Whether you are looking for a bodybuilding workout routine to prepare for competition or simply one that will help you to reclaim the muscular body of your youth, you will need to find a program that will be tailored to your unique situation and goals. There are plenty of options for resources, from your local gym to Internet sites, but how do you know which routine will work the best for you? Sometimes it can be a matter of trial and error to develop a bodybuilding workout routine that you enjoy and that gives you the desired results. However, there are a few basic guidelines in weight training that will help to get you started.

Beginner Bodybuilders

If you are just beginning a bodybuilding workout routine, your first step should be into your doctor’s office to ensure that you are healthy enough for this type of workout. Your doctor can also advise you as to the best choices in bodybuilding workout routines for you. Your next step should be to your local gym or fitness center to find a personal trainer that can help you to tailor a bodybuilding workout routine to your unique needs and goals. You don’t have to continue to work with the trainer indefinitely, but a few sessions will ensure that you are working on a good program, and that you are performing the individual exercises properly.

While it may be tempting to jump into a daily bodybuilding workout routine to see results as quickly as possible, keep in mind that even the most experienced bodybuilders do not pick up weights every day. It is best to give your muscles 24 hours in between workouts to rest and recover. You may think that it’s okay to work your shoulders one day, your triceps the next and your chest the following day, but in reality, your triceps are working overtime since they are needed for all three of these muscle groups. Some weight lifters will do the upper body exercises on one day and the lower body the next. This works well for those with limited time, but a full workout every other day is generally the preferred bodybuilding workout routine for most bodybuilders.

Advanced Techniques

Once you have gotten into the groove of a good bodybuilding workout routine, keep in mind that you are going to want to modify that program every four to six weeks. This will ensure that your muscles continue to be challenged to their peak efficiency, and that muscle mass will continue to grow. Once your repetitions become too easy to complete, it is time to up the weight amount and the difficulty of your workout. A good series will include some easy repetitions at the beginning of the set, and some very challenging ones at the end. If you are having difficulty completing the last couple of lifts, you are probably right on target with your bodybuilding workout routine.

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Looking for some home fitness or home gym equipment? Confused by the endless reviews for Bowflex, Nautilus, Nortic Track, Golds Gym, Weider, Schwin [and about 100 other] types exercise equipment?

Well, it’s your lucky day. After thousands of hours spent reading exercise equipment reviews, opinions, and ratings, I can tell you with 100% certainty what the best home or gym exercise equipment is:

It’s the equipment you’ll really use.

It really doesn’t matter what brand you buy. Just shop around and don’t buy off brand junk. Fitness equipment is like a car. You can spend a little, or you can spend a lot. Regardless of the price, a cheap car will get you where you want to go just like an expensive car. Likewise, fitness equipment will exercise your body whether it costs $500 or $15,000.

A majority of fitness equipment comes from China. For example, Icon Health and Fitness makes all these brands: Nordictrack, HealthRider, Proform, Reebok, Weslo, Image, Weider, and JumpKing. Since one company makes them all, do you think the difference is all that great?

So when you ask me to offer a impartial rating of exercise equipment, my answer is the same: What do you want to use it for? Meaning, the type of equipment you need is more important than the brand. So decide what your objective is first, then go online and browse some honest consumer reviews of exercise equipment.

For example, I don’t like running. So the worlds most expensive treadmill wouldn’t do me much good. However, I don’t mind the low impact cardio you get with a stair stepper or elliptical machine. In all reality, I could put some rocks in a backpack and go up and down some stairs for about twenty minutes- and get just of good of a workout- or even a better one- than I would get from even the best exercise equipment.

That being said, I really recommend whatever exercise equipment you’re reviewing- you try it before you buy it. When I went to buy a new elliptical, I tried about twelve different ones. The one I bought didn’t come after reading a bunch of consumer reviews of exercise equipment, it came from deciding which one felt the most comfortable. A few machines felt awkward, a few others, the stride was too long. So the best fitness equipment for me wasn’t a matter of name brand or price, it was which machine did I think I would actually use.

So sure, look up exercise equipment reviews on line [just be careful the review is written by someone that’s not selling the machine]. Just like most everything, you get what you pay for. The most critical part is this: Don’t count on any machine to change your habits for you. That’s why the classifieds are so full of hardly used home fitness equipment. If you want to save A LOT of money, change your exercise habits first. That takes about three or four weeks for most people.

If you can’t exercise consistently everyday for several weeeks by just going for a walk or any other activity that gets you moving, the best exercise or fitness equipment in the world isn’t going to change that for you.

As much as hate to always bring this up, you need to remember the reality of the situation: Nearly 2 out 3 Americans are overweight or obese, while spending over forty billion dollars annually on diet, weight loss, gym memberships, and fitness equipment.

If you can change your habits on your own, great. If you can’t, I highly recommend you read New Body New Life first. It will help you see your unhealthy habits, but most important, it will show you how to change them over to healthy ones. At $39.95, it’s just the fraction of the cost of most of the fitness equipment you can buy. Check it out, you have 60 days to look it over. It could save you ten times that much.

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Can’t decide on where to buy your kettlebell? You can either buy kettlebells online or personally from a specialty store. But before you do, remember that both options have their own perks and downsides.

So whether you go kettlebell shopping or decide to take quick trip to your nearby Local Academy, Sports Authority, or to your favorite sporting goods store…here are a few things to consider:

The main advantage of buying it personally is you can pick out your own kettlebell. You can have real-time trial and feel actual weight of the kettle bell.

You can also personally choose the kettlebell weight that suits you best.

Plus, you can  meticulously inspect your kettle bell - look over it carefully for damages or imperfections.

Moreover, buying it personally on a local store saves you the wait and added costs from shipping . This is a plus since kettlebells are considerably heavy, and for sure you’re all excited to start your new work out routine immediately.

Besides sporting goods store, some good places to scout for kettlebells are:

Gyms and Martial Arts clubs

A source which is often overlooked is your local gym or Martial Arts group. You can inquire if they are using kettlebells or if they have kettle bells for sale (occasionally they get a good deal on a bulk lot, and have a couple of ’spares’). You can also ask where they buy their kettle bells.

Fitness expositions and seminars

Typically, good deals are found here since there is a wide range of participants who most probably can assist you on your hunt for your kettle bell. Even if you can’t make it to the actual expo or seminar, check in with the exhibitors to see if they have any kettle bells for sale. Good deals are often found this way.

A friend of a friend

Lastly we come to the ‘friend of a friend’ approach. If you know of someone who has an unused or spare kettlebell lying around, make them an offer. This way or purchasing is quick and convenient.

But what about buying online?

Buying kettlebells online also have its own plus factors. Although you will be paying additional shipping fees, more often than not, you will get a wealth of bonuses. 

These add-ons are usually in the form of books, DVDs or some small athletic equipment. If you’re getting your first kettle bell, a bit of ‘how to use it’ information is often very well received.

Also keep in mind that bulk buying is often cheaper—postage is less and most probably and at the same time you will get more freebies.

Convenience of package delivery is also a plus—no need to lug around heavy equipment. Just don’t forget to ensure that your online source is credible and has a known track record for online kettlebell selling.

Whether you buy online or in local sporting stores, just make sure that the kettle bells you are getting is the one suited to your exercise regimen.

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