Start Bodybuilding

One of the best things about bodybuilding is that, for a certain amount of time, doing nothing is required. Weight training tears your muscles down, and you have to give them time to repair themselves and become stronger. You can lie on the couch, remote in hand, and tell everyone you're hard at work building your muscles.

Begin with a good diet. All the bodybuilding you do will be wasted if you're carrying around so much fat that no one can see the muscles. Eat a lowfat, high protein diet that includes fruits and vegetables for overall health. Drink plenty of water and avoid sugar, salt, alcohol and anything else that's unhealthy.

Consult with a qualified personal trainer for an efficient routine. Learn how to do each exercise correctly to maximize the benefit and minimize the risk of injury. Don't take advice from other bodybuilders because they might not know what they're talking about.

Train your entire body, and then take two days off. Keep in mind that it isn't just your muscles that need time to recover; your liver, kidneys, and other organs also need rest.

Get eight hours of sleep every night and take steps to manage the stress in your life. If you are running yourself ragged at work or partying all weekend, your body will be too worn out to build muscle.

Remember to do aerobic exercise for general fitness. Lift weights first, then hit the track or elliptical machine.

Keep a training log. Write down how many sets and repetitions you did of each exercise and how much weight you lifted. Whenever you can complete 2 sets of 10 repetitions, increase the weight.

Create a Fitness Boot Camp

A fitness boot camp has low overhead expenses, and can return high profits. When you decide to start your boot camp, remember you are not only a fitness professional, but a small business owner. Don't treat your boot camp like a hobby. Create your business with a passion for health and fitness, and remain confident in your ability to succeed.

Get and maintain credentials to sell yourself as a fitness expert. Not only is certification important to the safety of your clients, you can use the credentials as a marketing tool. Your certification will give you a strategic edge over those without formal training and certification. The American Council on Exercise offers personal training certification.

Develop a fitness program around the type of fitness approach you want to take. Do you want to create a boxing based workout, a workout with kettlebells, or a yoga-infused workout?

Address the nutrition component. Since ultimate health is based on proper exercise and diet, decide if you want to offer nutrition advice to your clients by bringing in a certified nutritionist.

Create a business plan. It takes more than passion to create a successful business. Even though a fitness boot camp has low overhead, it is a highly competitive market and you need to do the proper research and planning. The Small Business Administration and the Service Corps Of Retired Executives offer guidance on creating a viable business plan.

Get a business license. Operating a small business without a business license proves to the public that you are a serious business person. It shows that you are so committed to the fitness of your clients and that you report your profits to the government. Visit your local city hall to get information.

Pick a place to safely conduct a boot camp. Many schools and parks host boot camps; get permission to use these places.

Market your boot camp. After creating your business plan, you should have a clear idea of who your target audience is. Use social media, word-of-mouth marketing, referral programs and first-time promotions to get people to try your program.

Bodybuilding & Bananas

For some reason, bananas are often times feared by people because they are high on the GI (glycemic index). This is a chart listing how fast a carbohydrate spikes the blood sugar. There is no need to fear a substance that is natural and packed full of health-promoting nutrients. Bodybuilders know this and eat them daily. Learn why they do.

Function
When it comes to bodybuilding, it is essential to have the right amount of fuel to power workouts. The main fuel source utilized during exercise is carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. They are stored in the body as glycogen which in turn is what drives muscle contractions.
This is where the GI comes into play. If you eat foods that are high on the GI chart, then the pancreas is forced to keep releasing insulin to balance out rising blood sugar levels. This is a vicious cycle that can ultimately lead to diabetes.
In bodybuilding, the main objective is to gain lean muscle mass, so spiking the blood sugar is not the overall strategy.
With that being said, there is a time and place for high GI carbs. That would be the hour after a workout. It is at this point that the muscles are like a dry sponge and are in need of fast glycogen replenishment. Other than that, low GI carbs are the way to go. Bananas are actually a great source of nutrient-dense carbs and they fall right in the center of the GI chart. See Resources below.

Function
Bananas can also be integrated into a body builder's training table. Eating every 2 or 3 hours means eating smaller meals that are nutrient-dense. This gives the body a steady supply of nutrients and keeps blood sugar levels in check so there is no chance of unwanted fat gain.
Many bodybuilders eat this way to build lean muscle and not gaining unwanted fat. See Resources for the second link in which bananas are included in the meal plan.

Benefits
The actual nutritional content of a banana is very bodybuilding friendly. They have 3 gm of fiber, 2 gm of protein, 27gm of carbs, and are loaded with potassium. Potassium helps to relieve muscle soreness. If the diet is lacking in this key nutrient, then muscle soreness will persist causing workouts to suffer. This is never the goal of a bodybuilding routine.

