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.

Many are not aware of this fact, but bodybuilding is different for all ages (well, between adults and teenagers anyway). Teens generally need less rigorous workouts than adults do, since you have to consider the growth spurt factor. Regular, vigorous workouts may actually decelerate growth in teens. Teenage bodybuilding should focus on getting and maintaining good health through proper diet and mild cardiovascular workout.

Regular cardiovascular workouts can give you a good health boost. Cardio workouts don’t require that much energy. It primarily focuses on keeping your muscles conditioned for more rigorous exercise as you go older, as well as serving as a measure of protection against common teenage problems (studies actually show that exercise can prevent or minimize acne!). Resting is also necessary for teen bodybuilding – cells regenerate fastest when resting after a workout, and adequate rest is necessary to keep from stunting your growth. Cardio workouts include walking, jogging, biking, and swimming – basically fun things to do with friends.

For the boys, some mild weights training can be a good idea. This builds strength and endurance, as well as help you get the figure that makes the ladies take a second look. Going to the gym two or three times a week would be a good idea, but for those who can’t afford it, simple pushups, pull-ups, squats, and sit-ups can be enough for a full-body workout.

As for the girls, the focus is more on cardiovascular workouts. Aside from maintaining good health, cardio workouts also work to shed those flabby areas and excess pounds – for many teenage girls, figure is everything. The more adventurous girls can even try Muay Thai, Aikido, or other martial arts for self-defense.

Teenagers usually can’t afford to go to the gym regularly, but fortunately, you don’t really have to. When in school, you can always take the stairs instead of using the elevator. When getting to school on time isn’t a problem, get off the bus early and walk the rest of the way. And on the weekends, make time for some sports with your friends.

Diet is also important – it’s important to get all the nutrition you need from a balanced diet. Protein is especially important for teenagers, since it’s the main building block of muscle. Protein-rich foods include fish, milk, nuts, and meat. Take in more carbohydrates and less fat, since carbohydrates are burned much easily through cardiovascular workouts. Occasional “dorm food,” such as pizza and chips, are okay – just treat them as snacks and not meals.

With obesity (and all its associated medical conditions) on the rise in society today, it’s important to get used to having regular exercise in your system early. The teenage years, with all the physical, social, and emotional opportunities present, is the best time to get started. Aside from staying healthy and maintaining a trim figure, teenage bodybuilding is also a great way to meet like-minded friends.

Natural bodybuilding simply refers to a special type of bodybuilding regimen. It’s one of the many different approaches that an individual can take when competing in the sport of bodybuilding. Natural bodybuilding is the most commonly used term when performance-enhancing drugs, such as anabolic steroids, human growth hormones or other restricted drugs, are not used to aid in the building of muscles by a bodybuilder. Prohormone and diuretics are also substances that are illegal in the sport of Natural Bodybuilding.

There are governing bodies that regulate and compose the rules on Natural Bodybuilding. Such organizations include NANBF (North American bodybuilding Federation and NPA (Natural Physique Association). On the professional front, organizations such as the WBNF (World Natural bodybuilding Federation), INBA (International Natural bodybuilding Association) and OCB (Organization of Competitive Bodybuilders) look over and govern the sport. These organizations state that the natural bodybuilding method is more centered on competition and healthy lifestyle.

Drug testing bodies also work hand in hand with Natural bodybuilding organizations. All of the different local and national drug/anti-doping bodies are organized under the jurisdiction of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The agency includes such anti-doping agencies as Australian Sports Anti-Doping Agency (ASADA) and New Zealand Sports Drug Agency (NZSDA). These anti-doping organizations work closely with the different Natural bodybuilding organizations. They help each other implement and test the rules to keep different competitions safe, legitimate, and within the bounds and rules of Natural Bodybuilding.

Natural Bodybuilders are just as strong and big as bodybuilders who take performance-enhancing drugs. They might even be healthier than their “unnatural” counterparts since they do not take in any damaging chemicals in the process of training. Some studies have shown that bodybuilders who have admitted to taking performance-enhancing drugs grow older more quickly – their internal organs, such as the heart, kidney, and liver, tend to show signs of premature aging or damage. This is a heavy price to pay for taking a shortcut to a good physique!

Natural bodybuilders tend to be less bulky than bodybuilders who use performance-enhancing drugs. This is because the natural size or development of the body is not overextended or overexerted.

Natural bodybuilding takes time, passion and discipline to achieve. There is no shortcut to achieving this, nor should there be. Consistency is the key in achieving the desired strength, size and physique. Natural bodybuilding involves a well-balanced diet, enough sleep, and regular and vigorous exercise. Some people tend to build muscles quickly while others need a little more time and effort to see or notice any results at all. While results may vary from case to case, virtually everyone agrees that Natural bodybuilding is the only way to go to achieve muscle gain.

