ArticlesBase.com - Free Articles Directory
Free Online Articles Directory
17.05.2008 Sign In Register Hello Guest
Email:
Password:
Remember Me 
forgot your password?


Muscle Building Program Basics

Author: Shawn Lebrun | Posted: 12-12-2005 | Comments: 0 | Views: 428 | Got a Question? Ask.
Sign Up Now!

Setting up your muscle building programs or routines can be a confusing subject. But it doesn't have to be.

Basically, you have to know what you want. If you're a beginner looking to tone up and add a bit of muscle, you will have to start with a beginners muscle building routine.

If you've been muscle building for a couple of months and need a muscle building program that's a bit more challenging, you'll need an intermediate program.

On the other hand, if you're an experienced weight lifter looking to try something different, you'll need specialized muscle building programs.

It's a matter of finding out what you want and establishing your goals. If you don't know what you want, than you will have to sit down and figure that out.

How do you build muscle with weight lifting programs?

If you want to build muscle, you're going to have to use weight resistance exercise like weight lifting. Weight lifting requires the use of weight bearing equipment such as barbells and dumbbells (free weights), and machines that use cables and pulleys to help lift the weight.

You can also use body weight bearing exercises such as chip ups and dips in your weight lifting programs. If you are just starting out, I suggest you use a combination of machine and free weight exercises in your weight lifting program.

This will give your body the time it needs to adjust to the different levels of stress that weight lifting places on your body.

As you progress in your weight lifting program, it's suggested that you add more free weight exercises. Free weights and compound movements such as squats, bench press, shoulder press, and bent over barbell rows apply a lot of stress on the supporting muscles.

These exercises are often called multi-jointed exercises because they employ not only the targeted muscle but the supporting muscles as well. By using free weights and compound movements in your muscle building program you will challenge your body to work harder and therefore make better muscle gains.

Adding more free weight exercises will increase the intensity of your muscle building program. The result? Added overall power and quality beef added to your frame.

Here are examples of compound movements to use in your muscle building programs:

Barbell bent over rows Bench press Barbell shoulder press Dead lifts Squats Close grip bench press

If you are just starting out, I suggest you start with the beginners weight lifting program and slowly progress to the intermediate and advanced weight lifting programs.

Remember to always ask for advice if you are not sure about certain exercises. Gym staff is usually pretty good and will provide you with quality advice regarding all aspects of weight lifting.

What is a repetition?

Muscle building exercises consists of repetitions and sets. One repetition consists of a series of muscle contractions with a weight or movement such as one push up.

A series of repetitions is called a set. For example, 10 repetitions of push-ups is considered one set.

The number of sets performed will depend on your current level of fitness and goals. Beginners can only tolerate a couple of sets per body part. Anymore than one or two sets for a beginner is certainly not recommended, as this can be counterproductive.

If you are a beginner to muscle building training, I suggest you design your weight lifting routine using light weight and higher repetitions.

As you progress in your muscle building program, your strength and muscle gains will be moderate but what you want to concentrate on is form. This is very important.

As a beginner, you want to perform the exercises with proper form. This will be very important as you progress to the intermediate and advanced weight lifting programs.

As your form and style improves, you'll want to move to a lower repetition range using heavier weights. Although you will want to keep using the higher repetition range for warm ups. As your training levels advance, you can add more sets to your weight lifting routine in order to stimulate more growth.

For building muscle it is desirable to perform low repetitions using heavy weight.

The amount of repetitions you complete will depend on your goals as well as the weight lifting routine itself. There is no magic number of repetitions that will produce better results than any other number.

You will have to determine your combination of body chemistry, feel, and trial and error to determine what works best for you. What works for one person may not necessarily work another.

What is a set?

A set is the completion of a series of repetitions. Beginners should perform one to two sets per exercise for the first couple of months of a weight lifting routine.

This should be sufficient to stimulate increases in muscle size and strength. After a couple of months, you will probably need to add one or two more sets to further stimulate improvements.

As you progress you will need to place more strain on your body to stimulate growth. Just remember that more is not always better.

You want to keep your muscle building sessions brief but intense. If you don't know for sure what to do and how to do in order to have a good muscle building program you should always feel free to ask the gym staff or a professional muscle builder.

