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Getting started in body building, no matter what level of success you are hoping to attain, begins with a commitment. Once you have done that you need to do several things.
Before You Start
1. Get a physical, especially if you are overweight or out of shape.
2. Stick to one program at the beginning. Many people have a new program every other time they come to the gym. Stick to one program until your body becomes accustomed to it. You will read from all the so called experts what the perfect routine is and each expert has a different one. I have found that there are many conflicting theories out there all coming from the experts.
3. Keep a record.This will keep you on target and document your gains. Sometimes you will feel like you are not making gains, so you go to your book and wow, you can see that you have come a long way. It encourages you and keeps you from slacking off.
Goal Setting
A failure to plan is a plan to fail. Just like everything in life you need to set goals for yourself. They must be reachable goals or you will get discouraged. And they must be challenging goals or you won't make enough progress. You can have long term goals, say for a year and short term goals of how you are going to accomplish your long term goals. You break it down into bite size pieces.
Getting Started
1. Be sure to warm up and stretch first. This will help keep you from getting injured. Do at least 10 minutes of cardio exercise first. And then stretch the muscles you will be working to make sure that they are warm and loose.
2. Take it easy. Don't try to lift what others are lifting. Work with what you are comfortable with. Be sure to pay close attention to form. You don't want to sacrifice form so you can lift a little heavier to impress people. No one is impressed. There is always someone bigger and stronger.
3. How often should you work out. Plan on working out 3 times a week for 60 to 90 minutes including cardio. That does not mean come in and talk for an hour and go home. Actual workout time. Do not miss your rest days. This is one place where all the experts agree. Growth takes place during the rest period.
4. How many sets and reps should you do? At first do about 3 sets of 10 reps for each exercise. And use a weight that is hard to finish your 10 reps. If you use too light a weight you will not grow and if you use too heavy a weight you might injure yourself. So pick a weight that on your tenth rep, you have a little trouble lifting it. When you can do it with ease raise the weight and work back up to 10 reps again.
5. Make sure you breathe and drink plenty of water. This sounds funny I know. I used to always hear, "make sure you breathe." I learned what it meant one day while dead lifting. I lifted 425 lbs and held it. I then tried to lift 445 lbs and was holding my breath. I momentarily blacked out. Holding your breath will cut off the oxygen to the brain and cause you to pass out. I wouldn't want to do that while bench pressing.
Make sure that you continually drink water while you are working out. This replentishes the water lost and gives you the energy that you need. You can feel pretty drained by the end of a workout if you haven't drank enough water.
So lets get started.
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