5 Winning Bodybuilding Tips

When you think of bodybuilding what comes to mind?

Getting the body of your dreams does not have to be painful and torturous. Used in a positive way, bodybuilding can benefit other areas of your life. Your social life, emotional health and nervous system, to name a few. But, to do this, you'll need the right combination of key ingredients.

Here are 5 bodybuilding tips: 

1. Get high quality sleep
2. Eat protein, but not too much
3. Drink an appropriate amount of water
4. Don't dehydrate
5. Have a support system

High Quality Sleep
Sleeping long hours does not guarantee good health. However, the quality of your sleep affects your performance. It also affects how you feel when you wake up and throughout the day. A healthy body recovers during sleep. Muscle fibers undergo the rebuilding process, Organ systems slow down. The heart is in resting state beating slower, hopefully working smarter because you trained it well.

Eat protein, but not too much
Contrary to popular belief, more protein does not mean more muscle. High protein diets can be very taxing on your kidneys. Too much protein can overload the kidneys causing them to shut down. Kidney failure may trigger responses from other organ systems in the body. A cascade of terrifying experiences that can easily be avoided. Save yourself a trip to the Emergency Room.

Drink an appropriate amount of water
There is such a thing as too much water. Picture a flood in your mind's eye. What happens when there's too much water? It has to go somewhere. Excess water can migrate to tissue in people who retain water. In a healthy body it will usually get flushed out as urine. In other words, you may end up  making multiple trips to the toilet. Some people actually consider this as additional exercise. On the same note, don't restrict your water intake too much. If you're thirsty and not diabetic, it may be your body begging for a sip. Water is an essential part of your metabolism.

Don't dehydrate
I repeat. Don't dehydrate. This is a common practice in the bodybuilding world. The practice of dehydrating is popular because it's believed that less water allows for a more "shredded" appearance. In other words, muscle definition is more apparent. This is why the skin of many bodybuilders has that leathery look. You may see the people in the gym wearing plastic "sweat suits" in attempts to drop water weight. There are a few problems with this practice. First, it is unsafe. Losing excessive amounts of water in a short period of time can cause heart problems. Secondly, losing excessive amounts of water can damage the heart. Often that heart damage is irreversible. Thirdly, it also results in drastic losses of electrolytes. Water loss, electrolyte loss or the combination of the two can cause a sudden and/or severe drop in blood pressure. Yes, there have been instances of people fainting on treadmills while attempting to dehydrate.

​Have a support system
Bodybuilding requires a great deal of discipline. Even the most disciplined individuals need support. Training is a serious thing. Find a coach who is knowledgeable and will help you push through difficult times without sacrificing your safety. It's not always easy to focus, even when you want that trophy so badly. Having the right people in your corner can mean the difference between winning and not placing at all. The right coaches might not always tell you what you want to hear, but they will tell you what you need to hear.