Bodybuilding Training Programs

In the coming months and years, Ultimate Muscle and Fitness will be featuring a whole host of bodybuilding training programs with the intention of catering for the needs of men and women of all ages and all standards of physical fitness and well-being, and with specific goals in mind.

A person who has the intention of competing in a physique competition will not require the same bodybuilding training programs that someone looking to compete in a triathlon will, for example. Likewise, a 16 year old beginner should not be exposed to the same bodybuilding training programs as a hardcore veteran of 20 years experience.

At Ultimate Muscle and Fitness, our intention is to promote all levels of bodybuilding for everyone – from the 35 year old housewife who just wants to lose a few pounds, to the 25 year old Miss USA contestant who wants to get in the shape of her life. From the MMA fighter looking to add more strength and power for his next bout, to the 65 year old retired business who simply wants to add a few more yards to his golf drive – all can benefit from specific bodybuilding training programs.

Let’s take a look at two extreme examples of bodybuilding training programs. Power-lifting has been an established sport since the 1960′s and although somewhat overshadowed by traditional weightlifting which has long been a featured event in the Olympics, it is nevertheless extreme popular and respected as a sport in itself.

Bodybuilding training programs for powerlifting consist of several warmup sets to protect the joints, and then low-rep, heavy sets, rarely exceeding six repetitions, and often going as low as three. In addition, the lifter will also do single reps at maximum poundage, replicating the lifts they would do in a competition.

Unlike in bodybuilding, powerlifters are not looking necessarily to add muscle bulk. If a powerlifter is competing in a specific weight class, they are not looking to add size, just strength. Therefore, because added strength inevitably equates to added muscle anyway, to maintain weight they will lose a high percentage of body-fat, resulting in an extremely dense, defined, muscular physique.

By comparison, the bodybuilding training programs utilized by a soccer player would be far more complex and specific. Whereas the powerlifter is simply building strength, the soccer player needs a combination of duration and explosive speed, and therefore needs to develop the leg muscles via a whole host of different exercises, combining squats, extensions and leg press with long distance running and sprint training.

As soccer becomes more and more of a physical, contact sport, most top players have similar upper body development to boxers. This is not by accident – soccer players are encouraged to build up their upper bodies using specific bodybuilding training programs that develop lean muscle tissue and strength, without adding too much extra bulk. Excessive weight would inevitably hinder a player’s performance over a grueling 90 minute game.

When one takes into account how weight training can benefit virtually anyone at any age, and how workouts can be tailored to suit specific sports and athletes, the variety of bodybuilding training programs that can be developed becomes endless!