Natural bodybuilding, or the bodybuilding practice that discourages the use of performance-enhancing drugs and supplements, is now on the rise. Well-known athletes, such as 35-year-old powerlifter and trainer Simeon Panda, are now huge advocates of natural bodybuilding and are looking to educate the public on the dangers of performance-enhancing drugs.
Panda has been on a strict natural bodybuilding regime since he was 15. Today, he has helped thousands of other people achieve their desired physique in a healthy and safe way.
If you are interested in bodybuilding and are looking to do it safely without compromising your health, here are some tips.
Watch Your Form
The quality of your training influences your progress much more than quantity, and this is done by implementing proper form every time. Incorrect weight training form can lead to sprains, strains, and other serious injuries like tears that will delay or even stop your training.
Remember to move through the full range of motion every time you lift. If you find yourself swinging your arms or body to lift the weight, you need to go back to a lighter weight first until you master the proper form.
If you have a specialist that can work with you or a spotter to correct you, even better.
Don’t Forget To Take Days Off
The idea that non-stop training results in more muscle mass is wrong.
If you train without allowing your muscles to recover, you will cause strain and possible permanent damage. In fact, a study published by the Frontiers in Physiology pointed out that there should be at least 48 hours of recovery between training sessions for strength recovery and muscle repair.
The best way to schedule your days off is to perform your routines only three to four times a week, avoiding the same muscle groups two days in a row. For example, you can schedule your leg day on Monday, while you work your arms and shoulders on Tuesday.
Ratio What You Eat
Bodybuilding goes far beyond training at the gym. Diet is just as vital to building muscle naturally. To this end, follow a high-protein and high-calorie diet.
Protein is essential for building muscles, with experts recommending at least a gram of protein per pound of body weight. This can easily be found in chicken, fish, eggs, milk, and some vegetables.
You need to make sure you eat enough, and to build serious muscle that can mean a lot more than you may initially realize. Top online health resource SymptomFind has a lot of research-supported diet articles on their website, and one of them warns readers about the dangers of consuming fewer calories than you burn.
Not only will you get tired more easily, but your mental health will drop because of the eventual fatigue, damaging your overall quality of life. The average calorie intake for bodybuilders is widely considered to be 3,800 calories per day for men and 3,200 for women.
Stick To Natural Supplements
Supplements are a huge part of the bodybuilding industry, yet many are performance-enhancing and may have long-term side effects, especially if you take steroids. (Read: Zyzz’s Death, a bodybuilding legend’s death directly attributed to performance enhancers)
Healthy bodybuilding means consuming natural supplements. These supplements are designed to fill in nutritional gaps and maximize the effects of training.
Here at Vekhayn, we have previously discussed the best natural bodybuilding supplements you can find on the market.
These include creatine powder, for example, which promotes muscle strength and increases the levels of muscle growth hormones. Beta-alanine, on the other hand, is a fatigue-reducing amino acid. It helps pump up your endurance between reps.
Remember, your pursuit of a healthier and more beautiful body should always be safe. Follow the ways listed above, and listen to what your body needs.
