A Beginner’s Guide to Bodybuilding

Writer and expert1 year ago

Meet Collette, full-time bodybuilder and NXTGEN ambassador. Collette hits the gym to work on her bodybuilding skills up to five times a week — so it’s fair to say, she knows her stuff.

If bodybuilding’s something you want to get into but don’t know where to start, try out Collette’s workout and supplement routine.

Get to Know Collette

What’s one piece of advice you would give to a beginner in your sport?

Perseverance is important. Learning a new skill is super-rewarding but also doesn’t always come easy. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need advice or a demonstration or an explanation of the skill.

What’s your favourite song to work out to?

Never Let You Down by Example & Kanine. The song is the perfect mix between drum and bass, with pop. It’s an upbeat, energetic song.

What's your most embarrassing moment in the gym?

I went to sit on a 24” box, missed and fell off it backwards.

What's your proudest fitness achievement?

I have two. Hitting 170kg on hip thrusts for 6 and 100kg on squats for 3. Both are big achievements, as I find both movements challenging to do heavy weight on.

Favourite Myprotein product?

Creatine.

Collette’s Supplement Routine

Alpha Pre-Workout

Collette takes Alpha Pre-Workout right before a workout, mixing one scoop with 200ml of water.

Alpha Pre-Workout contains 300mg of caffeine per serving — making it your secret weapon in the gym.

Creapure Creatine

Creatine is proven to boost performance. Collette adds one scoop of Creapure Creatine to her 1L water bottle to drink during her workout, but it can also be added to shakes.

Vanilla Impact Whey Protein

Collette mixes one scoop of Vanilla Impact Whey Protein with 750ml of milk, and drinks it straight after her workout.

With 21g of protein per serving, Impact Whey Protein supports muscle growth and repair post-workout.

Crispy Layered Protein Bar in Chocolate Caramel

For a sweet snack, Collette will have a Crispy Layered Protein Bar.

There’s 16g of protein in every bar, making them the perfect high-protein treat to get you through an afternoon slump.

Multivitamin Gummies

Collette takes Multivitamin Gummies to stay on top of her daily vitamin and mineral intake.

Packed with essential vitamins — including vitamin C to support the immune system and biotin to keep skin and hair healthy — it's a great addition to your supplement routine.

Bodybuilding Beginner’s Workout

[Reviewed by PT Simon Cushman]

This workout is aimed at improving lower-body muscle size using fatigue and metabolic stress — you might find you’ll be quite sore after the session in the days after.

Warm-Up

Start with a 10-minute warm-up. This could include any of the following exercises:

Skipping (for coordination, power and footwork)
Running (treadmill or outdoors)
Cycling (takes the impact out of the work but still increases heart rate and temperature)
Rowing (great for a full-body warm-up)

Leg Day Session

1. Dumbbell sumo squat

Start by holding one dumbbell with both hands between your legs.
Stand with your feet turned outwards and legs wider than shoulder-width apart.
Squat down to 90 degrees, then push back up. If the dumbbell is big or long, you can stand on two aerobic boxes to increase the range of movement.

Complete 3 sets of 8 reps.

2. Romanian deadlifts

Pick up two dumbbells or a barbell.
Push your hips back, keeping your back straight and knees soft.
You should feel a stretch in the hamstrings.
Drive your hips forward as you stand back up.

Complete 3 sets of 8 reps.

3. Elevated lunges

Place one foot on a weight plate or step, and the other two steps behind on the floor.
Hold the dumbbells in each hand or a bar across the shoulders.
Lower your back knee so it almost touches the floor, keeping the torso upright.

Complete 2 sets of 10 reps each side.

4. Adductor machine

Set the machine up to go through as large a range of movement as you can, bringing your knees together to touch each rep.

Complete 2 sets of 12 reps.

5. Leg extension machine

Set the machine up to go through as large a range of movement as you can.
Make sure you control the weight through the full range of movement and not swing up and down.

Complete 2 sets of 12 reps.

Take Home Message

Going into the gym without a plan can be daunting — Collette's beginner workout is a great place to start. And make sure you supplement your routine to get the most out of your bodybuilding.

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