Ever since the first pre-human picked up a heavy rock a number of times and found his muscles pumped, mankind has been into bodybuilding.
The first efforts were to refine and define the musculature needed to throw a spear farther, or pull a stronger bowstring, or thrust a sword harder.
Later efforts involved athletic contests, with very specific bodybuilding training for the muscles needed for wrestling, running, jumping and other sports.
In modern times, bodybuilding has evolved into an end unto itself, with a conditioned, sculptured, all-over musculature being the primary purpose.
Bodybuilding basics should begin with an established goal.
What is the purpose of the exercise? Most beginners start with a modest goal of getting fit, losing the "middle-aged spread," but as they start seeing results, they raise the bar of their expectations...
and they will see and feel results after a surprisingly brief period of time.
If the goal is the loss of a set amount of weight, the beginner will not see a weight loss as quickly as they see visual results because as the muscles develop they increase in density and weight, even though certain body parts appear smaller.
Weight loss is not a particularly good initial goal because of this, but may be a good longer term goal.
Most bodybuilding basics involve weight training in some form; free-weights (barbells, dumbbells, kettle bells); machines (Nautilus, HammerStrength, etc.
), or bodyweight exercises (push-ups, pull-ups, jumping-jacks, lunges).
The resistance of the weights, used in multiple sets of multiple repetitions, causes a breakdown in the muscle tissue, which when it rebuilds, is larger and stronger.
Theoretically, the more weight used coupled with the more often it is used, the bigger and quicker the results, at least this was the early hypothesis.
Modern bodybuilding is a combination of the proper approach to the exercises, coupled with a nutritional diet and plenty of rest.
A beginning bodybuilder should seek professional advice at their fitness center of choice.
A good personal trainer will develop a program of bodybuilding basics specifically tailored to the beginner's needs, one of a good combination of interval training with weights for the entire body, cardio-vascular exercises for the heart and lungs and good nutritional suggestions.
If a fitness center isn't available, it would be best to start with bodyweight resistance exercises.
Running and bodyweight squats and lunges will take care of the lower body and cardio.
The following are for the upper body.
o Push-ups - on the floor, prone with hands placed at shoulder width, push the body off the floor while rising on the toes.
Ten repetitions, one minute rest, repeat, rest, repeat.
If unable to complete ten reps, keep knees on floor lessening the resistance.
Do them this way until able to complete fifteen or twenty reps, and then go to full push-ups.
As conditioning improves, elevate the feet to increase resistance.
o Pull-ups or Chins - rig a bar in a doorway or make a pull-up bar from ¾ inch pipe and hang it over a rafter in the garage.
Begin with hands at shoulder width, palms forward, grasp the bar and let your body hang full length, bending you knees if the bar is too close to the floor to all a full length hang.
Pull yourself up until you chin is over the bar, let yourself back down slowly, then repeat nine more times.
If unable to do more than a few pull-ups, position a chair so that you may bend your knees and hook your toes over the edge of the chair to lessen the weight resistance.
o Bicep Pull-ups - using the same bar, reverse your palms so that when you pull-up the bicep is being used more, rather than the back and shoulders as in the regular pull-up.
o Triceps Press - Position two chairs far enough apart so that feet may be placed on one and the hands on the other while in a supine position.
Lower the body to the floor, or until the triceps are fully extended, push you body back up, repeat nine more times.