By: Mike Hajoway

Introduction

There comes a point in peoples' lives where they want to transform their body in order to pack some serious mass and carve out some nicely shapely abs. In the following article, I plan to show you how to take those first crucial steps towards a more muscular self. As with every other athletic program on the planet, do not expect overnight miracles. Building a better body takes time, discipline, and consistency.

However, the good news is that most people experience the most dramatic gains in the first year of working out. Before jumping into a workout program, it is important to learn proper form and basic safety rules now to make sure you do not injure yourself down the road when you are using advanced lifting techniques and weights.

Training

As a beginner, you have an advantage that other more experienced athletes do not, which is the ability to train more frequently with better recovery. You have this advantage because your body has not yet become accustomed to breaking those muscle fibers by working out. Breaking muscle fibers is exactly what you are trying to do when working out.

By tearing those muscle fibers, it causes your body to repair those fibers making them thicker and stronger thus leading to greater strength and size. Achieving greater strength and size is what weight training and bodybuilding are all about. Walking into a gym with a focused mind with an attitude to improve each workout is what it is all about.

Since a beginner's body is able to recuperate faster, it is beneficial to follow a training program where you would workout the same bodyparts more than once a week. In the following eight week program, you will be training four days a week alternating between two muscle forces: Pushing and Pulling.

For example, you will be doing the Push workout on Monday and Thursday, while you will be doing the Pull workout on Tuesday and Friday. Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday are non-training days where you do not have to lift, but if you would like you can do some light cardiovascular exercise such as walking, jogging, or stationary bike.

The Push workout involves the quads, chest, shoulders, and triceps. The Pull workout involves the hamstrings, calves, back, and biceps. As the weeks go on in this eight week program, the exercises and number of repetitions will also change so that you do not become bored with the program and your body will be forced to adapt.

Since this is a beginner's program, we will want to focus on basic movements that will add strength and size, yet also focus on learning the techniques of the different exercises. Learning the technique right in the beginning of training is always better than figuring it out later so that you do not learn bad habits.

Technique is crucial in all forms of athletics because if you learn the wrong technique that puts you in greater harm of injuring yourself and diminishing your motivation to train. Therefore in this program, there are basic pressing movements, classic exercises such as the bench and curls, and a handful of basic machine movement.

As you become more accustomed to the exercises, technique, and the feel of the exercises, you can move into Intermediate Training where the exercises and techniques are more advanced. At this point, it is more important to learn the form and get the right "feel" for each exercise rather than lifting as heavy as possible.

Consistency and attitude make up the majority of any athletic training program. To achieve good gains, you must be consistent and keep motivated. When you begin this program, you will most likely notice that you will enjoy training some bodyparts more than other, but you must train the entire body to grow and grow symmetrically.

Begin this program easy, meaning pick a weight you can perform 10-12 strict reps with good technique and gradually add weight to the exercises. Once you accomplish the required number of repetitions with a certain weight, add more weight.

Keep track of your workouts by keeping a workout log/notebook to write down your poundage and number of reps for future reference and to make sure you are making progress.

Sample Workout Program

Using the Mon/Tue - Thu/Fri training schedule outlined, a sample workout routine could be:

Weeks 1-4:

Before you begin lifting, spend 5-10 minutes doing some light cardio to warm up and stretch the muscles.

Monday - Push Workout
Listed as sets X reps per set

Squats - 4 sets (including 1 warmup set of 15 reps) x 10 reps
Leg Extensions - 3 sets x 10 reps
Flat Barbell Bench Press - 4 sets (including 1 warmup set of 15 reps) x 10-12 reps
Incline Dumbbell Press - 3 sets x 10-12 reps
Standing Military Press - 3 sets x 10 reps
Dips - 2 sets x 15-20 reps *If you can do more than your bodyweight get a dip belt and add more weight
Lying French Press - 3 sets x 12 reps
Tricep Extension - 3 sets x 12 reps

Click here for a printale log of Monday.

