For those who are wondering how they can change their lives for the better, bodybuilding is that magic potion. And for those who are perfectly happy with how their lives are shaping up, the answer remains the same!
As cliché as it may sound, bodybuilding exercises make you feel and stay young. Now, who doesn’t like the sound of that! But, for that, you have to muster all your enthusiasm to get started, unless you are a fitness freak and you are always gung-ho about a regular workout routine.
Guess what you need to complete your workouts? Just in case you haven’t understood that already, it is the perfect diet that goes hand-in-hand, just like chalk and cheese or bread and butter. Ahem, butter is one of those food items that you need to keep a strict watch on, the others being lard, cream, etc. No, we are not talking about avoiding fats altogether. It is the unsaturated fats, and not saturated ones, that you need to steer clear of, if you want to achieve your bodybuilding dreams.
Instead, include olive oil, eggs, avocados, milk and a healthy amount of nuts to give you the nutrients that you will need to gain enough energy to perform the bodybuilding exercises. That said, don’t ignore lean proteins like fish, chicken and beans. Choose whole grains over flour products, and healthy snacks over the oily, fried ones. And, of course, who can forget mentioning fruits and vegetables to complete a balanced diet.
Follow these simple tips, and a hot bod wouldn’t be off your limits!
Let’s take a look at the host of benefits that bodybuilding exercises has in offer:
Bodybuilding exercises, as evident from the name, build your physique and, hence, boost your overall physical health. That not only includes burning all those extra calories and building muscle mass, but also introducing more power, endurance, stability and flexibility to your physical form. Yes, all that and so much more!
Focus more on the parts of the body where you want to build muscle mass to make the most of bodybuilding exercises.
Shoulders: Let’s begin with the shoulders. Bodybuilding exercises for the middle deltoids is just the start for achieving the perfect V-shape – broad shoulders that taper down to a slender waist. Need we say more?
Chest: Work up your chest because a toned one will never go out of style!
Back: Complement your V-shaped torso with a strong, toned back.
Arms: Work on your arms for that amazing bulge. Such wow, much love!
Forearms: Because sculpted arms and not-so-great forearms - what a let-down.
Abs: You know what, lesser said the better!
Quads and hamstrings: We bet your trainer has already emphasised on these enough. But we couldn’t help but mention it yet again. After all, if your bodybuilding exercises aren’t doing any good to your quads and hams, there’s definitely something amiss in your workout routine.
Calves: Power up those calves. The bulge on your legs is no way lesser.
Train, train and train more!
Controls heart rate - Exercises for bodybuilding exercises your heart, lowering your blood pressure and controlling the risk of stroke. The heart is a muscle, and bodybuilding exercises treat it like one, pumping more blood to it. This enables a healthy circulation of blood from your heart throughout your body, which in turn pumps in more oxygen to the cells. Introduce a wee bit of aerobic and cardio exercises and ta-da, you will add a few more years to your precious life!
The improved blood circulation minimises the scope of clotting of your blood, thus, controlling the risk of heart diseases.
P.S.: Did you know that couch potatoes double their risk of developing heart disease? What’s more, bodybuilding exercises maintain the glucose level that is essential for keeping diabetes at bay.
Cholesterol no more!
Bodybuilding exercise routine improves the ratio of good cholesterol (HDL) to bad cholesterol (LDL) and also reduces triglycerides.
Yet another impact of healthy blood circulation. It boosts the flow of nutrients to your bones, minimising the risk of fractures.
Osteoporosis refers to a bone condition that is the result of reduced bone mineral density in the bones, which specifically occurs among women post-menopause. Lowering mineral density inevitably leads to an increased risk of fractures.
Triglycerides, which make up a considerable fraction of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and chylomicrons, is the secret behind your great metabolism by contributing to twice as much energy in the form of proteins and carbohydrates, and dietary fat.
Bodybuilding exercises boost the digestive system, so you can eat more!
Not just reducing the risk of colon cancer, it burns calories and that too without having to give up on your penchant for food. Now how divine is that!
People who are conscious of the health of their skin have a special reason to rejoice – a glowing skin with better elasticity. Yes, bodybuilding exercises do that too. Improved blood circulation, remember?
Exercises for bodybuilding improve endorphin levels, natural painkillers secreted by our body. For women, it does a whole world of good by relieving them of PMS symptoms and menstrual cramps. The deep breathing during bodybuilding exercise improves the flow of oxygen in the blood, which soothes the uterus. This also helps ease the pain during pregnancy and childbirth.
Exercise increases your productivity by helping to clear your head so you can approach your work refreshed and are able to concentrate.
