Michelle Bery asked:


Enthusiasts of bodybuilding know of the hard work that is required to achieve and maintain the sculpted bodies for which they aspire. A regimented diet is certainly a large component of bodybuilding – cutting fat and focusing on lean protein to feed the muscles of the body and maximize nutrition. But when it comes to achieving the ideal look that most bodybuilders are after, the connection between bodybuilding and fitness is undeniable.

Bodybuilding and fitness are so inseparable because the building of muscle mass is so largely dependent upon intense and committed workouts. Bodybuilders will tell you of the hours upon hours that they dedicate to the gym – doing cardiovascular work, stretching, and engaging in significant weight training. For those in competition, this training is imperative to success. Any competitor will tell you that bodybuilding and fitness go hand in hand; without one there is no other.

For many embarking upon bodybuilding and fitness, there must be small steps taken in order to work up to a full exercise regime. To achieve maximum fitness it is imperative to combine cardiovascular work with core training and weight training. Cardiovascular work may include everything from running and walking to dancing and kickboxing. To follow, intensive core training such as Pilates or yoga will work to strengthen abdominal muscles, improve flexibility, and keep muscles limber.

But when it comes to bodybuilding and fitness, nothing does more to build and maintain muscle mass then weight training. Whether using weight training machines or free weights, lifting weights – when done correctly – will bolster and sculpt muscle mass throughout the body. Bodybuilders rely on weight training to achieve their fitness goals. However, it is most important that if you don’t have experience with weight training that you have professional instruction in order to learn the proper techniques. Weights, when lifted incorrectly, will only serve to injure rather than improve muscles.

For those looking to improve their bodies and even compete in bodybuilding competitions, it is imperative for them to incorporate a consistent regime of diet and exercise into their lives. For this reason, bodybuilding and fitness will continue to be an inseparable and lasting combination.



Juan

anonymous asked:


(c) 2008 Charles Carter

When you are into bodybuilding you can start to see that your bill every month for food is greater than buying expensive gas at the pump. For those that want to achieve their muscle building diet and still have money left over, we have tips for bodybuilders on a budget.

Top 5 Tips for Bodybuilder’s Food on a Budget

1. The most important thing you can do it make a grocery list. One of the worst things you can do is go into a super market especially hungry and attempt to figure out what you need on the fly. Most often without a grocery list we get food we don’t need and forget something that is important that we have waste more gas going back to the store.

2. You can buy complex carbs in bulk. Stocking up on brown rice, potatoes, and oatmeal allows for you to save money on the high volume shopping. Unlike most people who buy and bulk and the food gets spoiled before eating, if you are a serious bodybuilder than you know the amount of calories you are going to eat and the food won’t get wasted.

3. You get what you pay for. This stills seams to be the situation with supplement brands, though not with food items. The store brands in most grocery stores are just as good as the name brand and cheaper. Go with the store brand and save money.

4. You body needs the vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables. What is also important is variety. We typically get into such routines that we only eat certain fruits or vegetables. Start buying the deals and sale items in your produce section of the grocery store. This will give you more variety and you can save money on always buying the same items at their normal higher price.

5. Buy food around the outside path at the grocery store. Almost always the processed foods are in the aisles while the natural meats, vegetables, and breads are along the outside wall around the store. Natural foods are typically cheaper than the process and boxed counterparts and hold much more nutritional value.

You can make any bodybuilding diet work on any budget. Also, as an added tip think of your protein shakes and meal replacement shakes as part of your grocery bill instead of supplement bill. These are cost effective way to get calories at the right calorie ranges. Since your protein powders are food, it won’t make your supplement bill look so big any more either.



George

Michelle Bery asked:


As anyone engaged in bodybuilding will tell you, the process of building and sculpting muscle is one that requires intense focus and commitment. A dedicated diet and exercise regime is absolutely imperative to achieving bodybuilding goals. And as important as diet is, bodybuilding exercise is even more important.

Bodybuilding exercise helps bodybuilders trim body fat, build muscle, and sculpt and chisel the body in order to achieve ultimate bodybuilding goals – including participation in competition. Bodybuilding exercise – like any kind of fitness routine – should include a combination of cardiovascular exercise, core work, and weight training in order to be most effective. But for bodybuilders, exercise of this kind is taken to the next level with a focus and intensity that helps them achieve their significant physical goals.

