Many successful bodybuilders started off working out at home even those who went on to successfully win championship bodybuilding competitions. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune when you are starting out, you don’t necessarily have to buy the most expensive equipment or the best and many times you can start out with bargains from eBay or your local free ads paper.

There are advantages to starting out working out at home, for a start you won’t be surrounded by muscle bound hunks that could make you nervous, so you will be able to slowly gain the confidence in your own time without feeling under any pressure.

Basic equipment you could start out with

• One adjustable bench with an squat rack if possible.
• 200lbs of free weights.
• 1 barbell.
• 1 chin up/pull up bar.

This of course is just the very basic set and should you wish you could purchase any other equipment that you feel you could use.

Some important points to consider

In order to make any progress you will have to have enough weight to challenge your muscles, if you buy 200lbs of weights then these should be enough to last you through several months but then you will need to buy additional weights as you progress through training.

Having a full length mirror in the area where you train could be an advantage because this way you can practice posing if you are looking to go into professional bodybuilding, you can also watch when you lift the weights to make sure you are practicing correct form.

When you progress to a heavier weight it could be wise to have a training partner or spotter as they are called, lifting a weight heavier than what you are used to for the first few times can be dangerous should you find you can’t manage the weight and result in injury.

It is wise to start out with a written account of your routine and this should include your current weight when starting out, the size of your muscles and your diet. This way when achievements have been successfully noted you will know exactly what you did in that week, which weights you used and the type of exercises you performed and the diet you ate for that week, you should also note how many reps and sets of each exercise you do per week.

When you have progressed noticeably and have got to the 200lb weight mark it is time to move onto lifting higher weights, you can continue at home but it is now perhaps the time when you should think of purchasing gym membership if you haven’t already done so.

Being part of a gym will have advantages for you now and will perhaps benefit you more than training yourself, you will be able to refine what you have already achieved and move onto greater heights in your quest for the perfect body.

A lot of bodybuilders choose to go into the sport while in their teenage years; this could be for several reasons such as getting picked on in school because they are too skinny or they are keen on sports already and want to improve on their shape and body build. We as people are all different shapes and sizes but there are basically 3 different categories of body shape which we all fall under.

Determining which body shape category you fall under is the first hurdle to cross before committing yourself to bodybuilding. The three main types of body shape are ectomorph, endomorph and mesomorph.

Young teenagers around the age of 14 should be aware however that their bones are not yet fully developed and lifting very heavy weights is not advisable as this could lead to damage. You can also do permanent damage to joints at this early age as they too aren’t yet fully developed.

The ectomorph

If your arms and legs are long and thin and your chest and shoulders are narrow and you don’t have much fat storage then you fall into the ectomorph category. Your muscles may already be defined but they are long and thin as are the fingers, hands and feet.

If you fall into this category then the first thing you need to concentrate on is gaining some much needed weight by way of muscle, the ectomorph will find it extremely difficult to gain fat but this however is good news. The ectomorph will usually not have the strength that is needed to perform long workouts therefore building formations of solid muscle will be a very slow process and patience is needed to get there.

The endomorph

The endomorph will have a plump face with a short neck and be wide around the waist area with a high fat storage and an undefined muscle structure.

If you have this body type you will find it very easy to build muscle mass but the problem is you will have to be very strict with your diet as you will also gain fat which will hide those muscles.

The mesomorph

Of all the body types this is perhaps the best for those wishing to take up bodybuilding, the mesomorph will already have shape, solid muscle structure and a large chest from which to build upon.

If you have this body type then you are already ahead, the mesomorph will find it very easy to build muscle mass but in order to build good definition they will have to do a wide variety of exercises.

We all know the key to sticking to and maintaining a successful healthy diet is to eat food which is not only good for us but is also quick to make and tastes good too. Diet for a body builder is no different, to build muscle mass successfully a good healthy protein rich diet is essential, food which is high in calories, carbohydrates and some fat is what should be on the menu.