They will surely know how to guide you to a good muscle building program for you.

Rate this Article:

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/muscle-building-program-basics-8786.html

Print this Article Print article   Email to a Friend Send to friend   Publish this Article on your Website Publish this Article   Send Author Feedback Author feedback  
About the Author:
Bodybuilder and fitness trainer Shawn Lebrun shows you his muscle building program that will help you to build muscle and get your best body ever in 2006. Muscle building program to build muscle
Submitting articles has become one of the most popular means of generating quality backlinks and targeted traffic to your website. Join us today - It's Free!

Article Comments

Comment on this article Comment on this article
Your Name
Your Email:
Comment Body
Enter Validation Code: Captcha


Related Articles

Six Things You Must Have In Any Muscle Building Program
By: Shawn Lebrun | 17/11/2005 | Fitness
If you're going to work out, here are six things you absolutely must have in any muscle building program you decide to use.

How To Have A Perfect Workout Every Time
By: Shawn Lebrun | 16/12/2005 | Fitness
If you want your workouts to be the best they can be, each time you step foot in the gym, then this article by personal trainer Shawn LeBrun is for you. Learn how you can have an intense, perfect training session when you hit the gym.

How Come Every how to Gain Weight Article Looks the Same?
By: Scott Abbett | 06/11/2007 | Internet
Thousands of slender natural bodybuilders are repeatedly being fed the same simplistic information:"eat a lot and do basic training with 'heavy' weights." Yet is "gaining weight" really this simple? Or is this information overly simplistic? Find out the truth by reading this article.

Why Training Different Parts of a Muscle is Outrageous
By: Luke Johnstone | 22/03/2008 | Bodybuilding
Training a certain part of a particular muscle is ridiculous as it goes against the basic laws of anatomy and physiology. It is physically impossible to dissect a muscle and only train part of it. Here’s why.

Tone Up Your Muscles With Heavy Weights
By: Luke Johnstone | 25/03/2008 | Weight Loss
The belief that doing high reps and low weight will tone up your muscles is wrong and completely outdated. You will never get lean or toned training this way. Here’s why.

How Training Less Builds More Muscle
By: Luke Johnstone | 31/03/2008 | Bodybuilding
The number one reason why so many people fail to gain any significant amount of muscle, is that they are training too much. Here’s why training less actually builds muscle faster.

How To Get Six Pack Abs
By: Shawn Lebrun | 11/11/2005 | Fitness
If you want chiseled, washboard abs, this article by personal trainer and natural bodybuilder Shawn Lebrun will show you how to get them.

Benefits Of Building Muscle
By: Shawn Lebrun | 14/12/2005 | Fitness
There are several reasons you want to build lean muscle mass. This article by fitness trainer Shawn LeBrun shows you that building muscle will help you feel better, look better, and get noticed more!

Got a Question? Ask.

Ask the community a question about this article:

Frequently Asked Questions

Taking weight off
By: annset | 15-05-2008
how does one lose belly and hip fat with out using medication?

Alli
By: Sarahcat91 | 15-05-2008
My question is on alli. ive been reading and what i learned is that you can gave a gas and pooing problem. People have claim to have pooed themselves and have very bad oily gas. How bad is this? is it just when you eat fat based food, or everytime? Maybe if you are on it and would like to share, give some imformation if its really worth it.

Tinnitus
By: 123FREDGARTNER | 15-05-2008
Has anyone had Tinnitus and been cured? If you have, what product was it that cured it?

Anyone know what c-magic swizzle is all I can find ...
By: upsetandhurtinpa | 14-05-2008
Anyone know what c-magic swizzle is all I can find out is that it is a mouthwash for ulcers what is it made of will it hurt my child that is taking rapamune and bactrim for a liver transplant he received in 2001

Is the hepatitis virus killed in a dental ultra ...
By: karen | 14-05-2008
Is the hepatitis virus killed in a dental ultra sonic solution?

If a terminated employee's cancer returns...
By: lena9221 | 14-05-2008
If a terminated employee's cancer returns, does the company that terminated the employee have to pay for treatment?

