We all want to look great. Some of us also want to look buff and muscular. This type of look takes a lot of work and a lot of time. Here are a few tips to consider for a better bodybuilding workout and lifestyle.

* Remember to achieve the true look of a body builder you need to focus on the entire body, not just the arms and chest.

* You must gain wait to achieve the perfect bodybuilder look. This means you can’t be pencil thin and you can’t go on any fad diets. Yet, you also can’t just start eating a lot of junk. You need to gain weight, but not fat. You want to gain muscle. To achieve the perfect weight for bodybuilding, be sure to eat plenty of protein. You may even want to start snacking on protein bars and drinks.

* When performing your bodybuilding exercises be sure to wear clothes that will allow for free and easy movements.

* Drink plenty of water. When you exercise regularly and hard, you will sweat. This means your body is losing water. The last thing you want your body to become is dehydrated. If you can, drink water throughout your exercise session.

* Watch your techniques during each and every move. A great way to do this is by exercising in front of a mirror. Then you can see a lot of your movements. Another thing you should do is have someone watch your technique. Make sure this person understand how each move should be made. Proper movements are essential if you were to enter any competition. Plus, if you perform a routine wrong, you might injury a muscle or even break a bone.

* As with any exercise program, you should always warm up before starting the hard routines. You should warm up with some light stretches. Each muscle group needs a bit of a warm up session before you go right into the weight lifting. Then you may even want to use a treadmill or a stationary bike for five or so minutes. (For your heart)

* Begin with a small amount of weight and add weight over time. Do not add weight too quickly or you will risk injury.

* You can tell when you have the proper weight if you are able to raise and hold the weight for a count of two to four. You don’t want this to be really easy. Yet, you want to be able to achieve this. In other words, you want the weight to feel like a challenge, but one that you can handle.

* Only exercise when you can focus. If you are worried about something or if there is too much noise and you feel you can’t focus, skip your routines for the time being. If you try to lift the weights when you are out of focus, you could strain a muscle and cause injury.

* Set up an exercise schedule. This plan should allow for days when you don’t feel up to any exercise at all. Plus, it should allow for growth and slowly allow you to increase the amount of weight you lift.

Bodybuilding is a great sport. Yet, it is a sport that takes practice and commitment. By following tips from those who know what they are doing, you are sure to achieve greater bodybuilding skills with time.

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A video clip is circulating the Internet. One of the top bodybuilders in the world takes you on a trip through his kitchen. And unlike past such tours by other athletes – where they brag about their completely clean eating habits – this bodybuilder spills the beans on what bodybuilder really eat.

Chicken. Fish. Steak. Rice. Beans. Pasta.

Those are the bodybuilding staples that we expect to see in the kitchen of a top athlete, and he has them. However, next he breaks down the other foods he eats every day in order to reach the 5000 to 6000 calories he consumes in order to maintain his high levels of muscle mass.

Raisins. Peanuts. Waffles. Cookies. Ice cream. Even candy.

He eats fast food. He chews on chocolate chip granola bars. He loves potato chips.

While it might be hard to defend such a diet in terms of long-term health effects, this diet certainly does meet the requirements for bodybuilding success. This bodybuilder consumes 50 grams of protein at each of eight daily meals, giving him 400 grams or protein and 1600 calories from protein source, which is plenty. The remainder of his food sources contains the required fats and carbohydrates to round out the 5000 to 6000 calorie daily requirement, in both clean and non-clean sources.

How can he get away with this? First of all, he is a top bodybuilder weighing over 300 pounds. His body carries a lot of muscle, and muscle burns a great deal of calories. Second, he possesses an anabolic advantage. The compounds he uses give his body the ability to burn just about anything he consumes. Even ECA or Clenbuterol provide enough edge so that one can burn fat and gain muscle while eating almost anything. Third, the hours of weight training and cardio this athlete endures each week should be taken into account. Finally, his unique metabolic rate cannot be discounted.

Additionally, there is a whole ‘nother school of thought which says that barring basic body requirement, a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. This is still widely disputed and has obvious limitations (we all know that 1000 calories of marshmallows cannot be as effective as 1000 calories of steak, right?) but it’s an interesting point of view.

Consuming 5000 to 6000 calories each day would lead most of us to certain obesity. However, this athlete provides proof that some “junk” food is acceptable and useful in a bodybuilding diet plan, provided other factors are in place.

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Odds are, your local health/vitamin shop carries a well-stocked supply of muscle building nutritional supplements. In fact, you may find that there are so many, it is difficult to decide which one to try. You probably have certain goals in mind, and it can be difficult to choose the supplement that will best help you to reach those goals, especially when there are so many to choose from. In this article, we will try to help you narrow down your choice.

You should know that you can build up muscle without using supplements, but using supplements will definitely help you achieve faster results. You still have to work at building muscle; it won?t happen if you just sit on the couch all day, no matter how many muscle building supplements you use. By having a well-planned weight lifting and workout routine that you do everyday, and using supplements, you can build muscle, if you are willing to work at it. The most popular supplements that muscle builders use are multivitamins, protein, and creatine.

