The Blog

Time to Jumpstart Your Training

As you grip a dumbbell in your forty-year-old hand and glance in the mirror at a physique that shows no sign of progress, you wonder, is it still worth it? Can my body reach the heights of its youth? Or am I doomed to go spiralling downward as age creeps up? Thankfully, the figure you’ve always wanted is a realistic possibility. You just need to convince yourself and learn how training at this age takes a slightly different approach. So, let’s turn off that middle-aged slump and transform our workouts to suit this stage of life.

Start With the Basics

There’s no doubt that training has evolved since the golden era of bodybuilding. The choice of training programs available, technology and equipment are on the up. It can be daunting if you’re just starting after a lengthy break from the weights; watching youngsters rep-up on exercises you never knew existed. But you’ve got to remember, whatever worked for bodybuilders decades ago, will still build muscle today. Don’t be afraid to include the basic bench press, squats or barbell curls in your routine—the pros still use them.

It’s far too easy to get carried away with creating a flawless exercise regime; one that will see you progressively pile on the muscle week by week, moulding you into a dream-like shape.

While there’s nothing wrong with precise workout planning, the only way you’ll get near your fitness goals is to look at diet—under a microscope. What we put in our mouth every day will determine whether we build muscle or lose fat.

Diet is that important. With that said, let’s look at some key tips to get you heading the right way.

Trying to follow the paths of your bodybuilding idols is not easy. They’ve built a career around sculpting themselves into shapes that are as close to perfection as possible.

Not only do these weightlifting masters have the know-how on physique; being in the public eye, they’ve learnt how to overcome the struggles of dressing well when you’re massive.

By the time they’ve had their pre-workout snacks and tied their laces, they’re dressed in a way that sparks confidence, and are set to attack the weights like only they know how.

So, what gear provides this polished look during training? And how do their sessions take them past a regular bodybuilding workout?

At some point, you’ve probably had a lecture about not drinking enough water. It’s highly likely that—somewhere in the back of your mind—you already know that this free-flowing substance is crucial for everyday well-being.

After all, the earth’s surface is mainly made of it, and so are our bodies. Despite water being readily available to most of us, the majority do not drink nearly enough of it.

Even experienced athletes and bodybuilders often lack knowledge on the importance hydration plays in performance, muscle building and fat loss. So how can this clear liquid help us to pile on the muscle?

Now that you’ve entered the realm of bodybuilding, you can see first-hand how demanding a task it is.

Putting your body through a torrent of soreness every week is testing at best. And having to forever be on top of a disciplined diet can overwhelm the mind. You’ll want to make sure the hard work is worth it.

To test if your weightlifting and diet are moving you forward, instead of those goals slipping away, you’ll need to track progression—the best way is to measure up.

Not only will you find out if you’re growing; measuring lets you see which muscle groups are shining, and highlights areas that need a step-up.

Having a colossal physique ought to fill a man with supreme confidence day after day, and in many ways it does. Others will gaze in awe at how you’ve sculpted your body into the chiselled wonder it is. And your frame will look mighty when curling dumbbells in a vest top at the gym.

But what happens when you step into the real world; out in the street, shopping mall or office—in high-street clothing designed for Mr Average-Build? The results are often not pretty, as your beautifully carved body is lost in limbo. Muscular men have it tough when it comes to clothes fitting. Here are some essential tips for those with mountain-framed bodies.

Bodybuilders have evolved enormously since they first stood on stage, and this moving of goalposts has meant the criteria upon which they are judged has developed accordingly.

Gone are the days where these giants were assessed on athletic ability or their public speaking skills and character. Today’s contests are a pure physical trial, where each athlete is scrutinized on the overall excellence of their muscular development.

But how are these highly competitive events judged? And what qualities do bodybuilders need to impress with on stage?

The latter slice of the 20^th century will live long in the memory for those who were around to witness it. We scratched our heads over the Rubik’s Cube, fanatically waved imaginary lightsabers and had our lives altered forever by the internet.

Meanwhile, another craze was erupting; bodybuilders were becoming larger than life, quite literally. Not only were they blowing up to sizes we couldn’t comprehend, but these outrageously proportioned athletes were becoming global icons.

This was the golden era of bodybuilding. But what happens when legends hang up their weightlifting gloves? Let’s take a glimpse into the lives of the most cherished iron men.

As another gruelling week nears its end, you look forward to escapism. The hard grind from work and the crazy gym sessions have left your battery down and in need of a fix.

That party, which has been long in the coming, is finally here and you intend to enjoy it to the max. But, before you turn up with a drink in hand, you’ll need to look the part.

Your mighty frame may give you a standout look—make sure it’s for the right reason. The sad fact is many bodybuilders get fashion wrong, and it’s often due to a badly fitted shirt.

The need for man to lift heavy objects and develop the body has been around for a tremendous length of time—an age where stone weights were the only way forward.

So, when you next step inside that hi-tech gym with machines beeping, flashing and vibrating, spare a thought for the hard toil of ancient bodybuilding. This public festivity of muscle development can be traced back to late 19^th century Greek and Egyptian cultures.

But how did an activity that was first used to prime the human body for everyday life, turn into the ultra-competitive sporting event of today?

Perhaps you’ve just taken up a new sport but a scrawny frame makes competing tough, or maybe you’ve seen a bodybuilding contest and picture yourself posing in front of a crowd.

It could also be that you look in the mirror each day not liking the reflection. There are many reasons a person may turn to bodybuilding; whatever the motive, it comes down to the same principle—you want to build muscle.

The world of iron lifting can be daunting if you’re just starting, but get the basics right and you’ll be well-armed.

Perhaps you’ve just received an invite through the post; clutching it with eager hands you picture champagne glasses, stylish décor and joyful chatter. You can’t wait to greet the loving couple on their momentous day.

Then you look down at the hulking chest, arms and legs in front of you and a wave of panic sets in. Same problem, different event.

How on earth will you find wedding clothes that fit?