THE ARTICLE
So you want to bulk up? I have little doubt that the vast majority of young adult males want to bulk up, yet don't have the tools at their disposal in order to execute and achieve this desirable goal. Here we will discuss the absolute essentials for the beginning bodybuilder.
I am of the opinion that the process of bulking up, or bodybuilding, is both a science and an art. Bodybuilding is a science in that it requires research, analysis, implementation, execution, review and experimentation. Meanwhile the art component of bodybuilding involves sensing, feeling, growth, spirituality and passion. In order to achieve and appreciate the full benefits of bodybuilding, one must understand both facets of this process.
As a full-time personal trainer that specialises in this particular field, I regularly interact with young males that are seeking advice on how to bulk up. Yet when approached, it is often a "quick tip" I am asked for such as "How do I bulk up quickly?" or "What is good to eat?" or "Jay, how do you train?" or even "Should I take such and such supplement to bulk up fast?". Consider this - if bodybuilding really was this simplistic, then why wouldn't we all be walking around with eighteen inch arms? Doesn't make much sense does it? The truth is, bulking up naturally requires a much more holistic approach in order to achieve a significant change in one's physique.
The Reality of Beginning BodyBuilding
Considering that you have decided to bulk up, the first thing that you need to realise is that it is not a simple and speedy process. There are no three step formula's to grow massive pecs in a month. Bulking up requires consistency and dedication over a sustained period of time in order to completely renovate your physique. Whilst this may be bad (yet common-sense) news, this is the reality of the situation. Many infomercials tend to trivialise the "bulking up" process, as do the supplement ads you've seen at your local gym - so don't be fooled by all the unsubstantiated hype and propaganda floating around in the industry..
For the typical person, if you are seeking to bulk (as opposed to tone) it may take anywhere from one to five years of consistent application to fulfill this goal. Bodybuilding is therefore a lifestyle, not a short-term makeover.
Why Begin Bodybuilding?
We all have different reasons as to why we want to improve our physique. A popular reason is to enhance our level of sexual desirability, as it is a natural evolutionary instinct that most females will be attracted to more physically capable and dominant males. Another popular reason is to boost self image, due to many of us preferring to see a six-pack than a gut in the mirror. Some may require an increased level of muscle mass for sport. Some may appreciate the health benefits associated with muscle gain. Many just enjoy lifting weights, setting goals and achieving these goals. Others may just want to start because their peers are also undertaking some form of weight lifting.
Whatever your reason, the first question you must ask yourself is why begin bodybuilding. So, why is it important to you to begin bodybuilding? There is no right or wrong reason - this is purely a personal choice. If you have no strong reason as to why you would want to train consistently for a sustained period of time, chances are that you will lack motivation and eventually stop your training.
Setting Bodybuilding Goals
Once you have determined the reason for initiating a bodybuilding program, you now need to ascertain exactly what your goals are, based on your reason for "why". Is your goal to just "bulk up", or are there more goals that you want to achieve? Here are several examples:
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Gain muscle
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Lose fat
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Tone up
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Improve fitness
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Improve strength
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Improve nutrition
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Reduce issues associated with an injury
From here, you need to refine your goals so they can be actually be useful to you. In order for your goals to be a source of motivation and accountability, there are several key aspects that you need to consider when refining your goals. They need to be:
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Realistic
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Measurable
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Specific
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Objective
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Time dependent
So let's say your general goal is to "gain muscle". Taking into account the five aspects above, a realistic, measurable, specific, objective and time dependent goal would be:
"Gain 5kg of lean muscle in 6 months"
Another example of a general goal is to "gain muscle, lose fat and improve strength". An example of a more refined and useful goal would therefore be:
"Gain 6kg of muscle, lose 5kg of fat and be able to bench press 60kg for 10 complete repetitions by 31st December this year."
An example of a poorly refined goal would be:
"Gain some muscle, be able to run a longer distance and look better in the mirror"
This example is not effective because the above is very vague and immeasurable. "Looking better in the mirror" is completely subjective and often mood dependent. There is also no timeline - therefore your level of accountability has almost been eliminated altogether.
