The web is an excellent thing, with all the knowledge we could ever need right at our fingertips. With the overabundance of data available at the straightforward click of a button, it will probably be easy to wander away in a whirlwind of conflicting advice and misinformation.
When learning more about constructing muscle, it will probably be difficult to know what’s fact and what’s a lie. Amidst the ocean of fitness blogs, social media influencers, and flashy advertisements promising quick gains, separating truth from fiction becomes daunting.
To avoid wasting you a while and a bunch of clicking, I put together this guide to interrupt down a few of the most typical muscle-building mistakes I see and the way to avoid them.
The 12 Worst Muscle Constructing Mistakes
1. Skipping Compound Exercises:
Compound exercises, like squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, and bench presses, form the muse of any effective muscle-building program. These movements are great at engaging multiple muscle groups concurrently, resulting in potential for greater overall muscle activation and growth.
Unfortunately, too many individuals neglect compound exercises in favor of isolation movements, limiting their progress and stopping them from realizing their full potential. A study was published in 2017 that got here to the conclusion there wasn’t an enormous difference in muscle gain when it got here to compound movements vs single-joint exercises.¹ While this may occasionally appear to be an argument against compound exercises, the identical study found that the multi-joint exercises actually had a greater increase in strength, and a stronger muscle has the potential to be an even bigger muscle.
Isolation movements are best done after compound movements when your body is beginning to tire and you want to emphasise a selected muscle group more.
If you happen to’re just starting out within the gym, I like to recommend hiring a coach to show you the correct form for the key compound movements. This offers you one less reason to skip compound movements and reduce your risk of injury.
2. Overtraining:
Figuring out daily may appear to be the very best and fastest strategy to see results, and while consistency is crucial for muscle growth, there is a high-quality line between difficult yourself and overtraining. After I first began training, I believed this, too. I might work out day by day no matter how sore or bad I felt.
Pushing your body past its limits without adequate rest and recovery can lead to fatigue, muscle soreness, and an increased risk of injury. The best ways to stop overtraining are to hearken to your body’s signals, give attention to rest days, and permit for adequate recovery between workouts.
One other great option I like to recommend is incorporating deload weeks into your training program. These weeks are lower intensity and volume than your regular programming to assist prevent burnout and promote long-term progress.
I do know I’m beginning to burn out every time I’m incredibly drained, but I cannot sleep at night. Some signs to search for when you’re experiencing burnout are fatigue, mood swings, low motivation, exhaustion, and poor sleep cycles.
3. Not Increasing The Resistance:
I see too many individuals go to the gym, do a set, sit on their phones for twenty minutes, then do one other set of the very same weight. These same people never see progress, never increase the weights they do, and wonder why they are not seeing results.
I understand that pushing yourself might be scary and uncomfortable within the moment. But when you desire to see results, it’s essential to push your body. Progressive overload is the very best strategy to hit muscle hypertrophy, which is the gradual increase in tension placed on the muscles over time.
Most individuals think the one strategy to hit progressive overload is to consistently increase weight once it becomes easier. Nonetheless, multiple ways to challenge your muscles include increased reps, sets, or intensified training techniques. A straightforward example of this is able to be doing a set of squats at 135lbs for 8 reps, the subsequent week doing the identical weight for 9 reps, the next week 10 reps. While that is a brilliant simplified example, it just shows you ways easy it’s to include into your workouts.
I might also recommend keeping your break time between sets to a minimum, only resting long enough to catch your breath and let your muscles get better. Your workouts must be difficult each time. If it’s feeling easier, time to vary things up.
4. Poor Nutrition:
The most effective part about constructing muscle? The workouts. You get to go to the gym, hit the weights hard, after which go home when you’re done. Unfortunately, constructing muscle requires way more than simply lifting weights; it also demands having proper macro and micro nutrition to fuel recovery and repair.
