In the bodybuilding community, it is almost more rare to meet someone who is a natural bodybuilder over someone who uses enhancement drugs like anabolic steroids. Many people look up to classic icons like Arnold Schwarzenegger but it is impossible to reach that level without steroids or growth hormones. 

Steroids are known to mess with your health. Becoming a bodybuilder should be the journey of becoming the best and healthiest version of yourself. Natural bodybuilding will take more work but will be worth it in the long run. Here is how to start natural bodybuilding. 

What is Natural Bodybuilding?

Natural bodybuilding is bodybuilding without using anabolic steroids, hormones, testosterone or any drugs banned in natural bodybuilding competitions. If you want to compete in a show, the goal is to get as lean as possible while keeping as much muscle as possible. Typically you will follow nutrition guidelines that aim to cut down on fat and preserve muscle while following a strict training program. 

You require a certain mindset to be a natural bodybuilder since it can be easy to get discouraged watching unnatural people grow quicker than you. Natural bodybuilding requires you to work in sync with your body to improve it and keep it running longer, even if it doesn’t win the race. Your body needs time to adjust and improve while keeping your organs intact, which is where unnatural bodybuilders tend to lack. 

Develop a Training Routine 

Everyone is different but it comes down to how hard and often you train a week. This doesn’t mean you should overdo it with intense and long workouts every day or you will get hurt. Rest and recovery are when your muscles repair and grow. You will want to focus on the two main concepts of progressive overload and compound movements. 

Progressive Overload

The best way to build muscle is to increase the stress put on them and shock the body into building muscle. The progressive tension can be performed in a couple of ways. 

• Increase weight. Each time you perform a set, you increase the weight little by little. You will want to add small amounts so it is enough to increase strength without hurting yourself. 
• Decrease rest time. If you typically wait anywhere from one to three minutes between sets, you can start waiting forty seconds to a minute instead. You may need to decrease weight slightly, but that doesn’t mean it is ineffective since you will stress your muscles faster. 
• Increase the number of reps. Each time you start a set, you can go for one or two more reps than the last time. Remember to leave a rep or two in your sets to increase on the next. 

Compound Movements

Compounding movements are your friend if you are trying to focus on getting stronger. The reason they are great is because they require movements with multiple joints. This can be squats, rows, deadlifts, bench presses and shoulder presses. 

When you train compound movements progressively, it hits multiple muscle groups, making them stronger. Structure these movements at the beginning of your workout routine since they require the most energy over other movements. 

Start Your Bodybuilding Journey 

Your natural bodybuilding journey will pay off with the proper training and nutrition. It is best to stay consistent and remember the big picture behind being a natural bodybuilder. Your body will thank you for doing things at its own pace.