Q&A Powered by:
Powered by Yedda 

Latest Fitness Articles

Family Reunions – a Great Excuse for the Bean Bag Game
By: Dave Roth | 16/05/2008
People who play the bean bag game can really enjoy spending time with other people -- both friends and family -- and everyone can play.

Making a Cornhole Game at Home
By: Dave Roth | 16/05/2008
Making a Cornhole game together is a great way to get a family to get involved with one another and have some fun,.

My Favourite Three Abdominal Movements That You May not Think Work Your Abdominals
By: Brett MacPherson | 15/05/2008
When you think of Stomach Muscle exercises you will probably think about sit ups or crunches right? But ill bet you wont know these exercises which although they aren’t really considered Stomach Muscle exercises they are very effective at building better stronger abs.

Pelvic Floor Exercises
By: Alien | 15/05/2008
An inability to control urine flow as we age can be a socially embarrassing problem, but it can be managed. Stress incontinence - the loss of urine when you cough, sneeze, laugh or jump ­ is generally a result of a weakening of the pelvic floor muscles.

Indoor Inch-stepping
By: Alien | 15/05/2008
You probably have been wondering: What in heavens does it mean! It is a word we have coined because we feel it fits the activity to a T.

Balance Training and Balance Exercises
By: Alien | 15/05/2008
Falls and impaired mobility are a serious problem for our aging population. The good news is that much of the decline in balance can be reversed through a program of balance training.

The Facts and Myths to Women's Weight Training
By: Dorianne Schwaiger | 15/05/2008
Research continues to prove that weight training is great for women. It builds body strength and helps to slow bone loss and osteoporisis in some cases. However, most women continue to avoid resistance training out of fear of developing large muscles and losing their femenity. Read on and finally get the hard facts and bust the myths that surround womens weight training.

Permanent Senegence Lipsense Lipstick
By: Alien | 14/05/2008
What a lipstick is? It is a nonsense question to be inquisitive to several individual of every era leaving the children. It is attach of colors worn to color lips, what a straightforward reply!

More from Shawn Lebrun

How To Get In The Best Shape of Your Life
By: Shawn Lebrun | 14/03/2008 | Muscle Building
Learn what you have to do, each and every day, in order to get the body you've always wanted.

8 Simple Ways To Lose Fat
By: Shawn Lebrun | 14/03/2008 | Muscle Building
This article shows you 8 simple, proven ways you can lose more body fat in less time.

To Build Muscle, Get A Tan!
By: Shawn Lebrun | 14/03/2008 | Muscle Building
This article by Shawn Lebrun shows you how overtraining with your lifting routine is similar to getting a sunburn when trying to tan.

How Overtraining Kills Your Chances Of Building Muscle
By: Shawn Lebrun | 15/01/2006 | Fitness
If you're not gaining the muscle mass you want from your workouts, chances are, you could be overtraining. This article from personal trainer and natural bodybuilder Shawn Lebrun shows you what overtraining is and how it leads to problems in and out of th

The Only Way To Gain Muscle
By: Shawn Lebrun | 15/01/2006 | Fitness
If you're looking to gain muscle mass, this article by fitness trainer Shawn Lebrun reveals the only way possible to gain muscle. Start using the principle that's in this article and you'll begin to build muscle a lot faster.

More Rest Means More Gains
By: Shawn Lebrun | 14/01/2006 | Health
If you're feeling tired and sluggish, that can negatively impact your muscle and strength gains. This article by fitness author and bodybuilder Shawn Lebrun shows you why resting is important in making muscle gains.

How To Start A Muscle Building Program
By: Shawn Lebrun | 14/01/2006 | Fitness
If you're just beginning to work out, this article by fitness author and natural bodybuilder Shawn Lebrun will show you how to start your workout program. Skip the learning curve and cut out all the trial and error that most beginners go through.

5 Tools To Help You Gain More Muscle
By: Shawn Lebrun | 13/01/2006 | Fitness
If you're looking to gain muscle mass, this article by natural bodybuilder Shawn Lebrun shows you 5 effective tools you can use in your workouts.

Fitness Services

Article Categories



Creative Commons License




Give Feedback

Sign up for our email newsletter

Receive updates, enter your email below