A eating regimen wealthy in lean protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and micronutrients supports muscle growth and optimizes performance, so give attention to whole, nutrient-dense foods. For an example, try our article about what to eat on a 7-day Bodybuilder Meal Plan.
Nutrition is so vital that I actually have a few suggestions here. The largest tip I can provide you with is to meal prep and prepare ahead of time, which helps to make sure you’re meeting your dietary needs consistently and reducing the danger of eating junk.
If you happen to’re just starting, don’t go crazy and eliminate all the things bad out of your on a regular basis life. As a substitute, start by cutting out one thing at a time and replacing it with a great habit. For instance, as an alternative of completely revamping your eating regimen, start by incorporating a protein-rich snack, like Greek yogurt or a protein shake, into your post-workout routine.
This easy change permits you to increase your protein intake without overwhelming yourself with drastic dietary changes.
5. Inconsistent Training:
Life might be crazy with jobs, kids, significant others, and the hundred other things we probably have to get done. With all of these items happening, it will probably be easy to say, “screw this,” and never work out like you need to.
It is less complicated said than done, but consistency in your training is significant when constructing muscle. Establish a schedule that matches your lifestyle and goals to avoid inconsistent training. I also recommend that you just give attention to having higher-quality workouts over quantity.
When life gets extra crazy, I might recommend prioritizing short, intense workouts over longer sessions. This not only removes the excuse of not having enough time but, when done accurately, may provide more results than a half-assed workout.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) and circuit training are great options for maximizing muscle activation and calorie burn for these short workouts. We have now five Kettlebell workouts available, with the longest taking 43 minutes and the shortest a blistering quarter-hour.
6. Not Tracking Progress:
Without tracking your workouts and progress, it’s like attempting to navigate a maze blindfolded. Given enough time, you may come upon the exit, however it’s probably going to take you a complete lot longer and be far more frustrating.
Without tracking your workouts and progress, it’s difficult to gauge your improvements and make obligatory adjustments to your training program. So, keeping an in depth training log permits you to monitor lifts, reps, sets, and progress over time, helping you discover trends, strengths, and areas you must give attention to for improvement.
I’m a giant fan of creating a system for tracking your workouts, whether using a smartphone app, notebook, or simply an easy spreadsheet, similar to the one you could find in our Arnold Split workout.
I might start by recording key metrics similar to weights lifted, repetitions performed, and subjective measures like intensity and fatigue. Review your progress repeatedly and adjust your training program to maintain the muscle gains coming. And what higher strategy to try this, then with our proven hypertrophy workout plan below.
7. Ignoring Proper Form:
Sacrificing form for the sake of slapping on more 45-pound plates might make you are feeling like Superman, but consider me once I say that it’s really a one-way ticket to Injury City. Not only does sloppy form increase your risk of injury, however it also steals away those sweet gains you are working so hard to attain.
Poor form can lead to muscle imbalances, joint strain, and decreased muscle activation, limiting growth potential. To avoid this error, you need to give attention to having proper form and technique for every exercise.
Start with lighter weights and step by step increase the load as you improve your form and strength. This approach won’t feel as impressive as squatting a small automotive, but trust me, your muscles will thanks for it.
Swallowing your pride and using lighter weights to perfect your form can pay off big time in the long term. Remember, it is not about how much weight you lift—it’s about how well you lift it.
To the newbies, consider working with a private trainer to envision that you just perform exercises accurately and safely. We also recommend checking our extensive list of exercise guides for full breakdowns.
8. Lack of Sleep:
Sleep is not only for recharging your batteries; sleep is a critical a part of the muscle-building process, serving because the time to rest, get better, and grow. During sleep, your body releases growth hormones and repairs damaged muscle tissue, waking you up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
If you happen to’re someone who likes to burn the midnight oil most of the time, you are doing all your gains a disservice. Chronic sleep deprivation is a complete party pooper for muscle recovery, performance, and overall health. Trust me, you do not need your muscles feeling like they have been hit by a freight train come morning.
