Lights, camera, music, tan, oil: this is not a typical play or musical; this is a bodybuilding show. Hundreds of contestants line up and perform various poses to show off their chiseled muscle mass. They are, in some respects, human statues of physiques that many desire. It’s no wonder, then, that bodybuilding has grown in popularity over the years, with expositions and contests drawing thousands of fans and spectators. Many young men who want to change their physiques have started the sport as a hobby or a future profession. Any guy who’s interested in bodybuilding must know these bodybuilding tips for beginners before getting started. They’ll see that there’s a lot that goes into training, rest, diet, and supplementation to achieve their dream body.
Set Achievable Goals
Bodybuilding is about changing your natural body composition, whether that’s bulking up and putting on additional body mass through lean muscle or cutting down and losing unwanted body fat. When getting started in bodybuilding, it’s important to set these goals from the start. Everyone’s bodybuilding journey is personal and different. Assess your goals and work toward them through a daily habit of exercise and a proper diet. After all, consistency is the key to achieving those goals.
Prioritize Rest and Recovery
Given bodybuilding’s muscle-building effects, repetitive motions of strenuous activity on the body will exhaust you. That’s why it’s crucial to rest and recover properly. Many guys starting their bodybuilding lifestyles think that rest is a sign of weakness and will deter their results. But don’t believe that. Even professional bodybuilders actively rest to give their bodies the breaks they need to continue building muscle. Remember that this is a lifestyle, meaning you must consider long-term implications. Going too hard too soon could lead to injury and severely impact your ability to work out and live an active life. Avoid these potential issues and take a couple of rest days between your exercise routines.
Remember to Diet Clean
Diet is an essential part of bodybuilding. One of the most basic yet important bodybuilding tips for beginners is to stick to their meals. It doesn’t matter if these meals are 300 or 900 calories each: every meal is an important step towards achieving your fitness goals. Since maintaining a strict diet is difficult on a busy schedule, many bodybuilders meal prep. Meal prepping is fast, convenient, and easy. It helps you uphold your macronutrient requirements—proteins, carbohydrates, and healthy fats—while improving gym performance towards your bodybuilding goals.
Consider Supplementing Vitamins and Nutrients
Lastly, consider supplementing vitamins and nutrients into your daily ritual. There’s a reason you see bodybuilders stock their pantries with various pills, bars, and powders: these products help build lean muscle and lose fat without impacting muscle mass. Bodybuilders use some common supplements to achieve these goals: protein powder, pre-workout, creatine, glutamine, l-carnitine, branched-chain and essential amino acids, and a daily multivitamin. Do your research before using these products and learn how they can help support your bodybuilding goals.
Van Rundell is a writer and author who specializes in transportation, travel, guidance, health & fitness. With over 10 years of experience in the industry as a driver and an entrepreneur, he has seen it all. His tone is professional but friendly with a dash of humor thrown in for good measure. In past, he has been advising, educating and writing about transport for the public and professionals alike.
A qualified fitness instructor with over 5 years’ experience as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor, Van brings his deep knowledge of health and exercise science to his articles on health & fitness.
