are some important things that you might want to ask them during your interview. You should definitely take time to talk to them and get right down to the details of their credentials.
Ask them how long they’ve been doing training – It’s important to know how long they have been doing this kind of work. Since you are new, you would need someone who’s definitely an expert on the subject. Your trainer will be your guide for the entirety of the program. They will be the ones directing your activities even the lifestyle change which you might need to make too.

Ask them why they chose to become a trainer – What are their professional and personal motivations for doing this kind of job? Were they a bodybuilder before they embarked on the role of a trainer? These are important things that would also give you insight about the personality of the trainer. It can also help make you feel more comfortable working with them as you actually get to know them on some personal level.

Ask for a sample bodybuilding routine for beginners – This is a great way to prove what kind of job they can do.

It’s also a way for you to evaluate if the activities that this trainer can give you are the ones you have in mind and is actually interested to do. Giving you a sample workout plan also makes you verify if the credentials they spoke of are indeed true.

Bodybuilding Routine for Beginners – How to Get a Trainer? is a post from Bodybuilding Articles

Bodybuilding Routine for Beginners Preparation

Before starting with bodybuilding routine for beginners program, choosing the right place to holdout workout is as important as the workout itself.  The place should be accessible and traveling to the place should not be longer than the actual workout.  It should also have the needed machines and equipment and professionals ready to extend an expert advice while doing the workout.  One should also get the proper gear for the program which may include knee-length shorts, a loose shirt and a pair of sneakers.  Bringing along a bottle of water and a small sweat towel is also advisable as well as a padlock to keep important valuables from being stolen from the designated locker.
Important Considerations

After selecting the right place to hold the workouts, learning the names of the machines and how each of them function will help prepare you for all the activities involved.  Inviting another person to serve as partner during the different sessions will help to monitor and can encourage you to keep up with the training.  It should be noted that in many cases, bodybuilding routine for beginners usually fail because a person is not reminded or reprimanded on what to do and what not to do.  Most of the time, people stick to the program and complete it because they don’t want to disappoint their partner.  More often than not, the partner usually serves as a spotter during workout to ensure safety and prevent one from overtraining.

Every person who will take part in the bodybuilding routine for beginners should also realize that the program may be a lifelong process since keeping fit should continue as long as we live.  Further, during the first few weeks, a person may not feel or see significant improvement since dramatic changes can be observed after 6 – 12 months.  Forcing one’s body to carry weights which are not appropriate for the course, may strain the muscles and do more harm than good.    Those who committed themselves to the bodybuilding routine for beginners program should also try to develop a symmetrical body without lagging parts.  

It should also be remembered that workouts should be done within 45 minutes with at least three to five minutes rest in between phases.  One should also build up calories from the right sources like fruits, vegetables, non-fat milk, fish and other sources of protein.  Please note that junk foods may provide calories but may not provide the nutrition required during workouts.
Bodybuilding Routine for Beginners Workout
 
Bodybuilding routine for beginners should include at least three different phases namely a warm up, short rest period, stretching routine and the main workout.  Jogging in place or running on a treadmill may be a sufficient warm up while simple stretching exercises will be enough to prevent the muscles from being strained prior to the actual workout.

The main workout should include a bench press, pull ups, military press, squats, crunches, leg curls, dips, barbell curls and standing calve raises. 

You can do each of these in three sets with ten repetitions and carried out, the first time, under the supervision of a gym instructor. 

Working out provides lots of benefits including improved confidence, a sense of well-being and a healthy life in general.  It should be preceded by proper preparation and should be done under the supervision of a partner and people who have been trained for the purpose.  Sufficient nutrition should be part of the program as well as the right combination of exercises to develop all body parts equally and symmetrically.

Bodybuilding Routine for Beginners Basics is a post from Bodybuilding Articles