Beginner Bodybuilding Fundamentals for Long-Term Progress

Man was it a great time when we first got into the gym!!!! When I first started almost a decade ago, I knew very little about building the ultimate physique other than I wanted to be big and jacked!! And that desire was so strong that it propelled me to make tremendous progress over the years. There was some trial and error along the way of course, but the main principles have and always will remain the same.

• Consistency 

• Food 

• Intensity 

• Repeat 

There we have it, these 4 aspects of the puzzle are the real pieces as a beginner that will lead to long term progress in the gym. What you do not see here is mention of steroids, supplements, a crazy workout program or any other bullshit add on that we have nowadays. After all, they are ADD ONS, and not the bulk of the equation. 

When it comes to consistency, one of the biggest questions that is asked is how many days a week should I train as a beginner? The answer to that really depends on how many days you can realistically stick to long-term, with appropriate intensity and repeat that for a very long time: i.e. months and years. If you can only stick to 3 sessions a week, then that is your best bet. If you can realistically stick to 5 or 6 then that is your best bet. I would say 6 being the max and 5 being the preferred, but it really depends on what you're putting into those sessions and how consistently you can replicate that over time. 

Now comes the food, and we always hear just how important this aspect is to overall progress. Well I am here to tell you that it really is that important. Without food there is no physique, period. You will not grow and I do not care how many supplements you take or how many days a week you train. You will not grow unless there is ample food in the equation. We hear about 6 meals or 5 meals a day, sometimes even 3 and it can get confusing to try and decipher just how much food to be eating for long-term progress as a beginner. The best thing to do is eat until you are full and do this starting 3 times a day, then 4 and then 5. Eating until you are sick of eating, to the point your body tells you no more. That's how you know you are reaching the limit as to what your body can currently handle. Everything in bodybuilding is about getting uncomfortable and slowly pushing the envelope further and further and food is no different.

Now the final aspect is training intensity. You have to be intense and push yourself in the gym if you want long-term progress and that is just a plain fact. You have to train in a way that is challenging, with increasing heavier weights and larger rep ranges. You have to create a need for your body to respond and need to grow. There has to be a reason, just as much as there needs to be the building blocks set in place to allow for the progress. You must break a sweat and you must challenge yourself to or almost until failure. Then go home, recover and eat and repeat for months and years. That my friends are the components necessary to create a physique that stands out as a beginner.