To avoid losing muscle gains resulting from this silly mistake, I like to recommend specializing in your sleep hygiene and aiming for seven to nine hours of sleep per night. The most effective advice I can provide for constructing a consistent sleep schedule is to create a calming bedtime routine.
I like taking an Epsom Salt bath and reading a book to chill out and get my body ready for bed. Others swear by magnesium supplements.
9. Too Much Cardio:
Let me be clear about something, CARDIO DOES NOT KILL GAINS. Cardio can do wonders on your overall health and fitness, but, going overboard may throw a wrench in your muscle-building plans. Those long cardio sessions might torch calories but may burn through the valuable energy your muscles have to grow and get better. As a substitute of hitting that second or third cardio session of the day, take a while and let your muscles get better.
You desire to find that sweet spot between cardio and pumping iron. Sure, get your heart pumping with some cardio occasionally, but remember to provide your muscles some attention, too.
Give attention to resistance training to construct muscle and strength, and sprinkle in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for a cardio boost that will not sacrifice those hard-earned gains.
10. Stress Management:
Chronic stress is not only a buzzkill on your mood; it’s just like the Achilles Heel on your muscles, too. When stress levels undergo the roof, so do those cortisol levels, triggering chaos in your body. Which definitely will not be the recipe for constructing those sweet muscles.
The most effective strategy to combat stress is by taking good care of yourself. You possibly can start by adding stress-reducing activities like meditation, deep respiratory exercises, or indulging in good old-fashioned leisure time. These easy additions to your day by day routine can work wonders for keeping your gains on target and pleased. Some people have also turned to supplements like Ashwagandha, which is thought to be an adaptogen.
DON’T just treat your self-care as an afterthought; make it a compulsory a part of your routine. Prioritize the things that make you pleased and produce you peace, whether mindfulness practices, rest techniques, or hobbies that light you up inside.
I enjoy playing pickleball in my free time, and I can almost guarantee that I will be more relaxed and carefree by the top of the session. So go ahead and provides yourself permission to unwind and recharge.
11. Inadequate Hydration:
What are the upsides of proper hydration? It is crucial for optimal muscle function, performance, and recovery. The one downside? Having to pee continually.
Being dehydrated can impair muscular endurance, strength, and nutrient delivery, reducing your ability to perform at your best during workouts. To forestall this, aim to drink loads of water throughout the day, especially before, during, and after exercise.
I might also recommend paying close attention to signs of dehydration, similar to thirst, dry mouth, and dark urine.
I actually have clients continually complaining about getting bored with just drinking plain water on a regular basis. I like to recommend adding sugar-free water flavorings, Mio, or an electrolyte complement to their water to maintain that from happening.
It adds slightly excitement to drinking water, especially when attempting to drink the day by day advisable amount of three,000 ml for men and a couple of,200 ml for ladies.²
12. Relying Solely on Supplements:
Before I start this, do not get me flawed. I like using supplements as much as the subsequent gym dude, but let’s not forget that real food is where the magic happens. Sure, supplements can lend a helping hand in supporting muscle growth and recovery, but they’re no match for the micro and macronutrients present in whole foods.
So don’t fall into the trap of pondering that chugging protein shakes and popping pills is all it takes to get swole.
There are such a lot of supplements available on the market that it will probably be hard to make your mind up what’s price adding to your routine and what’s snake oil. For many of my clients, I only recommend taking a number of things.
A high-quality protein powder, a comprehensive multivitamin, and creatine monohydrate. The whole lot else outside of those is good to have but not obligatory.
Outro
Constructing muscle is not only about hitting the gym and chugging protein shakes—it’s a way of life. It’s like attempting to construct a house; you wish a solid foundation, a blueprint, and a bunch of sweat and elbow grease.
Now that you’ve the tools and the knowledge, it is time to put all of it into motion. But I won’t sugarcoat it for you: this journey is not at all times smooth sailing. So, keep grinding, keep hustling, and keep in mind that being on this journey is just as vital as the ultimate destination!
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