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The most important thing you need to do to start a bodybuilding program is of course either joining a gym where free weights are available or building a free weight gym at home. If you are just starting bodybuilding I strongly suggest joining a gym that has one or more personal trainers. This type of coaching is invaluble to the beginning bodybuilder as you have not yet learned to isolate your muscle groups when weight training. Isolation is critical for getting feedback by creating a muscle-mind pathway so that your targeted muscle communicates with your nervous system. This will take varying amounts of time depending on your genetic makeup and ability to concentrate when weight training a muscle or muscle group. The personal trainer will both demonstrate the exercise and observe you doing the exercise to insure that your form is proper. Getting in the habit of using good form will encourage the creation of the muscle-mind link that I referred to and this will let you isolate your targeted musculature more quickly.

Always warm up before a bodybuilding workout with 2-3 sets of low weight and high repetitions, at least doing 12-15 reps trying to stay in perfect form. Ask the gym trainer to observe your form as this is all important. Continue your routine targeting the same muscle group or body-part by doing multiple sets of heavier weight and lower reps until you max out at a weight that you can move thru 3-4 reps. Do this top set twice and then drop the weight down so that you can do a final set of 12 reps to failure, this is called the pump-out set and it causes blood to fill the muscle belly providing important bodybuilding nutrients and speeding your recovery. This sudden inflow of blood will help to carry away the brreakdown products produced during your previous exercise routine.

Cooling down after a workout is important and may be accomplished by doing a long series of abdominal exercises without weight and/or by doing 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise after your bodybuilding workout which should not exceed 90 minutes in length. I suggest that you break down your training to individual body parts exercising a major and a minor muscle for that body part on a daily basis so that your entire body is exercised with weight over a 3-4 day period, then take a day to rest and recover or if needed 2 days before repeating this cycle.

I have been a bodybuilder since the age of 36.  I trained as a diagnostic radiologist after attending medical school in Mississippi.  I added 10 lbs of muscle per year for a period of 4 years and by the age of 40 I reached my genetic plateau in terms of muscle mass.  I continue traing to maintain my muscle mass and acquire better definition.

For additional information about bodybuilding you are invited to visit my blog at http://www.customizedbodybuildingworkouts.blogspot.com where I am continuously posting new articles related to the bodybuilding lifestyle.  I can be reached for questions or comments at my email:  ajtolchin@gmail.com.