Particularly if you are just beginning bodybuilding, setting realistic goals may be particularly hard - it is hard to know what is achievable in a given time. This is where expert advice can come in handy as a personal trainer can sit down with you and discuss your goals in detail. For more information on our award-winning personal training services, please click here.
Educating Yourself
Once you have established your goals, you now need to establish exactly "how" to achieve them effectively. This is often the hard part for beginning bodybuilders', because building lean muscle mass is not always an easy task. This is precisely why your next step should be to educate yourself.
If you want to become successful in any field, it is imperative that you learn how to achieve your definition of success. Take business for example. Success in the business world may encompass running a business with a turnover of one million dollars per annum - yet you are not going to achieve such a feat without first learning the ins and outs of the business world through some combination of reading, hiring a coach, attending seminars, networking, personal business experience etc. Without doing so, your business may not even last a year. Similarly to business, bodybuilding also requires a solid understanding of how to build muscle that can be obtained through the methods described above. Success in bodybuilding would be defined by your goals above. If you are serious about being successful, you will invest into educating yourself.
At this point I would like to congratulate you on taking the time to read this article. This is the perfect first step in educating yourself. Here you are setting a foundation for your bodybuilding experiences over the next few years. From here, you will need to research, in detail, the following core aspects to bodybuilding:
Nutrition
Many beginning bodybuilders neglect the importance of nutrition - the food that you ingest ultimately provides the raw materials from which muscle is built. Therefore if you consume a low quality diet, you will obtain poor quality results. It is of the utmost importance that a solid nutritional plan is developed for your goals.
Recovery
Did you know that muscle is built outside of the gym? Contrary to popular belief amongst beginning bodybuilders, lifting weights is inducing damage the muscles at a cellular level - you are not actually building any muscle at the time that you lift weights. What you are doing is placing a stimulus on your muscles to grow when you complete your workout. Without effective recovery, you will not make effective progress toward your goals.
Resistance Training
Of course your method of weight training is extremely important. But since there are so many ways to train, what is the most effective way to train for you and your goals? This is where a good education can help you develop an effective plan.
Cardiovascular Training
Funnily enough, cardiovascular training can actually assist you in making muscular gains. Intense cardio can induce an anabolic spike which will encourage further muscle synthesis. In addition to this, an increased level of fitness will aid in increasing your level of intensity during your weights workout. Whilst this aspect to training is often neglected by the bodybuilder just starting out, the benefits of an effective cardiovascular routine can far outweigh performing no cardio whatsoever.
Supplementation
There are some wonderful supplements available and there are also many supplements that are a complete waste of money. Differentiating between the two can often be a very difficult task, especially when starting out. It is very easy to be spending over $100 a week on supplements that don't even produce a noticeable effect!
I highly recommend that you have a read of the articles available on Amino Z, particularly our completely free course entitled "Introduction to Physical Freedom" which will explain the basics of nutrition, recovery and exercise. From there, try searching up keywords through our online search engine.
Of course, it is not realistic to expect yourself to be an expert in bodybuilding before you even begin. Chances are that you won't have a perfect diet, that you won't be undertaking the most effective weight training routine and that you might waste some money on supplements that you don't really need...most of us have been down this road. Bodybuilding is always a learning process - no matter how long you have been bodybuilding, there is always more to learn.
Guidance
What I feel is extremely important when beginning bodybuilding, is to seek guidance. Bodybuilding does require first-hand experience in order to know exactly what works and what doesn't. This is why I would strongly urge you to undertake the services of a professional personal trainer that specialises in building muscle when starting out. A small investment can save you years of wasted time and effort in the gym, in addition to money wasted on supplements. It is extremely important that you undertake a program specific to you (not a generic or "one-size-fits-all" approach) so you can obtain the best results possible.
For more information on our award-winning online and face-to-face personal training services, please click here.
Conclusion
Hopefully you now realise that beginning bodybuilding is not quite as simple as you first thought. No, it's not rocket science, yet it does require a great deal of knowledge, dedication, consistency, application and passion in order to achieve big results. Please have a browse around Amino Z for more insightful information on starting bodybuilding and bulking up. I wish you all the best in your endeavours!
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