How to Start a Bodybuilding Workout Plan

Starting a bodybuilding workout, especially if you've never done one before or you lead a sedentary lifestyle, can bring life and health altering changes. Like most new ventures, your chances of successful results from bodybuilding increase dramatically if you have a plan. Josh Lyon, Manager of Fitness Operations for 24 Hour Fitness USA, shares some guidelines you can follow to help you achieve the physique you desire.

Things You'll Need

• Free weights
• Cardio machines or a place where you can safely run, bike or walk

Show More

Instructions

• 1

  Set a goal you want to attain from bodybuilding. Do you need to lose 100 lbs.? Five lbs.? Have more muscle tone? Enter a Mr. Universe contest? Get Jennifer Aniston's arms? Matthew McConnaughey's abs? Your exercise plan, according to Lyon, will vary depending on the results you're working toward.

• 2

  Assess your current situation. You can't figure out how to get to where you're going until you know where you're at. Take note of your current fitness level, including how frequently you work out each week, duration of workouts and what sort of activities you participate in. Take a good hard look at your lifestyle. Do you sit at a desk all day? Do you drive everywhere? Park yourself on the sofa as soon as you get home?

  At this stage, Lyon recommends calling in the professionals. Invest in a personal trainer, for at least one session, who can take an experienced look at your body and posture and give you feedback on any muscle imbalances, joint problems or structural issues you have that you may not even be aware of. Lyon stresses how important it is to know exactly what is going on with your body before you start any workout regimen and nip those problems in the bud in order to prevent injury down the road. "You can't build a sturdy house without a strong foundation," he says.

  Lyon adds that a solid beginning to your bodybuilding plan will lead to more dramatic and positive results further into the program, as well as prevent plateauing, that dreaded state where your body stabilizes and it becomes harder to see results from your workouts.

• 3

  Educate yourself. If you belong to a gym, ask a personal trainer or someone who works there to spend a few moments with you to give you some tips and show you how to safely use the weights and equipment. The Internet is also a great place to get workout ideas that can help you attain your specific goals. Whatever exercises you do, Lyon emphasizes the importance of learning how to do those exercises correctly to avoid getting hurt. "You can't really work on getting great results if you're laid up from an injury," he adds.

• 4

  Set realistic goals. Lyon warns against setting yourself up for failure with too-lofty expectations. "Many people are very motivated when they make the decision to get into shape and start going gangbusters right away," he says. You'll see more results, he adds, if you slow down, create a plan based on progression and follow it in a way that fits comfortably into your lifestyle.

  Lyon recommends starting with three days of resistance training a week, working up to three to five days a week. He also suggests three days a week of cardio if you're looking to burn fat in addition to adding muscle tone. As you get in better shape, you can challenge your body by stepping up the intensity of your workouts.

  Be very specific with your workout plan. Saying "I'm going to work out today" will not motivate you as well as saying "I'm going to the gym at 5 a.m. and doing 20 minutes of cardio and three weight-lifting exercises," says Lyon. Also, start at a place that is appropriate to your fitness level. "Don't try to use every machine at the gym for whatever body part you're working on that day and don't try to match the workout of the biggest, most muscular guy in the weight room," he says. "You'll only plateau faster and possibly injure yourself."

• 5

  Adjust your diet. Your diet should reflect your workout goals. "Lifting makes you harder, eating makes you bigger," says Lyon. In other words, if you are using weight-lifting to tone your muscles but don't want to bulk up, eat fewer calories. Your muscles will get harder but not larger. If bodybuilding for size is your goal, eat more calories to bulk up.

• 6

  Focus on getting the most out of every exercise. Progression is key, says Lyon. Progressing at a pace that challenges your body without going overboard will allow you to see better results, avoid plateauing and prevent injury. When lifting weights, think about the intensity level of what you're doing, he recommends. For instance, start with three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions. By the 12th repetition of each set you should be at your 100 percent mark, which is where you feel like you might be able to do one more repetition, but it would require an extreme amount of exertion. Throughout the set you should be no lower than between a 70-75 percent intensity level, working toward 100 percent.

  Lyon also says that if your 11th or 12th repetition feels no harder than your first or second one, you need to either increase the weight you're lifting or the difficulty of the exercise. He also recommends rest periods between sets of no longer than 45 to 90 seconds, which is enough time to regain the majority of your energy stores while still keeping your body at a consistent calorie-burning level throughout the duration of your workout.