A sensible diet aimed at building muscle should consist of around 30% protein, 55% carbohydrates and 20% fat of course this is only a very rough guide; everyone is different so to find your optimal nutritional requirements you will have to experiment a little. Once you have figured out the correct nutritional requirements for you then the next step is devising a menu, in order to build muscle you should aim to eat about 6 meals a day.

• Breakfast.
• A mid morning meal.
• Lunch.
• A mid afternoon meal.
• A post workout meal.
• Dinner.

Listed below are a few examples for meals which of course you can modify to your liking:

Breakfast

Granola crunch

¼ cup of granola.

1 and ½ cups of yogurt low in fat.

A cup of sliced strawberries of fruit of choice.

1 tbsp of brown sugar.

2oz of your favourite protein powder.

Put the yogurt into a medium sized serving dish and add the granola and protein powder, mix this together well then add the brown sugar. Top it off with the sliced strawberries or fruit of your choice and enjoy.

Lunch

Roast beef sub

A 6″ or 8″ French loaf or similar.

4oz of lean roast beef.

Lettuce leaves.

1 tomato.

½ oz of low fat cheese.

2 tbsp of mustard.

Slice the bread length ways almost to the bottom, fill with meat, lettuce, tomato, cheese and top with mustard.

Dinner

Glazed pork chop

4oz of lean pork chop.

½ cup of white rice.

1 tsp of mustard.

2 tbsp of brown sugar.

½ tsp of cinnamon.

½ tsp of basil.

8 baby carrots.

Pre heat the oven to broil then broil the meat until it is white, cook the rice and mix the carrots, spices and ¼ of water in a medium pan. Remove the chops and turn them over reducing the heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, mix the mustard, sugar, cinnamon and basil then spread this over the chops. Return the chops to the oven slightly reducing the temperature while you boil the vegetables and the rice is cooked. Serve the chops with the rice and vegetables.

The person with the ectomorph body shape will have a struggle with putting on weight and keeping that weight at the desired level, this is always going to be the main concern of the ectomorph body builder. A well balanced diet and the proper nutritional requirements are essential for the bodybuilder’s success but more so when you have this body type.

What is an ectomorph body shape?

The ectomorph body won’t have a spare ounce of fat on it, with the arms and legs being long and thin as are the feet, fingers and hands. The ectomorph will also have a very narrow chest and shoulders.

What type of training is best for the ectomorph?

Once the correct diet has been established then the routine has to be developed, due to the ectomorph not being able to easily put on weight and mass then power moves which are aimed at building up muscle mass should be included more than any other form of exercise in the routine. A person with this type of body will also need more time to recover in-between workouts to give their body time to adjust to this vigorous new routine they are putting their body through.

The diet

The person with this type of body shape will find that they have to eat a lot more than they would normally do, this will be extremely hard to do at first but as you progress in your training routine you will find it becomes easier. You might also want to consider using weight gain supplements to help build up your bulk as these can be effective when used correctly, the average weight gain drink will hold over 1,000 calories per serving and are a good way of gaining those additional calories needed.

Other supplements which might be helpful are creatine and glutamine along with a protein supplement. You should be aiming to eat around 6 meals per day in order to gain the calories needed for a vigorous body building routine, of course plenty of protein should be eaten in these meals any less than 6 and you will probably be burning off more calories than you are consuming and therefore not building muscle. Water is also an essential part of your diet and you should aim to drink around 8 large cups per day and more during strenuous exercise.

Points to remember

• Lift heavy weights and be consistent.
• Incorporate basic compound exercises such as squat, bench press and Deadlift into your routine.
• Get enough protein around 1 to 1.5 grams per pound of body weight.
• Try to aim for 6 meals per day.
• Increase your overall calorie intake enough to meet the demands of your routine.
• Water is necessary for muscle growth so drink plenty of it.

