Before proceeding to some sample plans on bodybuilding extensive workouts, check first some tips and considerations that are helpful in your bodybuilding workout regimen journey.
BodyBuilding Workouts
Bodybuilding workouts are the most important part of your bodybuilding endeavors, but many people have not done enough research to fully understand, and get the best from, their workouts.
How to maximize the results from your bodybuilding workouts?
Step 1 – Put some real effort into it.
Nothing important is ever achieved in this world without some effort, and if you are approaching bodybuilding in a halfhearted manner, then you will only get halfhearted results.
Any results you will see will be far less than you would have seen if you had been dedicated to the task. If you really want the muscles and body you are working for, why not put in a full effort?
Step 2 – Maintain your enthusiasm.
One of the most important factors in keeping the right level of enthusiasm for your training is to time your gym visits judiciously.
All gyms have some competition to use the equipment, and if you cannot get access to it, you may end up not being able to perform some of your most important routines.
This is not only frustrating it can lead to setbacks in your progress. If you can plan your gym visits for quieter times of day, such as morning opening, or early afternoon, that will help.
Step 3 – Maintain your energy level.
Someone who is muscular is not necessarily fit, so you should work at being both.
If your gym has a treadmill or an exercise bicycle, these provide the ideal opportunity to do some aerobic exercise in the middle of your bodybuilding exercises.
Although this will add a bit of time to your overall workout, it will increase your intensity.
Step 4 – Make sure each exercise is performed correctly.
To maximize the effect of your bodybuilding workouts, they need to be performed as they are written in the textbook.
Try to keep your back still while you are doing barbell curls. A large amount of your time will go to waste if you are not maintaining your effectiveness with correct technique.
Get this part right, and you will gain far better results for your time.
Bodybuilding workouts need to be tailored to the needs of the individual, but the hints in this article should provide you with something to work on during your next gym visit.
BodyBuilding Total Workouts
Total gym workouts are the key to developing and sustaining a healthy and strong body.
There is a trend for bodybuilders just to concentrate on one limited area, and miss out on the holistic benefits of full body training.
Here, we show you the benefits of a total gym workout.
Phase 1
When you start a total gym workout, you should start by doing cardio work.
Warming up is essential for any athletic endeavor, and with bodybuilding, you want to get the limbs loose and the blood pumping. Warming up will also help burn off excess fat.
Running is a very common way of warming up, but for something really strenuous try the boxer’s training of skipping.
Phase 2
People often start total gym workouts by working the arms or legs, but this really makes little sense.
It makes a lot more sense to end your workout with your limbs, as tiring them early will mean that your arms will only be able to handle reduced weights during the rest of your workout, and your legs will not be able to carry you as vigorously around the gym.
Working the chest and back first is a much better progression. Try to use dumbbell bench presses to enhance your chest, and if you have a pec deck, use that.
It is not so easy to work your back, but you can do lat pull downs and deadlifts if you have access to the right equipment, and these should produce very satisfactory results.
Phase 3
The arms can come next, and this is a favorite area of so many bodybuilders. You can look forward to this part of your total gym workout, as your arms can produce the most visible results from your hard work.
Too many people don’t consider that there are 3 sets of muscles in the arm, so you need to exercise them all in turn.
You can try some dumbbell curls which benefit the biceps, some triceps pulldowns which will build the triceps and then forearms curls and reverse forearm curls to enhance your forearm muscles.
If you work this hard, you will see for yourself why this is not a good place to start!
Phase 4
Time now for some leg work. Even with total gym workouts, many people overlook the legs, unless they are competitive bodybuilders.
As the legs do a lot of work carrying the rest of your body, they respond well to exercise.
Start out by doing squats to build your thighs, and if you try single footed heel raises for your calves you should find them highly effective.
The hamstrings are the final part, and although they will be exercised by default during your running and warming up, you can also do some basic leg curls which will increase the effect.
This will show you that total workouts can be simple enough, and not take that much time, and also that working the whole body is far more effective.
BodyBuilding Workout Plan
Beginning a bodybuilding workout plan requires a level of commitment. Â You can find sample workout plans on your bodybuilding journey.
As a beginner, you can work out more frequently than more advanced bodybuilders. The reason is simple. As you get more experienced, you learn to push your muscles harder and inflict more damage that takes longer to recover from.
Beginners, on the other hand, get sore but bounce back quicker since the muscular damage isn’t as severe.
If the word “damage” makes you flinch, don’t worry.
It’s a good thing for a bodybuilder to incur limited muscle damage because it nudges the body to recover and overcompensate (grow) slightly to prepare for future workouts.
This is what bodybuilding is all about – a continuous cycle of one-step-back, two-steps-forward, repeated over and over on a weekly basis.
The following workout plan is designed to focus on one part of your body each day of your workout with mid-week and the weekend as your rest days.
