Bodybuilding for beginners

[emekajokammor]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

Start with the basic, most potent exercises and build strength. You should be able to build a lot of quality muscle this way and learn a lot about your body.

Right now you have the opportunity to add a lot of weight to your big lifts. This is where you need to focus your time and energy, and not on isolation exercise overkill.

Agreed. Good point.

I say most importantly, work on building your mind. Start by hitting up local shows and gaining confidence.

Only so much to be done in the gym, but most shows are won or lost outside the gym. Study the state of mind that it takes to be successful and apply it to your goals. I can tell you that at the base of every successful bber you'll find these attributes:

Dedication
Sacrifice
Commitment
Intensity
Focus
Drive
Relentlessness
Desire

Have to build your mind before you can build your body. Arnold was big on Mind of Matter...

[Soldier]

Originally Posted by Shadow

I definitely can agree with that. I think that's very important for people to do. Often times they read one source and walk away as though what was discussed is gospel. I believe that if you're going to disagree with something, you should do enough research to understand why exactly you disagree with it.

But yeah, T-Nation always has contradictory articles.

We've all done that. . .read an article and got swept away by a revolutionary idea. I found the more I read, the more I started to think for myself.

[Shadowschmadow]

I completely agree. Great post. To get excellent results takes almost more mental strength than phsyical.

[5kgLifter]

Don't keep swapping from one workout to another just because it may have been said that workout X is a better bicep builder than workout Y; allow the workout time to work before swapping to another.

[kitarpyar]

Study Parks, Reeves, Grimek. Even the actual Arnold beginner routines.

They all started out on full body, working hard and eating well. Full body provides a wonderful playground for keeping things simple and learning the finer points of the iron game.

Whether someone wants to get in bodybuilding or powerlifting, I think they all start from the same point in a similar vein. With a couple of years training under the belt, one can think of going for "one or the other".

[Shadowschmadow]

Originally Posted by kitarpyar

Whether someone wants to get in bodybuilding or powerlifting, I think they all start from the same point in a similar vein. With a couple of years training under the belt, one can think of going for "one or the other".

I try to stress this a lot. Learn the movements of compound lifts, build a solid foundation of strength, and then program it to fit your goals.

Good post.

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by emekajokammor

I say most importantly, work on building your mind. Start by hitting up local shows and gaining confidence.

Good point. Building your inner strength is very important.

Find ways to move on and succeed when you feel like quitting. Find motivation. And some times, just stop thinking and drive to the gym. Once you get int he door you will workout.

[emekajokammor]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

Good point. Building your inner strength is very important.

Find ways to move on and succeed when you feel like quitting. Find motivation. And some times, just stop thinking and drive to the gym. Once you get int he door you will workout.

Thanks BTB! The reason i say that is because i've seen guys who have all the potential in the world, can lift the gym, big as a house, razor sharp, and lack the drive and work ethic to be successful.

But from a training standpoint, i say work those compound movements and build strength before getting caught up in the world of isolation