Multi-vitamins are a nutritional supplement designed to help those who don?t always eat a proper diet provide their body with the vitamins it needs everyday. It is easy to get busy and just grab whatever food is handy, even if it isn?t the most nutritious option. If you take a daily multi-vitamin, your body won?t have to suffer when you don?t have the time to eat as you should. These vitamins may not do a lot to help you reach your muscle-building goals, but they can keep you healthy and boost your energy, which is also very important.

Many bodybuilders rely on protein supplements to augment their exercise routines. Protein contains potent amino acids, which are effective at building muscle. If you are interested in building muscle, you definitely need either a high protein diet, or a protein supplement. If you take a protein supplement, most research shows that you should use 2 grams for every pound you weigh. So, if you weigh 200 pounds, then you would take 400 grams of protein each day. Protein supplements come in many forms, pills, bars, and powders. Look for a protein supplement that is made up of eggs, soy and whey.

Creatine supplements will help you not only build muscle, but will also help your muscles recover faster after workouts. If you lift weights, some lifters say that they are able to do more reps when they use creatine supplements. You have what is known as a loading period, usually one week, and then you use it for a few weeks, stop, and start back again, depending on the supplement manufacturers directions found on the label.

The right nutritional supplements can help you build muscle, provided you use them correctly, and in conjunction with muscle building exercises and a healthy diet.

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It’s been a few years since I step on a bodybuilding stage (15years) but one of the tools I used for success in competition was visualization. Most bodybuilders don’t apply this technique to their training but it really makes a difference in not just your confidence but also you physical performance.

We have all heard how Michael Jordan used to imagine himself making the game winning shot every night and I think it goes without saying that many teams tried to keep the ball away from Michael Jordan because of it. His visualizing making that shot was only a mental formality that his body had to play out. The shot became very easy because he made it again and again and again in his mind. So there were no problems with him making it again with the ball.

Pre-workout Visualization
There are a number of visualization techniques that can be used in bodybuilding and fitness. The first is what I call pre-workout visualization. In this technique I actually see myself doing my sets each one individually, rep by rep. I know how many reps I would like to compete for each set, then visualize myself doing that number of reps with a slightly heavier than normal weight than I would have before.

When it comes time to actually do that set with the given reps and weight, I have already done it in my mind and amazingly can most of the time complete it in the physical.
Now this is not some mystic mumble jumble it works because you mind is already prepared for the task at hand!

Contest Visualization
When preparing for a contest I use a slightly different method of visualization, I’ve found this to be exceptionally effective in preparing for a contest, especially in respect getting out the pre contest jitters

I visualize my body in comparison with other competitors, me actually receiving the first place trophy, and even my diet and other training events, but I always visualize myself as the greater than I already am.

I visualize my diet for that week I even visualize myself turning down bad food choices from family and friends, and only accepting the healthy muscle building selection.

If you know where the competition is go there and look at the event area and imagine the lights the crowds, all cheering for you. Make the atmosphere as positive for you as possible, then go home and visualize the competition as you would like it to be, and don’t be afraid to embellish a little..

If you can’t get to event because of distance than get pictures of it off the internet and use those picture to form you imagination.

The last thing to do is get to the event center early while they are setting up for the show ask which trophies are for the class you are competing in and visualize yourself receiving the trophy again

I sometime actually talk to the trophy, telling it that its coming home with me, and telling it how honored that I am to be competing for such a great trophy.

This may sound crazy and you will seem some what cocky around others but you will live up to your own expectations and greater than you can ever expect from yourself.

Visualize every day and whenever you feel down or fat of unmotivated or just plain tired visualize your success and you will get it!

The Process of Visualization
Before you visualize you must be quiet! Now this is not the absence of noise but the calming of your mind and spirit. This is very similar to mediation or praying in the presence of God, so don’t be shocked it you find a new desire to re-unite with God. Or if you are already a practicing Christian you may find yourself understanding the wisdom of God at a more personal level.

Take a deep breath and hold it until you can hold it no longer but when you release it do is smoothly and controlled, breath normally. I know many people that are into the breath counting but I find this relaxes me much faster than breath counting, or emptying the mind or any of that Zen Buddha stuff.

I would look at a photo of the event center first this put thing into real perspective. Then I close my eyes and visualize what I want to happened during the contest. The more detailed you visualize the better the chances are you will experience the success you desire

Go through the pre-judging, comparison, evening show, your posing routine and even the crowds standing ovations after your routine. Leave nothing to chance and do visualize often once a day at lease maybe more if you need to.

With the introduction of every imaginable new drug and supplement in the sports of bodybuilding and fitness, I think the use of visualization is an amazing simple process that does not cost a dime and will yield the results like you never thought possible.

God Bless
Troy “Awwsum” Pearsall

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