In order to embark on effective bodybuilding exercise, it is first necessary to set out a schedule that will help you meet your goals. This is where a reputable gym can come into play. Not only do gyms offer a bevy of equipment necessary to bodybuilding exercise, but they give customers access to personal trainers who can help you set and implement your fitness goals.

For instance, a personal trainer can help you to determine how best to structure your workout week; this may include weight training on one or two particular muscle groups one day and other muscle groups the next; as well as the implementation of cardiovascular work and programs such as Pilates and yoga to improve flexibility and strengthen the body’s core.

But most importantly, personal trainers and the gyms in which they work can provide guidance in performing bodybuilding exercise in the safest way possible. Exercise – especially weight training – will get you nowhere if you have poor technique. In order to maximize your results and avoid injury, bodybuilding exercise must be performed with the proper technique.

Bodybuilding exercise can transform your physical appearance and elevate your competitive performance to the next level. But be sure to approach these exercises with proper education and attention to safety in order to best meet your fitness goals.



Monica

Terry Bytheway asked:


If you are looking to become bigger, you need to train big. You should train 3-5 times a week and keep your work out sessions as short as possible. Try to not let them run over an hour. Try to only work out on one muscle group per week or every 5 days. Never do two larger muscle groups while working out on the same day. The bigger muscle groups consist of your chest, back, and upper legs. Here is a idea of how to schedule your week:

3 Day Week:

Monday: Chest, triceps, calves

Wednesday: Back, biceps, shoulders

Friday: Thighs

4 Day Week:

Monday: Chest, calves

Tuesday: Back, triceps

Thursday: Thighs

Friday: Shoulders, biceps

5 Day Week:

Monday: Chest

Tuesday: Back

Wednesday: Thighs

Friday: Shoulders

Saturday: Arms

In the previous example schedules, you may have noticed that no 2 large muscle groups were done on the same day. While excersizing, do bulk movements. Like bench press, shoulder press, rows, squats, and deadlifts to start off your workout. Make sure you do your biggest muscle first also. As far as volume and intensity goes, they are very related. The more volume you have, the less intensity there is, and vice versa. If you are training high intensity, you would likely be doing 6-10 reps and 5-8 sets per body part. (More sets may be needed for the bigger muscles while less are needed for the samller ones)

What is the sense of working out without a equally balanced diet to fit your lifestyle?

Nutrition: The majority of younger aged people have very fast metabolism.

Being young most of you probably have fast metabolisms. If you are looking to gain mass, then here is the key word: EAT! Eat, and do a lot of it. At least every 2 hours if you are able to and at least a total of 6 meals a day. Each meal you eat should contain approximately 17% of your daily intake requirements for protein and carbs. So, here’s what you have to do to gain mass: EAT. We’re talking every 2 hours if possible, but at least 6 meals a day. Each meal should contain about 17% of your daily requirements for protein and carbs. If you are really serious about bulking up you should do more research to create your perfect eating schedule to gain the correct amount of mass to bulk.

Some people also use protein shakes (Ie. Whey) while they are working out because it is meant to help you bulk up and many people find that getting a lot of protein is key to bulking up but just eating more may do the trick for some people. Not everyone is meant to bulk up, depending on your body shape you may be better off to cut instead. Just think if that is what you want to look like or not.



Mary

Jean Littman asked:


The debate on whether bodybuilding should be an Olympic sport has been raging for years amongst the bodybuilding community and those interested in the Olympics. Ardent fans argue that weightlifting has been an Olympic sport for years, so why not bodybuilding? To diehard fans, bodybuilding and the Olympics seems to be a perfect fit, and questions like “Why is bodybuilding not already an Olympic sport?” are routinely aired.

Perhaps the more telling questions to ask are “Should bodybuilding be an Olympic sport?”, and “Would making bodybuilding an Olympic sport help the Olympics?”

Bodybuilding And The Olympics: Why It Is Not Already An Olympic Sport

The current Olympic program consists of 35 sports, 53 disciplines and more than 400 events, ranging from archery through to weightlifting and wrestling. The bodybuilding fan base, competitors, and sponsors are all ready and willing to take the step to Olympic level. The stumbling block is the International Olympic Committee and the OPC, who state simply that according to their criteria, bodybuilding is not a sport and there has no place in the Olympics.

This stand begs the question, “what determines a sport in the first place?”. A simple definition by the Australian Sports Foundation says that sport is “a human activity capable of achieving a result requiring physical exertion and/or physical skill, which, by its nature and organization, is competitive and is generally accepted as being a sport.”

