The sport of bodybuilding revolves around the development of lean muscle mass while shedding excess body fat. You can develop the body of your dreams through a combination of various exercises such as strength training, weight training, endurance training, flexibility training, resistance training etc. Bodybuilding is popular among both men and women and is pursued for various purposes. Some enthusiasts take up the sport in order to boost their self esteem, while others want to make a career out of it. There are a variety of
bodybuilding equipments available in the market these days that can be found at commercial gyms as well as several sports goods stores. Since the sport involves rigorous exercises, it is essential for you to take proper guidance from a certified bodybuilding trainer in order to reach your desired goals.
Tips for buying bodybuilding equipment:
If you are not willing to work out in a gym, you could start by performing various exercises under the guidance of a trainer at home. Equipment is the backbone of all body building workouts. Before investing in any type of equipment, you must focus on the availability of funds and space. You must consider where you will be installing the equipment once you’ve bought it. Some of the most common choices would be the garage, terrace or the basement.
Shop around: You must look around a number of sports goods stores, company stores as well as on the internet before buying any machines. Compare the prices, quality, functions and benefits of each piece of machinery.
Avoid falling for testimonials: If a particular brand states that you will be able to reach your goals overnight by using a particular piece of equipment, don’t fall for it. There are no two ways around hard work. Therefore, it is essential for you to invest in a piece of equipment wisely and after much consideration.
The more iron the better: Since the focus in bodybuilding is on developing lean muscle mass, it is essential for you to pump iron. Therefore, the equipment that has more iron and metal will be better than lightweight machines.
Home gym: You must try to invest in a machine that is likely to incorporate a number of workouts rather than just one or two. This will enhance your overall performance and help you avail maximum benefits from your workout program.
Types of bodybuilding equipments:
These are of two types:
Free weights and
Machines
Free Weights are the most elementary form of
bodybuilding equipments. They are not attached to any sort of pulleys, cables, pins or weight stacks. They consist of barbells, dumbbells and weight plates.
Barbell: It is a long iron bar measuring between 4 to 7 feet in length on which weight plates are placed. Barbell exercises are performed by holding the barbell with both hands. There are various types of barbells:
Olympic Barbells: They are 7 feet long and weigh 45 lbs. These are hardcore, heavy duty bars that can handle huge weight load of over 800lbs. Some Olympic barbells can also handle the weight load of over 1000lbs. They are huge in size and are used for heavy basic exercises such as bench press, squats and dead lifts. A smaller version of Olympic barbells are 4 to 6 feet long and are used for lower level exercises such as barbell curls, shoulder presses, bent rows etc.
Standard Barbells: They are the most commonly available equipment. They are 1 inch thick and 5 to 6 feet long. These barbells are ideal for home gyms.
Dumbbells: You can choose from hex style dumbbells or prostyle dumbbells as per your requirement. A dumbbell is a short barbell, 5 to 6 inches long. Dumbbell exercises are performed by carrying them in each hand. Dumbbell rack assortments are available in most gyms weighing from 5 to 100 lbs in increments of 5 lbs.
Adjustable dumbbells: They have small collars that clip on the end of the dumbbells to hold weight plates. They might be as convenient as fixed racks but are more economical and take up less space. They are ideal for home gyms.
Weight Plates: They range from 2.5 lbs to 100 lbs and are usually made of iron. There are two types of weight plates:
Olympic weight plates: They are used for only barbells.
Standard weight plates: They are used for Standard barbells.
Machines:
Leg Press Machine: This is the best machine for leg exercises. Most of them are set at a 45 degree angle. With a leg press you can safely lift heavy weights without falling or getting injured. It places less strain on the legs and calf muscles.
Hack Squat: It is good for developing the outer sweep of the thighs.
Determination and consistency are the means by which you can perform well and develop a great body.