Strength training is an important component of fitness and exercise. If you are trying to lose weight then it is essential that you incorporate some muscle building activities into your training. Losing weight is about burning calories. It is about burning fat and one way to do that is to build your muscles. Basically the more muscle you develop the more energy you burn, resulting in weight loss success.

Strength training does not have to be a daily grind of lifting weights in the gym. There are many classes or exercise programs you can follow that will help with building your muscles. Most gyms have classes like total body fitness or group power lifting. Typically these types of classes use many types of weight training equipment including barbells, hand weights and resistance bands. The typical class lasts for a hour and works every muscle group in the body from the triceps to the chest down to the legs.

Women seem to enjoy these type of strength training classes more than men. That is a shame as the exercise benefits of a regimented one-hour full body workout are considerable. Men typically enjoy working out the muscle groups by adding bulk. However, they do not consider adding muscle endurance. Strength training classes help to shape and tone your muscles into lean mass without the bulk. In addition, since the instructor pushes you along during the class at a very rapid pace, there is a bit of cardiovascular benefit as well. One final note about going to an instructor lead strength training class: they can ensure that you are doing the exercises with the correct form to help you avoid injury.

Even if you do not care for classes there are many exercises that you can do from home. You do not necessarily have to purchase large racks of weights to get the desired results. Simple hand weights will do just fine and there are many strength exercises that require no equipment like the simple pushup. It would be a good idea to find a DVD to follow along to help you with your exercise. A good program to follow will help keep you on track, motivated and more likely to do the exercises correctly without injuring yourself.

Many people go to the gym to lift weights. This is another way to develop strength in your muscles. Typical regimens include alternating days of upper body work with lower body work. For instance, on Monday and Thursday you might work your upper body, while on Tuesday and Friday you might work your lower body. This gives the muscles time to repair and grow between workouts. Most weight lifting programs involve lifting in sets. For instance you might do three sets of ten repetitions of bench press exercises. It really depends on your goals how many sets and repetitions of each that you attempt to do.

The body core consists of the bones of the spine and pelvis and all of the many connected muscles whose job it is to stabilize that core structure. Core strength training involves exercises that are designed to increase the strength and flexibility of the muscles, tendons, and bones from the shoulders to the hips.

The Reasons

There are a number of reasons why core strength training is so important. For one, a strong core means a powerful core which is capable of performing weight-bearing movements. A strong core is capable of easily moving a large amount of weight and of moving that weight with significant speed and endurance.

Core strength training will also help a person to reduce the risk of injury. Strong core muscles will act like shock absorbers during jumping and rebounding movements. Unnecessary joint stress will be alleviated.

Further, strengthening the core muscles will also improve a person’s posture. It will help to keep the back and hips properly aligned, reducing the chances for back injury. Lower back pains can be decreased by doing some simple body core exercises.

Balance and stability can be improved with core strength training as well. All activities that require balance will be performed more easily.

Also, a strong core promotes faster reaction times and improved coordination. A person will be more agile, more flexible, and will be able to perform everyday tasks with greater ease.

Lastly, a program of core strength training will help a person improve their athletic performance.

The Muscles

Thirty or more muscle groups can be identified in the body core from the shoulders to the hips. The most popular muscle groups to target for exercise include the abdominals and obliques of the stomach, the glutes and muscles of the pelvis and sit bones, the erector muscles of the lower back, and the stabilizer muscles of the spine.

The Exercises

There are numerous popular and easy core exercises that can strengthen the body core. For example, the bridging exercises will strengthen the back and abdominal muscles. A prone bridge is performed by balancing on one’s toes and elbows while maintaining a straight back. A lateral bridge is performed on one’s side, raising up on the elbow and maintaining a straight line from shoulders to feet. A supine bridge is performed on one’s back by raising the hips off the floor.

Abdominal crunches can be performed while lying on the floor or while balancing on a large exercise ball. It is best to perform crunches with legs bent at the knees. The crunch is performed by tightening the abdominal muscles enough to raise the head and shoulders a few inches. A useful variation of the crunch is to twist the upper body left or right while raising the shoulders.

The exercise ball can be used in many different ways to exercise the body core. Simply sitting on the exercise ball engages the core muscles. A more vigorous exercise can be performed by kneeling beside the ball with hands on the ball and then rolling forward, tightening the abdominal muscles and the back muscles. Knee crunches can be performed on the exercise ball by lying stomach down on the ball and rolling forward with the hands walking outward, then backward.

Lastly, there are numerous body core exercises that can be performed with hand weights, barbells, medicine balls, or weight machines. Lunges, leg presses and squats, lat pull downs, bench presses, and deadlifts are a few good examples.

Core strength training is recognized as a fundamental program for enhancing good health and athletic performance. Though a person should consult a health care professional before beginning a program, a body core training program is simple and can be adapted to practically everyone.