Arguably, bodybuilding fits within this definition, and one would think this should be enough for the IOC. However, the primary problem the IOC has with allowing bodybuilding into the Olympics concerns drug abuse. They claim that the widespread use of performance enhancing drugs by bodybuilders would prevent bodybuilding from complying with Olympic drug policies. There are harsh and vigilant doping rules for Olympic competitors, which would certainly exclude many professional bodybuilders.

However, the natural bodybuilding fraternity does not use performance enhancing drugs. The Olympics could uphold their drug policies, allowing only natural bodybuilders to compete at the Olympics. This also aligns with the tradition of the Olympics being a competition for sporting amateurs, not professionals.

Another reason stated by the IOC for excluding bodybuilding from the Olympics was that the judging in competitive bodybuilding was far too subjective for an Olympic judge to critique. Given the controversy surrounding the subjective judging of sports such as ice skating, diving, and gymnastics this argument hardly seems to hold water. In fact, bodybuilding would seem to be a perfect fit!

How Bodybuilding Could Help The Olympics

As competitive bodybuilding has never been a mainstream sport, including it as an Olympic Sport would allow the sport to be better known and recognized. It would also make the sport more accessible, allowing people to learn more about bodybuilding, and possibly participate themselves.

Bodybuilding would also help the Olympics by widening the scope of sports on display. By showcasing bodybuilding, the Olympics would be encouraging people of all ages to eat good food, work out, become fit, and look after their health. These are important messages in a world where so many people are overweight.

A look back into history reveals that the Olympics were first introduced by the Greeks, who idolized and revered well toned, aesthetic bodies with healthy strong physiques.

Bodybuilding And The Olympics: The Main Argument Against

Besides the drug doping issue, perhaps the most prominent argument against including bodybuilding in the Olympics is the subjectivity of judges and the fact that there is often no clear winner. Even though other Olympic sports like ice skating are also in this category, the majority of Olympic sporting events feature clear winners, either by time, distance, height or lifting weight. No one can argue that judging mistakes have been made when a competitor clearly wins an event.

Although the jury is still out on bodybuilding and Olympics, it seems for the time being at least, that the Olympic Committee has no intention of including bodybuilding as an Olympic sport. Despite the fact that the bodybuilding fraternity is ready and willing to take the step to Olympic level, it looks like they will be waiting for some time yet.



Marjorie

Ken Ericsson asked:


Starting a fitness program with the right fitness equipment is a wise decision. This is one of the steps in attaining a lifestyle that is fit and healthy. The first thing you have to concern yourself with is the selection of the type of training you want. This basically boils down into home based training versus gym based training.

If you want to keep up with the trend, you should go with home based training. These days, more people prefer to have their very own gym as opposed to enlisting membership in commercial gyms, spas, or workout clubs. This is because home gyms provide more convenience; you can workout anytime you want and without any fee. What’s more, you can assure that with a home gym, you can use the equipment without having to wait for your turn – and in private. On the other hand, commercial gyms, spas, and workout clubs can be a source of social interaction. You can meet various kinds of people and perhaps create solid and lasting relationships. They are also a great option if you want to leave your home for a change of scenery and atmosphere or just to get the feel of proper training.

Whatever type of training you choose, whether home based or gym based, the type of fitness equipment you will purchase should depend on the goal of your training. This time, your choices boil down to three: bodybuilding, weight loss, and cardiovascular training. For bodybuilding, which includes muscle building, the fitness equipment you need include weight lifting equipment, free weights sets, dumbbells, crunch machines, abdominal machines, abdominal straps, abdominal boards and rockers, and different kinds of benches. You can also use lat machines, leg press machines, calf machines, chest toners, inversion tables, arm equipment, and gym racks. For weight loss, you can use fitness equipment such as waist trimmers, support belts, thermal suits, yoga mats, and other yoga products.

Building the muscles is an endeavor that must not be taken lightly. Some people use only bodybuilding equipment, but the truth is that better results await those who use cardiovascular training equipment, which both serve bodybuilding and weight loss purposes. Thus, if what you want is to build your muscles, you should buy fitness equipment that are usually used in cardiovascular training, apart from those used primarily for bodybuilding, such as treadmills, trampolines, elliptical trainers, rowing machines, exercise bikes (and teracycles, if you wish), and steppers. These pieces of equipment can be used for a wide array of cardiovascular training exercises, including walking, jogging, running, cycling, swimming, rowing, step aerobics, and a whole lot more. With cardiovascular training equipment, you can train not just your cardiovascular system but enhance the results of your bodybuilding training as well; your muscles will become more defined and noticeable.

