Ever tried a bodybuilding workout? It's totally different from what most of us do in the gym, a very targeted way of exercising designed to produce very definite goals.
However, there is much we can learn from bodybuilding workouts. People are often surprised that bodybuilding workouts have a clear set of principles behind them, but without these you are simply throwing weights around with no goal or structure in mind.
The key components of a bodybuilding workout are:
- Progressive Overload: This should be a key component of any training program. It simply means that over time you increase the load on the muscles - that means you either increase the weight you are lifting, or increase the number of repetitions.
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Multiple Joint Exercises: Movements that utilize several joints will provide a greater training effect than more isolated exercises. They use more muscle fibres, strengthening the body more and allowing you to generate more force. Good examples of this would be the clean and jerks, squats, lunges, or deadlifts.
- Training Speed: Coaches and athletes love to debate this, but the bottom line is that the more weight you move in the shorter period of time, the more effective your workout will be. This means that while maintaining immaculate form, you either perform your reps more quickly, or, more typically, reduce your rest time between sets. An ideal workout should be short, explosive, and carefully targeted.
- Split Routines: If building mass is your goal, then it is more effective to separate your body into various sections and perform exercises for one section per workout. There are numerous ways to divide your body, each of which offers different benefits, so you have to experiment to find the right one for you.
Of course there is much more to it, but these basic principles underlie all worthwhile mass building workouts.
