Bodybuilders use a wide variety of workout routines to achieve their results. Natural bodybuilders achieve their results without the use of steroids or synthetic testosterone. Because they are not aided by these drugs, natural bodybuilders must monitor their training more closely because they will not get the rejuvenating effect supplied by anabolic steroids or other performance enhancers.
Training Frequency
Bodybuilders train anywhere from four to six days each week, but the majority of lifters prefer a four-day routine, which balances the required rest with maximal gains. Two days each week are devoted to upper body and two days are spent on the lower body. Wednesday and the weekends are used to rest and recover. You can modify this basic routine to fit your needs. If you have to make up a workout, or want to put extra focus on a particular muscle group, you have three days to do so.
Upper Body Training
Each muscle in the upper body will be targeted once a week. Typically the chest and shoulders are paired with each other on one day, while the back and arms are paired on the other. Because you are only working the muscle once a week, you should fatigue the muscle completely. The "periodization" method of training uses a variety of sets and repetitions to avoid plateaus in the routine. Using this common method you would complete chest exercises such as bench and incline press and chest flies along with shoulder exercises such as military press, dumbbell raises, and shrugs on one day, and back exercises such as pull-ups and single-arm rows along with bicep and triceps exercises such as curls, push-downs, and Tate presses on the other upper body day.
Lower Body Training
Your two lower body training days will likely be identical in regard to the exercises completed. There are only so many different exercises you can do for these muscles. Because of this, you should spend one day each week focused on heavy weight, and the other on lighter weight movements that involve more repetitions to increase muscle definition. The exercises you will want to include are squats or leg press, lunges, leg curl and extensions, calf raises and dead lifts.
Core Training
The abdominal muscles should be trained every other day and require a high volume of sets and repetitions because added resistance is difficult to find. Each of your abdominal workouts should consist of three or four different exercises at least. If possible you should add resistance to any movement you complete. Abdominal moves consist of crunching movements in the upper body, leg raises, or twists. Each workout should include at least two of each type of movement. In addition, stabilizing movements such as planks can be included.
References
- "Natural Bodybuilding"; John Hansen; 2005.
- "Alpha Male: The Path to Hardcore Natural Bodybuilding"; Sam Delucia; 2001.
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