Now you know what you have to purchase. Start building your muscles and trek the road to a fit and healthy lifestyle now by buying the fitness equipment you need. You can browse through a number of sites here on the Internet and get discounts for bulk or combo orders.



Mildred

Peter Noopy asked:


Are you not satisfied with how you look? Do you wish there was something out there that will help obtain your desired shape without actually using supplements and drugs? No need to fret because natural bodybuilding is your answer. This process basically is doing bodybuilding without taking any muscle enhancing drugs or anabolic substances. Many people choose to use only natural foods as a supplement to bodybuilding.

Every natural bodybuilder understands they will exert more effort than those taking supplements but the results are great. Plus you get rid of any unwanted side effects that most of the supplemental drugs cause. The focus is largely on proper diet, training and exercise. Dedicated hard work and consistency should be your main forte to success. Most bodybuilders are persistent enough to eat the right food and do the proper diet for weeks but after time they begin to lose the dedication. They end up throwing all their effort away into nothing! Building muscle doesn’t happen overnight. It should be cultivated over time. Bodybuilding is a rigorous process and you will have to condition your body and mindset for achieving the target. Some people fail to get what they really want because they don’t set a goal. In bodybuilding, goals need to be a short-term for fast result.

Proper nutrition is half the battle in natural bodybuilding. Typically you’ll need to consume 12-13 calories per pound to lose an extra pound or 17-19 calories to gain muscle. Thirty percent of the calories should come from proteins, 20% fats, and 50% natural carbohydrates. Avoid any kind of processed foods and sweets. Not only they provide extra calories but they do not have any nutritional value at all. Eat healthy and don’t starve yourself since ******** weight training breaks down muscle fiber and your body needs to repair them through good nutrients. Get the perfect balance between all the minerals, nutrients, proteins and fat in your food. And you should get the maximum benefit from calories that you consume to ensure the nutrients are going straight to your body. Protein powders can help fill in the gaps but shouldn’t be your only source of food since you are aiming for a natural bodybuilding process.

In the natural bodybuilding technique, you have to undergo a lot of obstacles including body exhaustion and getting rid of unhealthy food. And of course a lot of dedication! There’s no shortcuts and when you find success, you’ll be delighted and pleased about your body. You were able to surpass all the difficulties with flying colors. You will also be proud of knowing you are able to gain the results comparable to the drug enhanced athletes. But the difference is, you are 100% natural!



Julio

John Howard asked:


Most bodybuilders and all other individuals who are looking to improve their overall health and fitness are getting into and starting weight training programs to further improve their physical fitness levels. Two of the keys to successfully enhancing these bodybuilding weight training programs are using variable methods of exercise as well as engaging in cycle training or periodization.

There are other things to look into when starting a bodybuilding weight training program. Some of these items include the type of exercise, the method of execution, the quantity of repetitions, and the progression of the exercises. The types of exercises that are involved in bodybuilding weight training vary depending on every individual. The individual’s goals are also a factor in considering which exercises to include in a weight training program. Certain types of exercises target specific muscle groups; if you, for instance, want to improve on your muscle balance, you can choose the types of exercises that work on enhancing this specific item. The physical fitness level you want to achieve should also be considered.

The method of exercise is also a consideration when creating a bodybuilding weight training program. Every individual performs exercises in a specific manner every single day. To enhance the effectivity of these exercises, you can try taking the exercise apart component by component. This way, your techniques can be modified and you can also identify the muscles being worked using that specific exercise. To do this, you can study books and maybe even look at videos that detail the specific instructions on how to perform the exercise properly.

The volume and quantity of the exercise should also be looked into. The number of repetitions for every workout is as important as the type of exercise itself. What is important when starting out a weight training program is to enhance your body’s ability to do an increased amount of work. Your body should be able to adapt to your bodybuilding weight training program before increasing your workload.

The intensity of the exercise is also a factor. This is important especially if you want to achieve your goals for a specific phase of training. You should learn to concentrate and focus on the movement of every exercise. The progression of the work out is also a considerable issue. Certain steps are necessary to become fully fit – and all of it depends on your body.

