Where to start?

When people take up body building it is usually as a result of seeing the impressive physiques of the professionals – whether those professionals be pro body builders, weight lifters, boxers or any other kind. It is natural to see the power that such a physique gives to an individual and want to have the same thing. It is also, unfortunately, something that is beyond many of us and at the very least will require years of committed training for the rest of us. When you are starting out, the goal that you are chasing is still some time off. There is a lot of groundwork to lay down first.

Put simply, the early stages of a body building regime will be about getting toned rather than really building muscle. In order to get to the point where you can even hope to start lifting the big weights, you need to start with smaller ones. It is about progression. Trying to do too much too soon will have the sole result of causing injury, and once that happens you will be in no position to do any training at all. It is more important to pace yourself and prepare for the hard work to come.

Some of us are naturally built more slender than others. That being the case, there is no need to assume the slender ones cannot build themselves up a few levels. In actual fact, a slender physique can be advantageous in the early days of body building, as it allows one to move more sharply and quickly – something which is important in building up those reps.