We all have to start somewhere. These tips will make the road less painful.

So you’re just getting into bodybuilding and wondering just what the hell you should do to make those gains. You’ve probably flipped through all the major bodybuilding magazines and websites only to find workouts geared towards the experienced and already acclimated. But what if you’ve been in the gym and looked at the equipment and have no idea where to start? Or maybe you’re a veteran whose looking to get some tips to stay motivated. If you’re looking to make some gains then we’ve got some tips that anyone can use to improve.

– Give it your all –

First things first: if you want to see some improvements in the gym then you better be willing to push yourself to the limit. Making improvements in anything requires mental focus. Don’t cheat yourself by taking things too casually. It’s no use hitting the gym twice a week with low intensity and expect to get ripped.
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– Warm up –

Don’t be an idiot and skip out on the warm up. Yeah, we all are in a hurry to see results and some people think by diving into this head first will ensure gains will come in just that much quicker. False! Do a proper warm up before hitting the weights or you’ll end up with injuries which will lead to time out of the gym and time away from meeting your goals.
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– Symmetry –

When you do start taking things seriously be sure to work each portion of your body with the same intensity. It makes no sense to have huge biceps with chicken legs or have massive quads with pitiful calves. Proportion is the key to having the aesthetically pleasing look you’re aiming for.

– Don’t skimp out on the squats –

This is a workout you’d be a fool to ignore. Squats are advocated as the best universal exercise out there. Getting the gains you desire will be well within your grasp if you have squatting in your routine. You’ll pack on muscle not only in your legs but your whole body as well. Still not convinced? Check out this article all about squats and then tell us if you think it’s worth skipping.
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– Keep Things Fresh –

Routines tend to be a double edged sword. On the one hand, it’s reliable and you don’t have to put too much effort into wondering what part of the body to work next. On the other, if you hit a plateau and stop making gains it’s likely because your body has grown used to your routine. The variety is a great spice in bodybuilding. Switch your routine up every so often to avoid the dreaded P word.
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– Do What Works for You –

There’s a notion that the workouts the pros perform will work wonders for everyone. News flash folks, we’re all different and not every exercise will effect us the same way. Try different workouts until you find the ones that work the best for you. And don’t forget, we have a wide variety of workouts available for you to try. Just flip through our Workouts page, try them out, and see what is a best fit for you.
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– Monitor What You Put in Your Mouth –

Had a hard session in the gym and feel like you’ve been making some great gains?  That means you can eat an entire pizza pie to yourself, right? That means you can binge for a week, correct? Wrong! You better not slack off because of a good training session. Your diet is just as important as how hard you train. Make sure you have a balanced diet in order to burn the fat and see the muscle you’ve worked so hard for in the gym. Check out our Nutrition page to get detailed info on how to maximize your bodybuilding diet.
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– Don’t be afraid to Push Yourself –

The heading says it all. If you’re not pushing yourself past your limits, then you’re likely not to see further improvement. Yeah, maybe keeping with the same weight and intensity can be fine for maintaining a physique, but bodybuilding is all about improvement and you won’t get anywhere if you’re content to lift the same, train with the same intensity, and call it a day. Push yourself past your limits and then you’ll have new goals to strive for.

– Form, Form, Form –

Form. It’s essential that you have proper form when you’re targeting each specific muscle. If you lose focus and get lazy about your form, you’re going to see some interesting results. And by interesting we mean lopsided. A giant right arm and a less than impressive left and all because you started to get lazy with the technique. Maybe if you got enough rest you’d have the energy to stay focused.
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– Go to Sleep –

Which brings us to one of the most over-looked, but perhaps most important element of bodybuilding – rest. One thing you should never neglect is adequate sleep. Sure, you could workout consistently, diet correctly, do everything correct. But go ahead and sleep two hours a night and lets see how many gains you receive in return. Your muscles need time to repair themselves in order to see growth and nothing does that better than proper rest. For more information about how to maximize your recovery – check out this article.

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