Guide to Body Building
When you first start body building, it is best to take things slow. Too many people jump in and start lifting weights too heavy for them or exercising too often or too much. This results in injury to the muscle groups and means that one is unable to do any exercises for a longer time. One thing that experts will tell you is that you should not exercise every day. Your muscles need at least 24 hours to recover from a work out, so every second day is the routine you should plan.
Before starting any bodybuilding regimen, you should first consult with your doctor and have a full check up. This will help to determine if there are any pre-existing health conditions of which you may not have been aware.
You have to keep in mind that when you start, you will be using your muscles in a different way and from different angles. Even if you are young and athletic, it is possible to over train these muscle groups by using them to a greater extent than what they have been used to. This is why learning the proper technique of all the movements is important. If you feel really uncomfortable in the various positions, then this is a sign that you may not be doing them properly and may be causing damage to the muscles.
The body needs preparation for the workout. You have to warm up first by doing stretching exercises to loosen the muscles and make them flexible. These simple exercises will make it easier for the muscles to take the stress of the workout. Just as it is important to warm up, you also need to help the muscles cool down when you are finished. These exercises help to bring the muscles back to the normal level of activity.
Do not start bodybuilding by lifting heavy weights right away. Start off by lifting lighter weights and gradually increase the weight. Adding more weight does not increase the intensity of the routine nor does trying to do the exercises as quickly as possible. Slow and steady wins the race to building up muscle mass and reducing fat.
While you can expect to have some minor muscle pain when you start bodybuilding, it should not be intense, nor should it last for more than a day. As the muscles become accustomed to the workout, you will notice that you can exercise with more intensity and for longer periods of time without having any discomfort.
The number of repetitions you do in each set depends on your weight. If you are bodybuilding to help you build body mass, then you should do fewer repetitions than if you are trying to lose weight and one up your body. A typical session should last about an hour, three to four times a week.