Your bodybuilding workout needs to be a well-rounded program so muscle groups in all parts of your body are placed under enough resistance to promote muscle growth. To do this it needs to include both weight training and a cardiovascular rotation exercises. There is no universal formula that fits every person but there are certain factors that everyone needs to consider in designing their own bodybuilding workout.
Health
Your current health is of great importance when you start to design your bodybuilding workout. You should consider your recoverability, susceptibility to injury, and any physical limitations. If you are just beginning bodybuilding to get fit, you will need to start slow. Trying to do too much in the beginning only leads to injury.
Goals
This is a factor that is often overlooked. Without setting some goals in the beginning, you cannot very well design an effective program. Your goal may be to lose weight or gain muscle mass or maybe simply to become stronger and more toned. Each of these goals may require a different program and series of routines depending upon your body style.
Know Your Body
You must have a basic knowledge of your body and the various muscles groups. Without this knowledge, you will not be able to design a workout program that effectively works your muscles to their full potential. I know it sounds basic, but you can only work a particular muscle group if you know where it is.
Frequency
Your bodybuilding workout will not be effective if you try to work every muscle group every day. In the beginning, you should be working out no more than four days a week. Plan on starting on Monday with rest days on Wednesday and on the weekend. Your muscles only build while they are at rest so do not skip the rest periods. A sample schedule might be:
- Day 1: Deltoids, Triceps
- Day 2: Back, Traps
- Day 3: OFF
- Day 4: Legs, Forearms
- Day 5: Chest, Biceps
- Day 6: OFF
- Day 7: OFF
As you start to progress, you can work each group more often but never two days in a row. This allows for maximum recovery time as well as maximum growth potential. You need recovery time due to the intensity of a strong bodybuilding workout.
Tracking
Keep a log of the exercises you are performing and note your progress regularly. You will be able to see the small changes add up in a big way or see that you need to alter your routine a bit. Unless you log and track your results you will have no way of gaging how effective your workout program is or of you strength potential.
Everyone Is Different
Bodybuilding workouts vary from person to person, but they all contain basic components that can help all body builders grow their muscles and tone their bodies. When putting together your bodybuilding workout, keep your personal goals in mind and then go for it!
By: Gerry Marsh
Posted in: