Personal Fitness: Guide to Choosing a Bodybuilding Program
Not all bodybuilding or workout programs are created equal. If your most-admired bodybuilder, athlete, or fitness personality shares their program for public use, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will fit your current fitness level to help you meet your future goals.
Your bodybuilding program is one of the most critical components of your fitness journey. It’s not all about lifting heavier weights; it’s about engaging your whole body and will even influence your daily habits. The right training program is especially crucial for beginners because it will be the main factor that will dictate future success.
Read on for a guide to choosing the best bodybuilding program for you.
Step 1: Look Inward
It is nearly impossible to achieve success in the fitness world if you don’t look inward and analyze your current condition. This is why you need to know your baseline before you can move forward. You should know your body intimately, how it reacts to certain types of exercise, how excess fat sits on top of your muscles, and even what time of day is best for your workout.
Every person is unique, and there is no such thing as a universally perfect bodybuilding program. First, you need to determine which category you are in: beginner, intermediate, or advanced. This delineation is an important factor in deciding what programs you can use.
Beginner – If you’ve been a gym-goer for less than six months or you’ve gained less than 25 pounds of muscle in your journey, you are still in the beginning stages of your transformation.
Intermediate – If you’ve been successfully training for over 12 months and have achieved significant gains, you are likely on the intermediate level. If your progress has plateaued in recent months, you need a true expert to guide you.
Advanced – Professional and competitive bodybuilders are on this level. They are true athletes that have spent several years training at peak performance.
Step #2: Set Goals
Setting specific goals is another important step at the beginning of your bodybuilding journey. Everyone wants to gain muscle mass, build strength, or improve endurance. But beyond that, what do you want to achieve through your bodybuilding program?
Are you a skinny person who wants to bulk up? Do you want to shed extra fat and get in shape? Or do you want to achieve a professional-level physique and maybe throw your hat in the ring for fitness competitions in the near future?
Your bodybuilding approach and corresponding training program should help you meet your specific fitness goals.
Step #3: Start Slow
Fat loss, muscle gain, and a bodybuilder physique don’t occur overnight. Not even over one week or one month. You are in this for the long haul, so you need to be kind to yourself and start slow.
Bodybuilding is difficult to work, and it requires tremendous amounts of dedication and patience. If you push too hard too fast, you will almost certainly get injured, leading to weeks or months away from the gym. That is the last thing you want. Slow and steady wins the race!
Conclusion
The best weight training and bodybuilding programs account for your baseline, body type, and specific goals. The perfect program is one that’s built just for you. Although handling your fitness journey yourself inspires commitment and dedication, you will also benefit from personal support and coaching.
At Award Winning Fitness, we are dedicated to bringing the ultimate personal training assistance to our clients. We also include individual nutrition plans with all our fitness training programs. Sign up for Bodies by Design Personal Training in Pflugerville, TX, today!