Bodybuilding exercises that help you stretch, enhance your strength, endurance and flexibility, thus, controlling the occurrence of backaches.
A disciplined bodybuilding exercise regimen boosts your energy, creating a chain reaction of relieving you of physical, emotion and mental stress, anxiety and depression. To add to the list, it also enables you to overcome breathlessness too.
Perspiration, which is an obvious effect of bodybuilding exercises, prevents bloating and keeps away constipation. What about smooth bowel movement, did you ask? Yes, bodybuilding exercises got it covered!
Peaceful sleep, oh yeah!
When your muscles are flexible and less tense, sleep will definitely follow suit, wouldn’t it?
Bodybuilding exercises give you the health that you’re looking for, improving your self-image and naturally making you feel good and confident about yourself.
To start with, let’s have a look at some exercises that you simply cannot leave out from your chest workout schedule.
Push-ups are one of the most well-known exercises that even laymen are familiar with, aren’t they? Lie down facing the floor with arms by your side. Position your palms in line with your shoulders, with the palms facing downwards. Mount your legs to balance them on your heels, so that the entire weight of your legs is on your toes. Lift your body a few inches over the floor with the support of your hands and toes, keeping your body parallel to the ground. Lower your body slowly and steadily, maintaining a right angle to the sides of your body. After you are back to your starting position, return the elbows to the sides of your body to complete one rep.
Thought push-ups were only of one kind? Here’s bursting your bubble with some popular types of push-ups:
Pec deck dumbbell chest flyes
Begin by lying on the floor or a bench, holding a dumbbell in each of your hands. Position your feet on the floor or on the bench, as per its height and the length of your body and legs. Hold the dumbbells in a way that they are positioned on your shoulders. Maintain your upper arms at half right angle to your body and elbows in front of your shoulder line to protect your shoulder joints from unnecessary stress. Ensure that your palms face forward. Tilt your chin downwards and closer to your chest.
Push the weight away from you and towards the ceiling, creating a slight arc for the weights. Straighten your hands gradually while lifting the weights to prevent a jerk reaction on your elbows, while ensuring that your head or shoulder blades do not rise over the bench. Contract your muscles, lower the weights back to the starting position while contracting your muscles. That’s one rep. Do 10 repetitions each for 3 sets, which is usually the recommended routine, unless advised otherwise by your physical trainer. Don’t forget to take a break between each of the sets though. It is best to start this exercise with light dumbbells and then enhance the intensity of the exercise by gradually taking on more weight for optimum results and also to avoid sharp pain and injuries.
Start by maintaining an arm’s length from the parallel bars without locking your arms. Bend in front slowly at about 30 degrees while breathing out and flare out your elbows slightly till you feel a stretch at your chest. Return to the starting position while squeezing your chest for a second while you are at the top of the movement and then breathing out. Repeat this rep as many times as advised by your professional instructor. You may gradually increase the heavyweights or use a weight belt like weightlifters do.
Dips are one of the most effective for building muscle mass on your chest, and increase its strength, endurance and flexibility – often doing much more than other chest exercises. Broader and muscular chest, did we hear you say?
Start the exercise for chest by lying on the floor or a bench with a barbell in each of your hands. If you are using a bench, you may either place your feet on it or on the floor as per the height of the bench and the length of your legs and body. Position the dumbbells in a way so that they are placed on your shoulders. Hold your upper arms at 45 degrees to your body and the elbows in front of the shoulder line to prevent unnecessary stress on your shoulder joints. Your palms have to face forward. Tilt the chin downwards and towards your chest and ensure that you feel comfortable enough to start lifting the weight.
Push the weight away from you and upwards over your chest, maintaining a slight arc for the weights. If you want to straighten your arms, you can do it slowly to avoid a jerk reaction on your elbows, which might cause an injury. Maintain the same slow and smooth movement while lifting the weights and ensure that your shoulder blades or head do not rise over the bench. Contract your muscles while lowering the weights back to the original position. The recommended number is usually 10 repetitions each for 3 sets, with a break between each of the sets. You may start with light dumbbells and then gradually increase the weight for best results and also to avoid injuries through overexertion.
Lie down flat on your back in a relaxed position, facing upwards. Make sure that you maintain a neutral hip position, not tipping your hip forward. Maintaining the right posture for this bodybuilding exercise is essential to prevent yourself from exerting excessive pressure on your lower back and knees.
