Getting a Bodybuilder Physique

• 1). Get on a high-protein diet. If you want to build lots of muscle, you need to eat lots of healthy food--especially protein. At the same time, you need to be careful not to consume too many calories or you will just gain a gut and not abs. When bodybuilders gain muscle, they let their bodies keep a comfortable amount of fat. Ten to 14 percent body fat is a good amount to keep on, because it's not going to make you look overweight, and at the same time you have enough to not limit your muscle building potential. For your protein intake, eat plenty of fish, eggs, and poultry. Protein shakes and bars are also a great way to load up on the protein you need. For your carbohydrates, you want to eat plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole grain foods such as pasta, rice, and noodles. You can get healthy fats in your body by eating avocados, nuts, and vegetable oils. Also make sure you avoid drinking excessive amounts of alcohol because it will compromise your ability to grow and retain muscle.
  
  
• 2). Stick to a good workout routine. Ideally, you should work each muscle group two to three times per week. Compound muscle exercises that workout large muscle groups such as bench press, pullup squats, and deadlifts are essential. Start out with these energy taxing exercises so that you can exert all your energy into them before you become fatigued. Then move onto the isolated muscle exercises such as dumbbell curls, tricep extensions, leg curls, and calf raises. You should also be lifting fairly heavy weights. Pick a weight that you can do eight to 12 repetitions with for three to four sets.
  
  
• 3). Keep good form during the exercise. Otherwise, you won't be getting the full benefit of the exercise. When you do a lift, you should move the weight in a controlled manner. Using momentum to help complete the lift will cause your muscles to work less, and will also make you prone to injury.
  
  
• 4). Get plenty of sleep. Your body grows much more muscle while you are asleep than when you are awake, so it makes no sense to put all that effort into eating healthy and going to the gym if you aren't going to give yourself the rest you need. Ideally, you should be getting eight to 10 hours of sleep per night.