Types
Bananas actually come in several varieties ranging in size from 3 inches up to 8 inches or longer. The most popular one is the Cavendish or Chiquita banana as these are the most heavily recognized and consumed variety in the U.S.

Plantains are a version that are most popular in India and they need to be cooked as they are really bitter. They have gained some acclaim recently in the states, but are not as user friendly as other types.

The Red banana is sweeter than a conventional banana and has more vitamin C and beta carotene. These are a good addition to a bodybuilders diet as they help increase immunity which gets compromised during intense weight training. They also have a pleasant sweeter taste somewhat reminiscent of raspberry.

The Baby or Nina banana is the runt of the litter. They stand in at about 3 inches in length, but they are a powerhouse of nutrition. They have all the benefits of the regular banana with the added addition of a high amount of Vitamin B-6. This is also quintessential for bodybuilding as vitamin B-6 helps with brain function and converting protein to energy. This would be a good reason to eat a banana slathered with peanut butter.

Misconceptions
As I mentioned in the introduction, there are a lot of people who fear eating bananas. There is no reason to fear them especially if you are a bodybuilder. They are a quick, easy snack, pre-workout meal, post-workout meal and an all around great supplement to add to the diet. They are universal enough to be used in any dynamic of a diet plan. They can be used for additional calories if you're looking to bulk up or they can be used by themselves if cutting weight is the goal.

Another myth is that bananas cause tooth decay. What causes tooth decay is simple carbs and sugars that lie on the teeth for long periods of time. Likely culprits are cookies, cakes, bagels and all day sipping of coffee sweetened with sugar. This causes bacteria and bacteria causes destruction and breakdown of enamel. Any residue that is left in the mouth from a banana can easily get rinsed away within a glass of water.

Make Your Own Sandbags for Fitness

Sandbags provide a different way to participate in both aerobic and anaerobic training. Making your own sandbags for fitness is not very difficult, and can be accomplished in a couple hours at most. Sandbags can replace the majority of weight lifting movements, such as deadlifts, squats, bench presses, and shoulder presses, and can also be used to perform cardiovascular training. Purchasing sandbags from a retailer can cost you several hundred dollars, so making them yourself can save you a great deal of money.

Purchase all materials from a hardware store. If you wish to make more than one size and weight of sandbag, purchase one canvas bag, one box of Ziploc bags, one roll of duct tape and the appropriate amount of sand, based on how heavy you want the bags to be.

Fill up one Ziploc bag at a time about 3/4 of the way full with sand. Seal the top of the bag and reinforce the seal by lining a piece of duct tape along it. Wrap two more pieces up duct tape around the bag perpendicular to each other, forming a cross shape.

Fill the freezer bags with the smaller bags until the freezer bag is 3/4 of the way full. Use the duct tape to seal the top, and then wrap a tape "cross" around the freezer bag, until the bag is thoroughly sealed.

Set the canvas bag on the scale. Begin filling the canvas bag with the individual freezer bags until the sandbag is the weight you want it. If there is too much slack inside the bag, then stuff old clothes or pillowcases inside the canvas bag until the sandbag is comfortable to pick up.

Test the bag before using by picking it up and slamming it against the floor and against the wall. Open the canvas and check for leaking sandbags and any tears or rips. If everything appears to be intact, then your sandbags are now ready to use.

Repeat the process above for each additional sandbag you would like to make.

Write a Fitness Resume

A fitness resume, like any other resume, should be eye-catching and should highlight your credentials as a fitness professional. In many ways, a fitness resume is similar to resumes written for other industries, but it needs to be specific to your time spent in the industry as well as include your training certifications. Industry professionals tend to recognize, however, that a standard resume will not always suffice for a career in the fitness industry.

List your contact information at the top of the resume. Include your full name, address, phone number -- both home and cell -- and email address. You want to make sure prospective employers know how to get in touch with you.

Create a list of your most impressive accomplishments. You will only list three to five of these skills on your resume. Place these skills under your contact information as a "Skills Summary" section the reader can peruse before continuing. This section acts as a brief glimpse into your greatest accomplishments and will set your resume apart from others. List each skill as a bullet point, and use actionable wording to catch the reader's eye.

Write your career or resume objective, which describes what you want to accomplish by submitting your resume in specific regards to the company or organization viewing your resume. Not having a resume objective can mean you just hope a person will look over resume. Stating a specific objective lets the reader know you have a specific purpose for applying with the company or organization. For example, if your hope to work as a personal trainer with a chain organization like Gold's Gym, your objective should include wanting to improve your status as a trainer by working for the top gym in the country. It should also state what kind of contribution you expect to make.

Create a functional resume rather than a chronological essay. Most resumes begin with your most recent job and then move backwards chronologically. If, however, you have obtained several certifications in the fitness industry, trained high-profile clients or have additional education or management skills, you can create a resume based on your skills and certifications rather than the chronology of your work history. You can also combine the functional format with the chronological format to create a resume that moves through the progression of your skills.

