Professional bodybuilders put in years of hard work and dedication to develop muscled, well-balance physiques for competition. If you're to join them, you need to have the same level of commitment. But you don't need a personal trainer or a gym membership to get started. There are bodybuilding workout programs that are effective and free. Some use free weights, other require nothing more than an open space at home and plenty of dedication.
Workout Tips
A proper lifestyle translates into more effective workouts. BodybuildingMantra.com recommends plenty of rest. A solid seven or eight hours of sleep a night is a start, but rest also comes into play in other ways. Resting the day after a workout will allow your muscles to recover and repair themselves. A good workout three or four days a week can be more productive than working out every day. A cardiovascular workout, like running, serves as a good alternative on off days.
Proper Mechanics
Using proper fundamentals will lifting weights will help you get the most out of your workouts. Use the proper weight. A weight that is too light won't challenge your muscles; one that is too heavy may lead to injury. Dumbbells can be used at home and can build up the primary muscles. Always begin by warming up and stretching. Using proper technique and lifting in a slow, controlled manner will bring the best results.
Beginners
A beginning program allows a new bodybuilder to become accustomed to the essential exercises that work all parts of the body. An example of a beginning workout includes squats, calf and leg lifts for the lower body, curls and triceps work for the arms as well as bench presses and shoulder work for the upper body. These are all exercises that can be performed with dumbbells.
Women
Personal trainer and author Shawn LeBrun maintains that women can workout in a similar manner as men. The muscle gain will differ because women don't have the same levels of testosterone that helps men build up their body mass. The benefits for women include burning fat and toning muscles. Weight training can help women battle osteoporosis and similar bone diseases as they get older.
Bodyweight Workouts
Bodyweight workouts are simply using your body instead of weights as a resistance force. Basic exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups are bodyweight exercises. On the website Truly Huge Ray Burton, author of the Bodyweight Training System states that bodyweight workouts can give you a firm foundation on which to expand your bodybuilding workouts. In addition to upper body work, doing squat lunges in which you go from a deep knee bend into a jump will work your lower body.
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