Raise the barbell from over your chest and over your head, and stop right short of a lockout. Bend your knees slightly to maintain the right posture and prevent injuries. Pull your hands back gradually to the starting position to complete one rep. For building those amazing biceps and triceps, this is it! Acting as the perfect substitute for all other shoulder exercises, this is quite a one-stop solution!
Phew! Finally, we come to the abs that everyone simply cannot stop discussing!
Place the barbell on a power rack at the same level as your shoulders. Hold the bar firmly with your hands at a distance equal to the width of your shoulders, and parallel to the floor. Take the bar out of the rack, resting it on your fingertips. Move backwards and place your feet at shoulder width with your toes turned outwards slightly. Squat as low as possible, without losing the arch of your lower back.
Kneel on the floor with the barbell, loaded with 10-pound plates, right in front of you. Your shoulders should be over the bar level. Brace your abs and then roll the bar in front until you feel that your hips are on the verge of sagging. Return to the starting position to complete one rep.
How about introducing some variety to your regular Russian Twists? For a core exercise that works out your middle core and oblique, Russian Twists fit the bill perfectly. Sit upright with your legs off the ground, bending your knees upwards. Make sure that you are sitting up to avoid putting excessive pressure on your lower back. Let your hands meet, stretching them perpendicular to your body. Twist your upper body to one side, hold this position for two seconds and then repeat it for the other side. Do this at a slow pace when you are a beginner, and once you get comfortable with it, increase the speed to enhance the intensity of the exercise.
One of the most intense bicep workouts, think of this one when you want to be the proud owner of a fabulous pair of biceps, or want to want this further. Hold a chin-up bar with a shoulder-width underhand grip and then hang at arm’s length. Bend your elbows half-way down, while squeezing down your shoulder blades, till your arms are at a right angle. At this position, the upper part of your chest should be close to the bar. Stop for a second and take your body back to the original position. Shoulders, biceps, triceps - this exercise works all of these.
Hold both the ends of a rope that is tied up to the low pulley of a cable machine. With your elbows pressed to your sides and your palms facing each other, keep your upper body upright, knees slightly bent and feet shoulder-width apart. Curl the rope toward your shoulders, maintaining a stable position for your arms. Pause and do a reverse movement to return to the original position from where you had started.
Hold a dumbbell with your right hand and stand behind a bench that is elevated at a half right angle. Lower the dumbbell till it is beyond half way. Maintain this position for 20 seconds and then repeat the same step with your left arm.
Stand straight on your right leg, and squat till your knee is at right angles to the floor and is in line with your toes. Jump and make sure that you land on the ball of your foot. Repeat the same rep with the other leg.
Sounds easy? We bet it wouldn’t be when you try it out. Highly recommended by professional trainers as one of the most effective leg exercises, it builds muscle mass of your legs, quads and glutes, contributing to your core strength, flexibility and stability.
Your leg exercise routine cannot be complete without at least one type of squat. Stand straight on one leg, stretching the other forward. Lower your glutes and hips, keeping your feet firmly on the floor, and then bend your knee to do a full squat. Hold the same position. Stand up on one leg to return to your original standing position. That’s one rep. Repeat the step with the other leg. It builds muscle mass of your hamstrings, glutes and quads, making your lower body more flexible. Power to you!
Stand straight turning towards one side of your bench and place the nearer to the bench on the bench, leaving enough space for the other foot. Now, place the other foot on the bench too and then step down to the same side where you originally started. That completes one rep. Repeat the same for the other side. Great for fitness enthusiasts as much as it is for professional athletes, bodybuilders and weightlifters, it is one of the must-do leg exercises for your glutes and quads. If the wide range of leg exercises has made you a wee bit unsure of which ones you should include in your fitness regimen, now you know that you definitely cannot miss out on this one.
Here are a few quick tips to get you sorted with your bodybuilding exercise routine at home:
Do push-ups and crunches for chest and core, as these can be done without gym equipment as well
Do dips for your biceps and triceps
Planks is an all-rounder, toning and strengthening your backside, arms and core
Jumps, squats and lunges are a great way to work your lower body, giving you those lean and powerful leg muscles
Giving bodybuilding a serious thought? You may consider buying some basic gym equipment at home like dumbbells
Last but not the least, start with the right posture (read: sit upright and relax) for the optimal results without injuring yourself
Now that you have read through all the pearls of wisdom wink wink, we bet you’re set to give it your all. Sit down, plan your bodybuilding fitness routine, set down your short and long-term goals and get started with all you have.
So, what are you waiting for?
Disclaimer: The tips & exercises suggested are the personal opinion of the writer. Kindly consult a licensed physician/dietitian/practitioner before implementing the same.