This plan is just a suggestion. You can adapt it as needed to suit your workout goals.
With any workout, you need to start out with some warm up exercises. This can be simple stretching as you get your body ready to work.
A warm-up session prior to working out can not only help get your body ready for exercise, but your mind will get prepared as well.
You should also have an appropriate cool down period after you are done working out.
This will reduce the possibility of delayed muscle soreness and will help quell the adrenaline that has been building in your system as a result of the workout. This can also be simple stretching exercises and deep breathing.
Again, it’s important to start out slow and not push yourself beyond your limits.
Use weights that are not too heavy for you but that will give you enough resistance to build your muscles.
You can progressively increase the amount of weight you lift as you get stronger.
Day 1 – Upper Body
For the following exercises, begin with two sets of 10-12 reps each.
Dumbbell press
Standing barbell military press
Lying triceps press
Side lateral raise
Preacher curls
Seated dumbbell curl
Dumbbell rows
Dumbbell shrugs
If you have access to weight machines, add the following to your plan:
Pec deck butterflies
V-bar pushdowns
Lat pulls with pulley machine
Day 2 – Lower Body and Abs
Again, begin doing each exercise with two sets of 10-12 reps each except for the crunches which you can do as many of them as you want.
Barbell squat
One leg barbell squat
Lunges
Standing calf press
Stiff leg barbell
Crunches
Machines can be especially helpful when working your lower body. Here are some you should consider on this day:
Leg presses on a plate loaded machine
Leg extension machine
Seated hamstring curls
Standing hamstring curls
Ab machine
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Day 3 – Rest
Day 4 – Upper Body
Increase your sets to 3 doing 10 – 12 reps each
Chin ups (get assistance if necessary)
Seated dumbbell hammer curls
Dumbbell presses on an inclined bench
Standing barbell military press
Standing bicep curls
Barbell triceps extension
Upright barbell row
Front dumbbell raise
The machines you can use on this day include:
Seated cable rows
Upright cable rows
Cable crossover flies
Tricep rope pushdowns
Day 5 – Lower Body and Abs
Go back to doing just two sets of 10-12 reps each except for the crunches which you can do unlimited amounts of.
Standing calf press
Lunges
Barbell squat
Stiff leg barbell
Standing calf raises
Crunches
Machine exercises include:
Leg presses on a plate loaded machine
Seated hamstring curls
Kneeling hamstring curls
Weekend – Rest
If a four-day workout plan is too much for you, consider starting out with a two or three-day plan.
Keep in mind that you won’t get results as quickly with a fewer day workout, but if you need to start out slowly, it can still be effective.
Here is a sample three day workout.
Day 1 – Back, Chest, and Abs
Do three sets of 12-15 reps each.
Bent over barbell row
Stiff legged barbell deadlift
Barbell bench press
Incline dumbbell press
Dumbbell flies
Crunches
Day 2 – Legs and Shoulders
Do three sets of 12-15 reps each.
Barbell squat
Seated calf raise
Front dumbbell raise
Side lateral raise
Upright barbell row
Lunges
Barbell squats
Day 3 – Biceps, Triceps, and Abs
Do three sets of 12-15 reps each
Barbell curl
Incline dumbbell curl
Lying triceps press
Barbell triceps extension
Front dumbbell raise
Dumbbell hammer curls
Crunches
About an hour before your workout, you should eat some protein and carbohydrates.
This is to make sure that you have enough energy to make it through your entire workout.
By doing this, you are putting your body into an anabolic state that will provide the necessary energy and power to effectively work your muscles.
During training, there is increased blood flow to the muscles. When you consume protein and carbohydrates prior to a workout, your body can take advantage of that extra blood flow and work the muscles more efficiently.
Many people opt for a protein shake and a bowl of rice, but you can choose whatever foods you want to get what you need.
It’s a good idea to keep track of your workouts and how many sets and reps you are doing.
Write it down in a small notebook and when you are able to increase the number of sets and/or reps, be sure to take note of how long it took you to get to that point.
Also, keep track of the amount of weight you are able to lift and when you are able to increase that weight.
It’s also a good idea to do your first set with very little weight. This is to get the blood flowing through the muscles. On the second set, add a little weight and do the exercise again. If you find that it’s just a bit too easy, try more weight.
The goal is to add weight until it’s difficult to complete 8-12 reps.
Remember, you want to build your body, not lift weights.
Be sure and rest between sets to allow your body to adjust and recover. Usually, that’s around a minute or two.
DO NOT rest more than a minute or so or else your muscles will get cold and all your previous work will be for nothing. The idea is to keep the burn, taking only very short breaks in between sets.
It’s a good idea to sprinkle your workouts with some cardio exercises to help get your blood pumping. This could be a little time on a treadmill or walking.
The cardio is good for your body and you’ll be focusing on that most important muscle of all – your heart!