How to Begin Bodybuilding

A lot of people think about how to begin bodybuilding and I thought we should discuss this at the moment. The hard truth of the matter is that there is only one way to get those big arms and that is beginning bodybuilding. This brings us to the only two ways to start your walk in this sport: the easy way and the hard way. Your success is determined based on what you choose and what you want to obtain. For instance, if you are looking for bigger arms you can be successful with the easy way. If you want to go into competitions you should go for the hard way. In order to begin bodybuilding properly you will need high quality information about bodybuilding exercise routines, access to the equipment you will need and enough time to go for good workouts (this is not to mention being serious and keeping on being motivated).

Now most people just go to the GYM and start working out without even knowing what they are doing. They take a look around and see the big guy doing that exercise so let us do it as well as it will make us bigger. It sounds right, does it? The answer is NO, of course, as this is not a good way to begin bodybuilding. You will need a good start up workout plan that has to be put on paper so that you will stick to it. Now the biggest problem is that most wannabe bodybuilders will set goals for themselves that are simply impossible to reach. Your goals in bodybuilding need to be honest and realistic. You can not get to be like Stallone or Jean Claude van Dam (two examples of great bodies that are not into competitions but still look good) in 6 months. In fact, all your goals should be set at a time frame of at least 6 months. Keep in mind that beginner bodybuilders do not have the stamina of an experienced bodybuilder and you should not take it to heart if you can not keep up with a training routine like they might have. The only person you need to prove yourself against is viewable in the mirror in the morning when you are washing your teeth.

Your workout plan has to be built while thinking about some important factors. When you begin bodybuilding keep in mind that you should not put in more than 2-3 days per week in your schedule. Make sure at least 2 hours are allocated to each session and always do stretching and cardio before the actual workout. Cardio is also recommended at the end of the session so that you can burn additional fat. Do not put in advanced exercises and start with the basics. Do not put in too much weight as you should focus on correct execution. Keep everything in mind, always ask for help when you do not know something and all will be perfect.

What is Tae Bo?

I see a lot of people doing Tae Bo and I actually went to such a training session. I must say I loved it, it was a little similar to my personal combination of Mixed Martial Arts and ground exercises routine. Mine was more intense in terms of muscle usage but I really tend to think that Tae Bo is a lot better when talking about aerobics, muscle tonification and loosing weight. Tae Bo is basically an aerobic exercise routine. It was invented by Billy Blanks, an individual that practiced tae kwon do and boxing. By combining elements from these two styles of fighting and music choreography Tae Bo was born. It was the original "cardio-boxing" routine and basically uses martial arts movement at rapid pace while promoting body fitness.

Tae Bo is a combination of boxing and tae kwon do and this is where the name comes from. Later a backronym was thought of: "Total Awareness Excellence Body Obedience". Belive it or not, it all started in 1989 and thanks to the fact that Billy Blanks started training some celebrities like Paula Abdul in the nineties now we have some sort of pop culture type movement in some areas. Some of the best sold training DVDs out there are Tae Bo related and many gyms offer this type of aerobic training.

Do not think you will practice Tae Bo and learn martial arts. This is not the case. There are no throws, ground moves or grappling moves here. It is all intended to make your body stronger in terms of fitness. You might learn to kick and hit better but it will not really teach you to fight. If you think about fighting and self defense maybe you should try mixed martial arts for the most similar effect to tae bo in terms of intensity. Tae Kwon Do is also a very good option. To sum it all up this high-intensity workout in Tae Bo is aiming to increase cardiovascular fitness, strength, muscular endurance and flexibility. You will not get stronger or gain muscular endurance unless you really are a beginner at training!

Water in Bodybuilding

There is one simple rule that says: "If you do not know how much water you are drinking then there is a big chance it is not enough for your body!". Lack of water immediately transforms in a less effective nutrition plan. When on a diet water is the most important ingredient you need to look at and so few people understand this. Many individuals start counting calories, fat grams, protein take in but fail to know how much water they drink. As mentioned above this means they are not drinking enough. It is very important in nutrition and bodybuilding in general to know how much water you consume.

You also need to know some other facts as well. First, if you are thirsty it does not mean you are dehydrated. On the contrary, knowing how much water to drink depends on how thirsty you are. Secondly, it is said that if your urine is dark then you are dehydrated. That can not be considered to in bodybuilding or in any other sport because there are many factors that can change urine color to dark. The last myth you have to understand refers to caffeine. Many individuals belive that it dehydrates the body. Well, studies proved that it actually hydrates people that are used to caffeine and together with teas and sodas they can even be useful in hydration for some bodybuilders.

As mentioned above, drinking water should be done when you are thirsty. There is a chance to overdue it though and it has to be avoided. Let us keep it simple. Before a workout be sure you are hydrated and drink a glass or two of water. Then, every 15 minutes you spend at the gym should translate in another glass of water, especially if you are sweating a lot. Do not neglect water in bodybuilding, fitness or any other sport. It can help out!

Who Is Joe Weider?

Josef E. "Joe" Weider was born on November 29, 1922 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. 

He is the Canadian co-founder of the International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFBB) together with his brother Ben Weider. Joe Weider also created Mr. Olympia and Ms. Olympia. 

What few people know is that Joe Weider started his empire with just $7 at the tender age of 17. He built barbells out of car axles and wheels. Later he became a manufacturer of gym exercise equipment and one of the first people ever to focus on nutrition as a part of bodybuilding. 

His line of nutritional supplements is one of the most recognized across the world.

Joe Weider introduced the mental approach to working out. He never claimed to be an innovator. He always said he took different elements from different sources and synthesized them into bodybuilding. To sum it up, Weider is one of the first that put together and introduced a series of training principles that successful bodybuilders use today:

1. Pre-Exhaustion Training
2. Pyramiding
3. Super sets
4. Muscle Priority Training
5. Set System Training
6. Instinctive Training
7. Giant Sets
8. Tri-Sets
9. Staggered Sets
10. Compound Sets

We have a lot to thank Weider. Without him bodybuilding would not have been the way we know it today!

3 Forms of Creatine

Few people are aware of this simple fact but you should know that there are three forms of creatine available for buying: monohydrate, citrate and phosphate. 

What you also need to understand is that phosphate creatine is not easy to absorb by one's body and is not so effective in bodybuilding, so there is a big chance you will not get the expected results. 

With citrate creatine research is not conclusive although it does become more popular each day. Monohydrate creatine has been used in research in most cases and is the one that has the most proven results. 

This is why, until further news, you should try and look for monohydrate creatine in my view!