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To build big muscle is no mean feat. You need toknow the right approach and then build yourfoundation properly.

If you're going to build muscle mass, then freestyleexercises are not appropriate. Freestyle exerciseshave their place. They build a solid foundation forbeginners wishing to take up bodybuilding. Theycan be used with your current bodybuildingworkout routine. But, they do not build big muscle.

Where you want to become big, or bigger at least,you need some sort of resistance. It really dependson your goal. You need weight resistance thatfocuses on each muscle area individually, in orderto build big muscle.

So you use weights for this purpose. Using thisresistance against each muscle area you want todevelop, you'll build big muscle. To do this you'llneed different exercises, so that you can focus thatresistance on each muscle target.

1 -- Choose Your Bodybuilding Workout Exercises:If you're a beginner, I suggest that you beginworking on these particular exercises, as theybuild the foundation for big muscle:

* Bench Press (works the chest, shoulders andtriceps)

* Barbell Rows (back and biceps)

* Squats (legs and lower back)

* Overhead Press (shoulders and triceps)

* Curls (biceps)

* Dumbbell Press (triceps)

For the more advanced bodybuilder, just makesure that the exercises you chose are focusing fullyon each muscle group and are working for you.Sometimes your body becomes amuned toexercises after doing them for some time.Therefore they are not as effective anymore.

All you need to do is to change that routine. Trydifferent exerises. This will be a shock to the body,causing these new exercises to be more effective.Thus helping you build big muscle moreeffectively.

As a matter of fact, you should change yourbodybuilding workout routine regularly so as not toallow your body to become resistant to the effectsof each exercise.

As for beginners, you must work on your chosenexercises before moving onto an advancedtraining program. Your body must become used tothis workout first.

Before starting any sort of workout, what shouldyou do?

2 -- Warm up:I can't stress this enough. One of the biggestcauses in muscle fatigue, and poor muscleresponse, is lack of a good warm up. The amountof time spent on a warm up session varies. If it'scold, you should warm up for about ten minutes. Ifthe room temperature is warm, and your body iswarm too, maybe around five minutes will do. But...

For best results, you've gotta do a good warm upfirst!

If this is your first time training, my advice is to finda good gym with professional coaches, to guideyou properly as you begin your journey intobuilding big muscle. You'll start off with lightweights and machines. Increasing the weightresistance as you make suitable progress.

As your body becomes more conditioned to usingweights, and the amount of weight increases, sotoo will your ability to perform heavier workouts.Thus, allowing you to build big muscle.

If you're a little more seasoned, then you'll knowwhat I'm talking about... don't you? You do, don'tyou?

3 -- Build Big Muscle Mass:This is where you use heavy weights. This meansthat the weight you lift is sufficient to challenge you.I suggest that you don't move beyond 12 reps. So,the maximum you should be able to lift is up to 12repetitions of any one exercise. If you are goingover that, then the resistance is minimal. Thereforenot effective enough in building the big muscle youdesire.

When I suggested that you do 12 reps, I mean thatyou should be fatigued by that stage. So much so,that doing a thirteenth rep would be nearimpossible. This is known as training to failure.

4 -- Do Not CHEAT:Yep... you heard right. When performing anexercise, a person's natural tendency is to cheat alittle. Because the weight is so great, it's easier tocheat a small bit and use your own weight tonudge the heavy weight to where you want it to go.

5 -- Be Strict:For example, lets say that you're curling a barbell(for biceps). You start off well. The lift is pretty okand you are only using the muscles that arerequired for this exercise. But, as you go through afew reps, the weight appears to become heavier.It's not. It's just you're becoming more fatigued.

As you reach the higher reps, the natural tendencyis to give it a little hand, causing the effect of theexercise on that muscle to greatly reduce as youare not restricting the exercise to that muscle.

Be strict. Don't give in to the urge to do this. It takesa great deal of personal discipline to make sureyou don't cheat. Take this advice and you won't gowrong. In this case, when faced with the option oftaking the easy way out or working through it thehard way --

Opt for the hard way. It has the most profoundeffect. It is the way to achieve your goal of buildingbig muscle!

6 -- How To Get over This:It's still not easy, but it helps -- I look at the numberof reps I need to perform. When you really look atit, "12" is not a big number, is it? So, I look at it as asmall thing.

As the urge to cheat kicks in, I say to myself:

"12 is not a big number - I'll be there is a fewseconds"

Try it. See how it works for you. Cheating can leadto --

7 -- Injuries:The other negative aspect of heavy weight trainingis injuries. Usually caused by jerking heavyweights, cheating, strain and overall poorperformance of these exercises.

Reduce the likelihood of it by being more carefuland training in the proper manner. This is why thatI suggest beginners seek professional help,especially where they have never done any sort ofphysical workout with weight resistance trainingbefore.

In summary, here are the 7 elements to build bigmuscle --

1. Choose your bodybuilding workout routine.
2. Warm up first.
3. Build big muscle mass.
4. Do Not CHEAT.
5. Be Strict.
6. Prevent yourself from cheating.
7. Avoid injury.

Stick with these helpful hints and they will help youstick with you your routine that will help youachieve your goal to build big muscle.