28th February 2009
Bodybuilding Workouts
There are 6 basic muscle groups that you need to develop when bodybuilding. These are as follows:
- Chest
- Triceps
- Biceps
- Shoulders
- Back
- Legs
There is an array of exercises that work out these muscle groups, many of which involve free weights (dumbbells, barbells, etc.) and exercise machines. Of the two, free weights are better for building muscle mass. But whatever the exercise, it’s important to reach muscle failure at every set (when the muscles can’t lift the weight anymore) to experience muscle growth. For many bodybuilders, the best way to do this is to find a weight that you can lift 8-12 times per set before muscle failure.
A basic exercise for the chest is the bench press. The bench press is usually done by lying flat on your back on a bench. You then lift a barbell (or a pair of dumbbells) over your chest with both arms. Repeatedly extend your arms until they straighten, exhaling as you go, then lower the weights to chest level.
A popular exercise for the triceps is the overhead triceps extension. This may be done with a barbell, but beginners should use a lighter dumbbell. With two hands, hold the weight firmly over your head. Repeatedly bend your elbows until your forearm forms a 90-degree angle with your upper arm, then return the weight over your head again.
The easiest and probably the best-known biceps exercise is the barbell curl. In this exercise, you simply carry the barbell at thigh level with both hands at shoulder-width apart. Tuck your elbows in beside your ribcage and keep them steady. Bend your elbows and curl your forearms up towards your upper arms, then lower barbell to thigh level again.
There are also a number of exercises that can be done for the shoulders. You can use free weights or specialized machines to do these different exercises. The exercises for the shoulders include the
military or dumbbell press, lateral raises and the upright row.
For the back, there are three basic exercises that can be done with free-weights or specialized machines. These are the
front pull down, one arm dumbbell row and pullovers.
Working the legs can be tricky as specialized gym equipment is sometimes needed to target specific areas or regions. The workout routines include
squats or leg presses, leg extensions, and leg curls.
Your gym instructor can give helpful advice regarding the best gym routine for you. Whatever your routine, however, it’s important to do some cardiovascular warming up and stretching before pumping iron. This’ll loosen your muscles up, improve blood circulation, and prevent injury. Keep these things in mind to have a safe, enjoyable trip to the gym every single time.
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