We all know the importance protein plays in bodybuilding and of course one of the biggest sources of protein is red meat, so how does the vegetarian bodybuilder work out? There have been many successful vegetarian bodybuilders including Al Beckles, Andreas Cahling and Bill Pearl who went on to win the Mr Universe title in 1971 with arms measuring 21″ and a weight of 242lb, standing at 5` 10″ he achieved this title while on a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet combined with plenty of hard work and without the use of steroids.

There are different types of vegetarians, some will eat only vegetable, beans, lentils e.t.c, while some are lacto-ovo and will eat eggs and drink milk, pesco vegetarians will eat fish and drink milk. The biggest problem is getting enough protein into the diet when you are a vegetarian, obviously if you are a lacto-ovo veggie then you can get protein from the eggs, cheese and milk, while fish is a great source of protein for the pesco vegetarian. One problem with vegetarian diet is also bloating and gas.

One very important point to remember that while you can get protein from vegetables they are of a lower quality than those found in animal proteins; therefore you will have to be careful to take protein from as many different sources as possible. You need to make sure you take in enough protein for the strict workout you are giving your body.

Carbohydrates also help you to gain that much needed weight and are low in fat, examples of these foods are beans, Soya, coconut, hummus, oat milk and rice milk. A vitamin B supplement may also be advisable for the vegetarian because without meat in the diet you could be lacking this vital vitamin, an alternative to taking a supplement is eating seaweed in your diet.

Drinking plenty of water throughout the day is essential for anyone on a high intake of protein and carbohydrates; this will help to displace the substances of your diet to where your body needs them.

Example bodybuilding diet

• – oatmeal made with rice or soya milk.
• – soya protein drink.
• – peanut butter sandwich.
• – fruit.
• – soya burger, potatoes and vegetables.
• – soya protein drink.

Always make sure you drink plenty of water with your meals and drink 100% fruit juices, there are also plenty of meal replacement drinks available from your health store which are rich in soya protein. Soya protein is not only good for your muscles but is also good for the heart in particular; 25g of soya protein can help reduce the risk of heart disease.

How exactly is natural bodybuilding defined, is it exercising simply without the use of illegal drugs such as steroids or does natural bodybuilding mean the exclusion of all drugs including supplements. Let’s focus for a moment on what matters and that of course is achieving a fantastic well toned muscular body, but does it really make a difference how you get the results?

To some people in the body building business it doesn’t, as we know from hearing of them being disqualified from tournaments when caught, it clearly doesn’t matter to them how they achieved the results.

These people are much like the little wooden puppet in Pinocchio; no not for the long nose when lying, unless you count them lying to themselves and their fellow bodybuilders, but clearly they need a conscience, not to mention scruples.

Surely being the best and achieving the best body, particularly when you are going for a title in a bodybuilding contest is not just about the body itself but how you got there that matters.

It should be a matter of pride and knowing you have stretched yourself to the very limits week in week out at training, feeling the burn and strain on each and every muscle as you push them and yourself to the limits. Only by achieving these results through hard grit and determination can you surely claim the title you so richly deserve.

Isn’t that what the true bodybuilding competition is all about, building your body up naturally to beat all others? Surely it shouldn’t be about how well you can build your body with the help of banned substances.

Or is it more about how well you can build-up your body with illegal substances without being caught? , regardless of the damage you are actually doing to this wonderful body of yours that you are supposed to worship, take pride in and which you parade around the stage for the world to worship too.

Is the whole tradition of bodybuilding falling apart at the seams and is it now more a competition to see who can take more banned substances and supplements and who has more knowledge of how to use them to gain the best benefit from your body.

Does taking this route just become the easiest without even trying to build your body naturally? Has it become the norm? Perhaps sadly we will never know the true extent of illegal substances in the sport of bodybuilding or any other sport for that matter ,because other than testing when in competition how does one tell the difference from a natural bodybuilder to the one using steroids?

The only person who knows the truth is the person themselves and if they haven’t the conscience in the first place then it’s surely not going to bother them now. They will take all the glory and praise with a smile, and be seen as the winner.

