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An opinionated view on the essential tools required for beginners to start a training program
Hello People,
As a beginner a few years ago, I wasn't privy to good quality advice about what were the absolutely essential tools required to start bodybuilding. So, for those lost in the waste swathes of information out there not knowing what to start off with (as I was when I first started training), keep reading. For most others, I'd imagine, move along!
N.B One tool you absolutely do NOT need as a beginner is testosterone. You will NOT gain any extra benefits using steroids at this stage. Concentrate on a very good diet, an outstanding training regime, and plenty of sleep on the nights before you workout and the nights of your workouts.
1. Camera
If you don’t have a reference for what your body looked like before you started working out, it's surprisingly difficult to appreciate how much your body has changed over time. The camera in your smartphone is perfectly fine.
2. Gripper
A weak grip makes it increasingly difficult to perform exercises as you progress to heavier weights. It results in prematurely reaching strength plateaus on many of your exercises. The importance of building grip strength is well known in the sport of powerlifting but it is oddly missing from almost all beginning bodybuilding advice. Specifically, an underdeveloped grip makes it hard to perform heavy upper back, trapezius, and forearm exercises. A weak grip forces tension into your forearms, which consequently have difficulty sustaining the stress of a full workout. This makes it hard to finish all your exercises with proper form.
Each gripper you buy will have a fixed force, and most brands have three force levels. Men with average-sized hands should start with the trainer level. Women with average-sized hands grips should start with the guide level. Work your way through to the next two levels, if necessary.
3. Body tape measure
You can use a body tape to detect if you are failing to gain muscle after each workout.
4. High-end scale
You'll need to know your body weight to calculate the calories you should eat per day.
Beware: this will set you back about $100 (but they are well worth the price) and they measure body fat and graph your weight change over time.
5. Blender
You'll be blending protein powder with milk or water a lot, amongst other things. So investing in a very good brand will go a lot further than a cheaper one.
6. Magnet weights
Magnet weights help you when you have a hard time lifting heavy weights. On most gym equipment, weights increase in 5lbs (2.2kg) increments. This is historically arbitrary; just because you lifted 20lbs in a previous workout doesn’t mean that you're going to lift 25lbs the next time you step into a gym. Sometimes we can only increment by 2.5lbs, and that's fine! This is where 1.25lb or 2.5lb magnet weights come in: They are small magnets that attach to weights to increase their heaviness by 2.5lbs or 1.25lbs. Keep one on you at the gym so you can slap it onto a dumbbell, barbell, or rack when a 5lbs increment is too heavy. If you're using a dumbbell, you can slap a 1.25lbs magnet weight on each side to increase by a total of 2.5lbs.
7. Protein
You will need between $70-$100 a month in protein supplements. Take whey protein if you’re not lactose intolerant or vegan. Otherwise, take rice protein. Rice protein is as effective as whey protein thanks to its balanced amino acid profile. The effectiveness of casein protein is open to a lot of debate within the scientific community, so best to stay away from it as a beginner.
8. Creatine
Only men need this; research shows women don't benefit much from it. Research is inconclusive about how creatine actually improves muscle size gains, but what is conclusive is that it does.
9. Citrulline malate (optional)
Citrulline malate has been demonstrated to significantly increase the volume of sets (we’re talking an extra 50%) you can perform in a workout session. So, in those months where you're working on your cuts, it'd be a good idea to take this. There is no benefit to taking CM when not performing high-intensity, high-set workouts.
10. A gym pass!
Unless you're (1) a loner and (2) very rich, you're better off training in the midst of other bodybuilders in a well-equipped gym. In my experience nothing beats the friendliness of a gym.
11. Weightlifting belt
A lot of experienced weightlifters use it at all times when they're inside a gym. It is remarkable how easy it is to pull a back muscle when you doing something as mundane as lifting a (light) dumbbell from the floor to its station!
12. Weightlifting gloves
This will help with your grip and will protect the skin on your palms.
13. Rucksack
Sounds obvious, right? They're much better at holding things like weightlifting belts, gloves, magnetic weights, etc. than (plastic) carrier bags!
