Men and women get different results.

Used in the stricter sense, bodybuilding refers to a way of developing the male body to attain an ideal shape, based on the fact that testosterone (predominantly a male hormone) is necessary to achieve a very muscular appearance. Because women have much less testosterone, women get leaner and stronger with fitness training, but do not develop the muscular appearance of a man. There are many routes to success, which are adaptable to a number of lifestyles and preferences. Some excellent choices are the following:

Men, women: Combine exercise (or not) and nutrition.

Kyle Leon

• customized nutrition plan,
• customized exercise routine, optional

Roger Haeske

• no special equipment
• buoyant, no hassle exercise that fits into your lifestyle,
• diet: raw food, as much as is possible (salads to juicing).

Deltoid – anterior view

Women lose fat differently from men.

The Venus Factor

Since women gain weight more easily than men, women benefit from a metabolism-boosting diet and nutritional supplement. For a free ebook explaining a proven method for female leanness, Click Here!

Bodybuilding for male hardgainers is different.

Vaclav Gregor

• “hardgainer” exercises for ideal male V-shape,
• optional or no diet plan

Vince Del Monte

• “hardgainer” exercises for ideal male V-shape (complete with measurement assists),
• detailed diet plan (complete with grocery list)

For a male to sculpt his body, muscles are isolated and worked out by weight training, in a very particular manner. The V-shape is attained by training muscle groups in the proper order, so that the shoulders become wide (but not overdeveloped), and the torso remains narrower.

Deltoid – posterior view

Deltoid – lateral view

Gregor’s simplified explanations identify that each individual workout will follow a 4-step plan, to make sure your shoulders receive the most attention:

• First, shoulders,
• Second, chest or back,
• Third, arms or legs,
• Fourth, abdominals.

Generally, when a bodybuilder is aiming for the V-shape, he will avoid developing the lower body excessively. The leg muscles will only be worked out to a point of balancing the overall appearance. The bodybuilder will especially avoid developing the “gluts” (glutimus maximus, or buttocks), as these muscles, because of their density, once enlarged, will generally not shrink to allow the perfect male V-shape.

Anatomical and artistic knowledge are keys to success.

Learn anatomy.

While knowledge of anatomy is helpful in any fitness program, anatomical knowledge is essential to achieving the male V-shape. Knowledge of anatomy will help the bodybuilder avoid using extraneous muscles and muscle groups, to any extent that would impede development of the V-shape. A bodybuilder can guard against developing too much bulk in the wrong places by becoming knowledgeable about anatomy. Anatomy can be learned with very little effort, with a good software program such as Animated Anatomy, simply because anatomy can be directly applied to bodybuilding. With Animated Anatomy, one watches layers of muscle peel away to expose what is underneath, building insight into what an exercise program is accomplishing.

Learn to draw the human figure.

It may be useful to try to draw the muscle groups, and the individual muscles within those groups. We have included a figure drawing ebook to assist in this extra step of refining anatomical knowledge. Desire to sculpt the body properly will improve the memory for anatomy and how the muscles alter in different poses. Da Vinci observed that having “desire to know” is the basis of retention of knowledge:

Study without desire spoils the memory, and it retains nothing that it takes in. ― Leonardo da Vinci

Most people appreciate that bodybuilding requires character and determination to push muscles to work hard, and are aware that bodybuilding is an intellectual sport best pursued by following a plan. But perhaps it will be an unexpected bonus when the bodybuilder realizes his good luck in having not only the opportunity, but also the incentive, to apply anatomical knowledge to reach bodybuilding goals, and refine his knowledge through drawing, if drawing is of interest. In these respects, bodybuilders have a great opportunity to become accomplished in ways beyond building fitness and a great physique.

It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.” ― Leonardo da Vinci

I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do. ― Leonardo da Vinci

Principles for the Development of a Complete Mind: Study the science of art. Study the art of science. Develop your senses- especially learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else. ― Leonardo da Vinci