Some principles for effective body-building  

The training principles outlined here have been proven to effectively help build up muscle mass and strength.

However, there are also several other philosophies about effective muscle building. Also other philosophies can be effective, as long as you follow them seriously. A main difference between the different philosophies is the load you use and the number of repetition. The following principles are based upon a heavy load and few repetitions. Other philosophies are based on many repetitions and lighter load. It is also possible to make individual programs based on one philosophy at some periods, and on the other in other periods.

Two basic things  to build the most amount of muscle in the least amount are a consistant training program and a consistant diet. Your diet determines over 50% of the way your body is shaped.

There are many 'regulars' at the gym, and they always look the same as the months go by. This may be fine, if they actually are shaped as they want, and are training to hold that shape. Some older persons still have a slim and firm body like a teenager, but without any great muscles, and just have the aim of keeping that body shape. Then looking the same year after year is a success. However, if their aim is to build out the body, then they are doing something wrong.

Some of them are smoking outside after their hard workout, while others are walking around in the streets carrying McDonald's bags. If you eat properly consistantly, you will get your results twice as fast.

Then, you should have a goal. What do you want? Are you a woman wanting to get slim and toned? Or a male wanting to get lean and strong? Are you an athlete wanting to add muscle for indurance? Or do you simply want to get into shape? Or do you want to gain back the sexy body shape you had as a teenager.

It is important to define your goal to determines the type of workout you will be doing.

Each training session shall last from 45 min to 1 hour. If some day you do not manage to go through a training session, the try to divide the training in smaller sessions when you have a pause. The amount of training is important, how you divide it throughout a day is less important. But never skip training.

You should begin the session by warming up. This can be done by using lighter weight loads at the beginning, or you can warm up by jogging, jumping cycling or other activities.

You should also stretch some time at the beginning of the session before beginning the real training. Hold each stretch in 20 seconds.

Do 2- 3 types of exercise for each muscle group or body part.

For each exercize make 3-4 series or sets. Each series should contain 6-12 repetitions.

After each series, take a short brake to gain breath and rest the msucles.

To gain in muscle mass, do series with many repititions with moderate load.

To gain strength do series with few repetition with heavier load.

The effort you use at each series should be very near the maximal effort you can manage. At the last repetition in each series, you should simply not have much more to give.

In each exercise, do full movements, do not cheat.

It is adviceable to have sessions one day with one type of series, and another day with the other type of series.

As you get stronger, add to the weight load you use.

However, there is a border of load you should not pass. If you feel that the load gives you pain, or you do not feel well after an exercise, you probably use a too heavy load, and you should decrease the load to avoid hurting yourself.

You should complete the session by stretching out your hole body. hold each stretch in 20 seconds.

There are certain basic exercises that every body building program should contain. These are:

For the breast and the arms: Bench-press (laying and pressing weight up with your arms), military press (standing and lifting weight over your head).

For the arms: Biceps curl (holding the weight and flexing your underarm up and down), pushdown (standing and pushing your underarm down against a resistance, holding your overarm along your body).

For the back-side: Dead-lift (Bending down and lifting weight just up from the ground by straightening up your knees and body).

For the legs and buttocks: Squad (Having your weight on your shoulders and lifting up and down by flexing your knees).

However, to tune the shape of your body, you should add also other exercises, for example to get rounder buttocks, more marked wings, or greater biceps.

You should consult a text describing these exercises detailed to learn to do them correctly.

Nutrition

To develop your muscles most effectively, you should get  proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids at each meal. You should have 4-6 meals each day.

It is especially important to eact carbohydrates and proteins after each work-out. Tuna is a very good protein source. Low fat cheese is also very good. And then you can get protein concentrates that give you easily digestible proteins with the exact right composition for muscle mass building.

For many people many small meals is better that fewer big meals. But these things are very individual. you must simply try out and find how many meals are best for you personally. 

Many experts advice to eat every 3 hour. But remember, with so many meals, the meals shall not be very great to avoid eating yourslf fat. At this page you can read more about body-building nutrition: body_building_diet.htm