While the natural bodybuilder won’t be seen as the winner; at least he himself knows he gained his body the natural way without any substance help and that is something to be proud of and makes him the clear winner every time.

How important can water be to the bodybuilder, its just water right? Water is greatly beneficial to the bodybuilder or anyone for that matter doing any rigorous form of exercise. Water is something which is so often overlooked yet it is a crucial nutrient in or body and its benefits to our body are numerous. Drinking and getting enough water into our body while bodybuilding cannot be stressed enough, you need it to maintain health, stamina and fuel for building muscle.

Muscle and water

If your body becomes dehydrated then you cannot weight train and if you try then it’s going to be counter productive because your muscles are going to be deprived of electrolytes. It is the exchange of electrolyte minerals dissolving in water which causes the electrical stimulation of nerves and the contraction of muscles.

Therefore it is essential that you drink enough water when body building to give your muscles the electrolytes they need otherwise their strength and the control over them becomes affected.

Water is also essential for your joints and as joints play a big part in bodybuilding you don’t want to risk injury to them, when you progress to adding more weight to your routine more stress is put on the joints and by drinking plenty of water this will ensure that the joints are surrounded by plenty of synovial fluid, which is the lubricating fluid which surrounds your joints and aids in movement of them.

How much water should be drunk per day?

The minimum amount of water you should drink per day is 8 large cups and even more when you are doing a strenuous exercise routine, when you are working out you perspire a lot and through this you lose on average around 4 cups every hour.

This of course will depend on several factors such as your body weight, size and how vigorous your routine is, this is in a moderate climate, if you are working out in a hot climate you will of course lose much more than this.

Know the signs of dehydration

• Your throat begins to feel sore and your voice may turn hoarse.
• A burning sensation in your stomach.
• Muscle cramps.
• You develop a headache.
• You feel tired.
• Your hands may feel cold.
• Your skin feels dry.

These are signs that you may have become dehydrated, if you get any of these feelings during your workout stop your workout and take in some fluid drinking slowly at first. To make sure you don’t become dehydrated always drink plenty of water before attempting to workout and drink it throughout the day.

In order to build muscle we must consume more calories than we burn, this is all well and good for enlarging our bodies where we need it but the extra calories also build fat, fat is something we don’t want so how do we overcome this. Traditional calorie controlled diets work in one sense but they rely on starving the body by limiting the amount of calories that are taken in, when building muscle mass this of course is the opposite.

Also most of the body fat lost by this method is from lean muscle tissue and bone density, the body builder wants to enlarge their body not shrink it. Here are some pointers for those wishing to lose body fat but not muscle.

Look at weight loss in a different light

The number one most successful strategy when it comes to losing body fat is changing how you look at it, the most successful way to lose body fat is by eating a sensible nutritionally balanced diet. Stop and think, how many times have you heard someone say “I’m going on a diet”, people are continually going on a diet for a few weeks, a few months, only to give up and return to the weight they were before they started or even worse gain an additional pound or two.

The person will then start all over again by announcing “I’m going a diet”; you should replace these bad habits with positive good ones, and this means choosing a well balanced sensible diet with all the correct nutritional requirements a part of your daily life.

Slight calorie deficit

Calorie reduction should be a very slow process and you first have to determine what your daily calorie intake should be for your weight and height. In order to find this you can do a rough estimate following the formula of taking your body weight and multiplying it by 16.

There is roughly 3,500 calories in just one pound of body fat; in order for you to lose this fat you should therefore consume no more than 3,500 calories per week or eat 500 calories less per day. However it is important to remember that you only want to lose fat and not lean body muscle, you should therefore aim to lose not more than one pound per week.

Another important factor to note is find out what your minimal calorie count is and never go beyond this, this is because if your body thinks its not getting all the nutritional requirements it needs then it will take matters into its own hands and start to break down lean muscle tissue.

Muscle is the lean tissue

Always remember that muscle is the lean tissue and you don’t want to lose this, as muscle is a very active tissue it will help you to burn fat and the more muscle you have the more fat you can burn.