Tuesday - Pull Workout

Lying Leg Curl - 4 sets (including 1 warmup set of 15 reps) x 10 reps
Standing Calf Raises - 3 sets x 15 reps
Deadlift - 4 sets (including 1 warmup set of 10 reps) x 8 reps
Pulldown to Front - 3 sets x 10 reps
Bent-over Barbell Row - 3 sets x 10 reps
Standing Barbell Curl - 4 sets (including 1 warmup set of 15 reps) x 10 reps
Incline Dumbbell Curl - 2 sets x 10 reps

Click here for a printable log of Tuesday.

Wednesday - OFF

Thursday - Push Workout

Squats - 4 sets (including 1 warmup set of 15 reps) x 10 reps
Leg Extensions - 3 sets x 10 reps
Flat Barbell Bench Press - 4 sets (including 1 warmup set of 15 reps) x 10-12 reps
Incline Dumbbell Press - 3 sets x 10-12 reps
Standing Military Press - 3 sets x 10 reps
Dips - 2 sets x 15-20 reps *If you can do more than your bodyweight get a dip belt and add more weight
Lying French Press - 3 sets x 12 reps
Tricep Extension - 3 sets x 12 reps

Click here for a printale log of Thursday.

Friday - Pull Workout

Deadlift - 4 sets (including 1 warmup set of 10 reps) x 8 reps
Pulldown to Front - 3 sets x 10 reps
Bent-over Barbell Row - 3 sets x 10 reps
Standing Barbell Curl - 4 sets (including 1 warmup set of 15 reps) x 10 reps
Incline Dumbbell Curl - 2 sets x 10 reps
Lying Leg Curl - 4 sets (including 1 warmup set of 15 reps) x 10 reps
Standing Calf Raises - 3 sets x 15 reps

Click here for a printable log of Friday.

Saturday/Sunday - OFF

Weeks 5-8:

In these weeks you will perform lesser repetitions, so you can do more weight.

Monday - Push Workout

Squats - 4 sets (including 1 warmup set of 15 reps) x 8 reps
Leg Extensions - 3 sets x 8 reps
Incline Barbell Bench Press - 4 sets (including 1 warmup set of 15 reps) x 8-10 reps
Flat Dumbbell Bench Press - 3 sets x 8-10 reps
Standing Military Press - 3 sets x 8 reps
Dumbbell Lateral Raise - 3 sets x 10 reps
Tricep Extension - 3 sets x 12 reps

Click here for a printable log of Monday.

Tuesday - Pull Workout

Straight Leg Deadlift - 4 sets (including 1 warmup set of 15 reps) x 8 reps
Lying Leg Curl - 3 sets x 8 reps
Seated Calf Raises - 3 sets x 12 reps
Deadlift - 4 sets (including 1 warmup set of 10 reps) x 6 reps
Pulldown to Front - 3 sets x 8 reps
Bent-over Barbell Row - 3 sets x 8 reps
Standing Barbell Curl - 4 sets (including 1 warmup set of 15 reps) x 8 reps

Click here for a printable log of Tuesday.

Wednesday - OFF

Thursday - Push Workout

Squats - 4 sets (including 1 warmup set of 15 reps) x 8 reps
Leg Extensions - 3 sets x 8 reps
Incline Barbell Bench Press - 4 sets (including 1 warmup set of 15 reps) x 8-10 reps
Flat Dumbbell Bench Press - 3 sets x 8-10 reps
Standing Military Press - 3 sets x 8 reps
Dumbbell Lateral Raise - 3 sets x 10 reps
Tricep Extension - 3 sets x 12 reps

Click here for a printable log of Thursday.

Friday - Pull Workout

Straight Leg Deadlift - 4 sets (including 1 warmup set of 15 reps) x 8 reps
Lying Leg Curl - 3 sets x 8 reps
Seated Calf Raises - 3 sets x 12 reps
Deadlift - 4 sets (including 1 warmup set of 10 reps) x 6 reps
Pulldown to Front - 3 sets x 8 reps
Bent-over Barbell Row - 3 sets x 8 reps
Standing Barbell Curl - 4 sets (including 1 warmup set of 15 reps) x 8 reps

Click here for a printable log of Friday.