When engaging in weight training, it is important to not strain yourself nor put too much pressure on yourself in achieving your goals. Seeing the effects of bodybuilding weight training requires effort, patience, and both mental and physical conditioning.



Jose

Ken Ericsson asked:


Starting a fitness program with the right fitness equipment is a wise decision. This is one of the steps in attaining a lifestyle that is fit and healthy. The first thing you have to concern yourself with is the selection of the type of training you want. This basically boils down into home based training versus gym based training.

If you want to keep up with the trend, you should go with home based training. These days, more people prefer to have their very own gym as opposed to enlisting membership in commercial gyms, spas, or workout clubs. This is because home gyms provide more convenience; you can workout anytime you want and without any fee. What’s more, you can assure that with a home gym, you can use the equipment without having to wait for your turn – and in private. On the other hand, commercial gyms, spas, and workout clubs can be a source of social interaction. You can meet various kinds of people and perhaps create solid and lasting relationships. They are also a great option if you want to leave your home for a change of scenery and atmosphere or just to get the feel of proper training.

Whatever type of training you choose, whether home based or gym based, the type of fitness equipment you will purchase should depend on the goal of your training. This time, your choices boil down to three: bodybuilding, weight loss, and cardiovascular training. For bodybuilding, which includes muscle building, the fitness equipment you need include weight lifting equipment, free weights sets, dumbbells, crunch machines, abdominal machines, abdominal straps, abdominal boards and rockers, and different kinds of benches. You can also use lat machines, leg press machines, calf machines, chest toners, inversion tables, arm equipment, and gym racks. For weight loss, you can use fitness equipment such as waist trimmers, support belts, thermal suits, yoga mats, and other yoga products.

Building the muscles is an endeavor that must not be taken lightly. Some people use only bodybuilding equipment, but the truth is that better results await those who use cardiovascular training equipment, which both serve bodybuilding and weight loss purposes. Thus, if what you want is to build your muscles, you should buy fitness equipment that are usually used in cardiovascular training, apart from those used primarily for bodybuilding, such as treadmills, trampolines, elliptical trainers, rowing machines, exercise bikes (and teracycles, if you wish), and steppers. These pieces of equipment can be used for a wide array of cardiovascular training exercises, including walking, jogging, running, cycling, swimming, rowing, step aerobics, and a whole lot more. With cardiovascular training equipment, you can train not just your cardiovascular system but enhance the results of your bodybuilding training as well; your muscles will become more defined and noticeable.

Now you know what you have to purchase. Start building your muscles and trek the road to a fit and healthy lifestyle now by buying the fitness equipment you need. You can browse through a number of sites here on the Internet and get discounts for bulk or combo orders.



Gertrude

Alien asked:


The dare for women to choose bodybuilding for fitness does not appear quite the feminine act as to do weight lifting and look muscular is actually a man’s sport. It was the whimper for the vast time and also women just were not taking this issue sincerely at all, not even by themselves.

But these days, all these orthodox thinking have been altered and there are several supporters in the female health and fitness and bodybuilding action. Many a times it has been seen that women participate in usual competitions for looking beautiful, glamorous and fit, demanding all the qualities at the same time.

Female Health Fitness and Bodybuilding – it’s not about the Crazy Weights, it’s only about Repetitions.

So if you are a determined woman and want to have female fitness with the help of bodybuilding it might just be what you are dreaming for that is, implies that your aim is to look and feel really good about your body. The top most aim is to guarantee that by acquiring a great build feminine look is maintained as well. Therefore one has to be intelligent about the method she takes up her routine exercises. And the actually significant part of women health and fitness and bodybuilding is that women wish to keep hold of their femininity without the fright that they are going to appear like. But it cannot come about because genetically, females just are not designed to get to the similar physique of men, however much they try and do as much hard exercise she can do.

What is woman Bodybuilding all about then?

These days female health and fitness and bodybuilding is appealingly well planned, for the informal layperson who just wants an enhanced toned and developed physique, to the actually look like sincere professional who aims contest as their objective. It has come a long mile from the time when a female bodybuilder was just a glamorous object of dribble and shiny in a scanty bikini.

Actually it is over 40 years from the time when the first contest began and it was not until the early 70’s that it became a usual characteristic. Like all up coming sports, in female bodybuilding also several competitors rose up as the front runners from the history. As one might visualize, the selection procedure began, where the possible candidates for succeeding professionally were chosen up by the sponsors.



Marcia