That's it...I think!
Hello People,
As a beginner a few years ago, I wasn't privy to good quality advice about what were the absolutely essential tools required to start bodybuilding. So, for those lost in the waste swathes of information out there not knowing what to start off with (as I was when I first started training), keep reading. For most others, I'd imagine, move along!
N.B One tool you absolutely do NOT need as a beginner is testosterone. You will NOT gain any extra benefits using steroids at this stage. Concentrate on a very good diet, an outstanding training regime, and plenty of sleep on the nights before you workout and the nights of your workouts.
1. Camera
If you don’t have a reference for what your body looked like before you started working out, it's surprisingly difficult to appreciate how much your body has changed over time. The camera in your smartphone is perfectly fine.
2. Gripper
A weak grip makes it increasingly difficult to perform exercises as you progress to heavier weights. It results in prematurely reaching strength plateaus on many of your exercises. The importance of building grip strength is well known in the sport of powerlifting but it is oddly missing from almost all beginning bodybuilding advice. Specifically, an underdeveloped grip makes it hard to perform heavy upper back, trapezius, and forearm exercises. A weak grip forces tension into your forearms, which consequently have difficulty sustaining the stress of a full workout. This makes it hard to finish all your exercises with proper form.
Each gripper you buy will have a fixed force, and most brands have three force levels. Men with average-sized hands should start with the trainer level. Women with average-sized hands grips should start with the guide level. Work your way through to the next two levels, if necessary.
3. Body tape measure
You can use a body tape to detect if you are failing to gain muscle after each workout.
4. High-end scale
You'll need to know your body weight to calculate the calories you should eat per day.
Beware: this will set you back about $100 (but they are well worth the price) and they measure body fat and graph your weight change over time.
5. Blender
You'll be blending protein powder with milk or water a lot, amongst other things. So investing in a very good brand will go a lot further than a cheaper one.
6. Magnet weights
Magnet weights help you when you have a hard time lifting heavy weights. On most gym equipment, weights increase in 5lbs (2.2kg) increments. This is historically arbitrary; just because you lifted 20lbs in a previous workout doesn’t mean that you're going to lift 25lbs the next time you step into a gym. Sometimes we can only increment by 2.5lbs, and that's fine! This is where 1.25lb or 2.5lb magnet weights come in: They are small magnets that attach to weights to increase their heaviness by 2.5lbs or 1.25lbs. Keep one on you at the gym so you can slap it onto a dumbbell, barbell, or rack when a 5lbs increment is too heavy. If you're using a dumbbell, you can slap a 1.25lbs magnet weight on each side to increase by a total of 2.5lbs.
7. Protein
You will need between $70-$100 a month in protein supplements. Take whey protein if you’re not lactose intolerant or vegan. Otherwise, take rice protein. Rice protein is as effective as whey protein thanks to its balanced amino acid profile. The effectiveness of casein protein is open to a lot of debate within the scientific community, so best to stay away from it as a beginner.
8. Creatine
Only men need this; research shows women don't benefit much from it. Research is inconclusive about how creatine actually improves muscle size gains, but what is conclusive is that it does.
9. Citrulline malate (optional)
Citrulline malate has been demonstrated to significantly increase the volume of sets (we’re talking an extra 50%) you can perform in a workout session. So, in those months where you're working on your cuts, it'd be a good idea to take this. There is no benefit to taking CM when not performing high-intensity, high-set workouts.
10. A gym pass!
Unless you're (1) a loner and (2) very rich, you're better off training in the midst of other bodybuilders in a well-equipped gym. In my experience nothing beats the friendliness of a gym.
11. Weightlifting belt
A lot of experienced weightlifters use it at all times when they're inside a gym. It is remarkable how easy it is to pull a back muscle when you doing something as mundane as lifting a (light) dumbbell from the floor to its station!
12. Weightlifting gloves
This will help with your grip and will protect the skin on your palms.
13. Rucksack
Sounds obvious, right? They're much better at holding things like weightlifting belts, gloves, magnetic weights, etc. than (plastic) carrier bags!
That's it...I think!