Saturday/Sunday - OFF

Nutrition

To support you new dynamic and weight training lifestyle, you will have to fuel your body properly so review your daily recommended nutritional intake. There is no universal diet to follow that will guarantee success, but there are some good guideline and rules to follow whether you are an overweight 40 year old or a little 13 year old teenager.

• Eat clean. Eating clean requires eliminating the junk food from your diet. This is the most important step to achieving success and transforming your body. Fast food, candy, sugary sodas, and other crap will not only pack enough calories to turn you into the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man, they also fill you up with empty calories preventing you from getting the nutrition your body truly needs.

  

• I can not overemphasize the importance of water. If you get dehydrated, your body does not function properly, which limits the amount your muscles can grow and repair. The negative effects of dehydration can range from sluggishness and fatigue to headache and mental fatigue. Make sure to drink water, not coffee or soda, throughout the day, including on non-workout days.

  Many bodybuilders drink at least a gallon of water a day, but you probably want to adjust that number to your body size, climate, and level of activity. A good estimate is to take your bodyweight and multiply it by .5 and the following number is the number of ounces of water you should drink a day.

• Since you are trying to build new muscle, your body will need protein to build muscle. Increase the amount of protein you eat by eating more lean red meats, chicken breasts, tuna, salmon, and non-fat dairy product. Protein is the building blocks of muscle. You can not build and repair muscle without protein.

• The majority of Americans today do not eat enough fruits and vegetables and most of us fall in that category. Try to eat at least three pieces of fruits and vegetables a day. Fiber is also another item that lacks in many people's diets. So be sure you are eating enough fiber because it is a necessity in keeping your digestive system in shape.

• Try to divide your meals into several smaller meals rather than a few big ones. This will help stabilize your blood sugar levels and ensure a continuous flow of nutrients for your body. To make food more accessible, devote one or two days a week to cooking where you can prepare your meals ahead of time.

• Keep a nutritional log. Keep a journal of when and what you eat for a full three days. Compare your diet with your training to evaluate whether your diet is good enough for your training. This will increase your awareness of what you eat and show you where your diet needs to improve.

Advice

• Stay Focused - Things such as family, friends, work, and just being lazy will sometimes interfere with training. You can not let these types of things distract you from obtaining your goals. Try to leave a part of your day to training and keep this time sacred. Do not let it be taken away because once you stop or take a break, it is very hard to get back into the swing of training again. Do not get me wrong, family and your work is important but so is training.

  

• Define Achievable Goals - Right now in this point of the game where you are just beginning, your goal is probably just to become healthy or to get into shape. These are not good enough.

  You must set small reachable goals every couple weeks, whether they are to gain a pound of muscle in a week or to increase your bench by 10 pounds. Set reachable goals and these will motivate you to keep training. Once you determine these goals, set milestones that are more like long-term goals.

• Keep a Positive Attitude - It may sound corny but if you attitude is not in the right direction neither will be your training. Arnold Schwarzenegger was an enormously successful bodybuilder and actor, not only because of his legendary grueling, daily workouts, but because he willed himself to victory. In his mind, he constantly pictured himself achieving his goals.

  He would picture himself winning a bodybuilding contest before he even set foot on stage, and as history shows, that is exactly what happened, time and time again. You can use this technique to make sure your daily life falls in line with your bodybuilding plans.

Conclusion

Well hopefully you are motivated to follow this beginner's program and improve your physique not only physically but also mentally. Train hard, eat smart, and be consistent and you will achieve your goals.

References

1. Schwarzenegger, Arnold. The Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding. Simon and Schuster. 1985, 1998.
2. Schuler, Lou. King, Ian. The Men's Health Book of Muscle. Rodale Press; October 2003.
3. Delavier, Frederick. Strength Training Anatomy. Human Kinetics (T); September 2001. 2003
4. Schwarzenegger, Arnold. The Education of a Bodybuilder. Simon & Schuster; Reprint edition January 1, 1993. 2003
5. Danielsson, Matt. Beginner Bodybuilding Program. Bodybuilding.com
6. Columbu, Franco. Fragomeni, Lydia. The Bodybuilder's Nutrition Book. McGraw-Hill/Contemporary Books; September 1985. 2003.

Thanks,

haj@lek.net

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