Assess Fitness Level

Knowing your current level of fitness means you can set goals. And followup assessments can reveal the effectiveness of your current workout program. Branches of the military, first responders, sports teams and leagues measure the fitness levels of their members and referees, and often set minimum levels. You may want to track cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility or other aspects of fitness.

Before You Get Assessed
While some fitness assessments, such as the three-minute Harvard step test, are relatively gentle and use calculations to predict your fitness level, many tests require an all-out effort. Such high-intensity effort can result in injury. Warm up thoroughly before performing any kind of maximal fitness test. For example, assessing strength using maximal weights is generally not recommended for novice or elderly exercisers.

Cardiovascular Fitness Assessments
Cardiovascular fitness assessments measure your ability to take in, transport and utilize oxygen during exercise and there are several ways to do this.

In the multi-stage running test, participants are required to shuttle between two cones placed 20 meters apart. Beeps on a CD or tape indicate the start of each shuttle. The beeps get faster as the test progresses, and when you can no longer keep up with the beep, the level you reach corresponds to a VO2 max score.

The Cooper 1.5-mile run test and the Cooper 1-mile walk test require participants to cover the allotted distance as fast as possible. The Cooper 12-minute run test requires you to cover as much distance as possible. All results are then compared to the relevant charts to reveal the results.

Other cardiovascular fitness tests include the Astrand cycle ergometer test, the 2,000 meters/2,200 yard rowing ergometer test, the Chester step test and the Balke treadmill test.

Muscular Fitness Assessments
Muscular fitness can be measured in terms of strength, endurance and power. Strength is the ability of a muscle or muscle group to exert maximal force, and is assessed by using a dynamometer, a device that measures force. Strength can also be assessed by lifting maximal weights for a single repetition of, for example, the bench press or the squat.

Endurance is the ability of a muscle or muscle group to exert a sub-maximal force for an extended period of time. Common tests of endurance include performing as many pushups or abdominal curl-ups as possible in 60 seconds.

Power is the ability of a muscle or muscle group to exert force quickly. The two-footed long jump, the standing high jump and standing triple jump all provide effective ways to test power.

Flexibility Assessments
The ability of a joint or joints to move through a range of movement, flexibility is affected by joint health and the elasticity of the muscles crossing that joint. Flexibility assessments involve measuring the range of movement available at a particular joint. This can be done using a device called a goniometer, or by performing functional movement assessments and comparing the results against accepted norms. To assess hamstring flexibility, you can perform a sit-and-reach test, which measures how far forward you can bend using a measuring board or ruler. Alternatively, lie on your back and lift your straight leg up toward the ceiling. Ideally, you should be able to raise your leg to around 80 to 90 degrees.

Become a Fitness Coach

A professional fitness coach is trained to provide personalized coaching and training to individuals who want to improve their level of physical fitness. Fitness coaches must have a varied skill set that allows them to understand where a person's level of fitness lies and guide them to where they would like to be. This includes proficiency in education, athletic training and exercise and health sciences. Professional fitness coaches can choose to work predominately with amateurs looking to improve their physique and overall health or with professional athletes seeking to improve their performance.

Begin an exercise plan, and take up a healthful diet. Preaching to others as a fitness coach while engaging in the same behaviors you would dislike seeing in your clients is the easiest way to lose credibility. The healthier you are, the easier it will be for your future clients to walk in your steps.

Hire your own fitness coach, if even for only a month or so. Seeing a professional trainer regularly will not only help you improve your own level of physical fitness, but you will also begin to absorb some of the techniques professional fitness coaches use to keep your motivation high and your growth steady.

Begin your search for local colleges or universities that offer fitness coaching programs to develop a solid foundation for your profession. Take classes in everything ranging from physiology to gerontology (how the body changes with age). Find an area of specificity that strikes you as interesting, and deepen your studies in this field. Also, consider taking adult education classes, which will provide you with the skills to coach others about fitness.

Begin offering fitness coaching services to your friends and family, and people around where you live, for a reduced cost. Check with professional coaches to get a feel for their prices, and adjust yours to about 50 percent to 70 percent of what they charge. This will provide your first opportunity to put your fitness knowledge into practice and will give you a feel for what it is like to coach an individual. You might also consider signing up as a coach for a youth sports league, which provides invaluable experience in what it takes to keep others motivated.

Once your program of study is complete, arrange for certification through the National Athletic Trainer's Association Board of Certification. Once you are a certified trainer, the next step is to complete your professional process by either working for a firm of fitness coaches or setting up your own coaching business. Contact the clients from when you were still learning, and let them know that you have been certified and are now a legitimate coach. They will likely understand your need to raise your prices, and often know friends who can be referred to you.