Skiman
Super Freak
For the bodybuilders of this thread. I read this article and it had a lot of good tips in here for beginners and not so beginners. Thought it was a good read and just decided to pass it on to my fellow Freaks.
16 Worst Mistakes In Bodybuilding
16 Worst Mistakes In Bodybuilding
Novice and seasoned trainers alike can make the simplest errors, both in and out of the gym. You are probably thinking, “Hey man, not me!” Yes, you too. Be warned – intelligence does not grant immunity.
“I wish I knew then what I know now.” We’ve all heard this statement, and most of us have said it ourselves. Like most things in life, bodybuilding is a learning process. We rely on past experience to build future muscle. Yet at some point we all fall victim to the mistakes that bring our muscle building to a halt. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Even the most intelligent and experienced bodybuilders commit training mistakes. Knowing what these mistakes are is the first step to correcting them.
Mistake #1: Not Doing Any Cardio
Sure you want to be as big and strong as an ox, but do you want to look like one, too? Weight training does stimulate the cardiovascular system, but it’s limited in its ability to reduce body-fast levels. To keep your body-fat percentage low and your heart and lungs in prime condition, make sure to get in three or four 30-minute cardio sessions every week. Mistake
#2: Not Eating Enough Protein
It’s amazing how many bodybuilders still do not consume enough protein – even with all the reputable sources out there declaring they should. Protein is the primary building block of muscle tissue. You need to consume enough to allow the body to recover from intense training sessions.
7Mistake #3: Isolation during the Off-Season
Bodybuilding exercises can be divided into two types: compound and isolation. Compound movements involve rotation at more than one joint. They enable you to train multiple muscle groups with heavy weight. Isolation exercises involve only one joint and limit their effects to one muscle. For example, the barbell squat involves rotation at the ankles, knees, and hips and also allows you to hit the hamstrings, quads, and glutes. An isolation exercise such as the leg extension involves the knees only, effectively removing hamstring and glute stimulation. Compound exercises are far superior than isolation exercises at building muscle mass, and should make up the majority of training during the off-season.
Mistake #4: Not Drinking Enough
The human body is composed primarily of water – about 70 percent. This means that it has developed methods to ensure it will get enough of this life-sustaining substance. One of these is thirst. When fluid levels drop too low, you begin to feel thirsty. The problem is that the thirst mechanism doesn’t kick in until your fluid levels are already too low. By the time you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water every day – even more when training in a hot environment.
Mistake #5: No Time Off
In their quest to develop a maximum amount of muscle size, bodybuilders are their own worst enemies. It’s true that consistency is one of the primary factors in determining success, but consistent is one thing and constant is another. The joints and connective tissues are not designed to deal with tons of heavy weight every day. Talk to any bodybuilder with more than 10 years of experience and you will hear about at least one joint that causes problems. Even with the adequate nutrition and proper technique, bodybuilding exercises are stressful on the joints. The solution to safe, long-term training is to take an extra day or two off every couple of weeks. Trust us – your body will thank you for it.
Mistake #6: Training too Often
Unless you are one-in-a-million or on the juice, you cannot train intensely for more than three or four sessions a week. Any more than this and you’ll quickly slip into a state of overtraining. By far, most bodybuilders train three to five times a week during their mass-building phase. Don’t fall victim to the “more is better” philosophy.
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Mistake #7: Using too many Machines
Strength machines are nice to look at, convenient, and easy to use. But the bulk of your training should consist of free weights. Don’t believe it? Go into any gym and take a look around. You’ll see that the biggest, strongest people there are doing barbell bench presses, squats, rows, and deadlifts. They may wander over to a machine to finish off a certain muscle group, but serious bodybuilders spend most of their gym time hoisting serious iron (barbells and dumbbells). They don’t pamper their muscles with the latest chrome-plated contraption! We are not saying machines are useless – some machine exercises, such as pulldowns, triceps pushdowns, and leg curls, are excellent additions to your free-weight program. But using free weights offers more of a challenge and will help strengthen stabilizing muscles.
Mistake #8: Not Eating Enough
When you begin bodybuilding, your body enters into a constant state of repair and recovery. This means it needs a steady supply of nutrients in order to build new muscle tissue and recharge glycogen supplies. One or two meals a day will not be enough to meet these demands. If you eat small meals every two or three hours, your body will be able to recover. Eating every couple of hours will also keep your metabolism revved up. Try to eat a good breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, mid-afternoon snack, supper, and early evening snack. Remember that these are all small meals. Don’t eat huge portion sizes! Keep each mini-meal between 400 and 600 calories.
Mistake #9: Poor Training Technique
We’re not sure who first coined the phrase “strict style is king,” but it should be hung on the walls of every him! Proper technique is essential in bodybuilding. Arching, bouncing, and heaving weights around may flatter your ego, but it won’t produce the results you want. Using a little bit of body momentum to complete a few extra cheat reps is fine, but the bulk of your training should be performed with solid technique. If you need to bounce or swing the weight up, it’s too heavy.
Mistake #10: Not Getting Enough Sleep
Bodybuilding is one of the most intense forms of physical fitness. You’re literally tearing muscle tissue down and asking the body to rebuild it. Moreover, your body expected to recharge its energy reserves in time for the next training session. The vast majority of this rebuilding and recharging takes place during sleep. You need a minimum of eight hours’ sleep every 24 hours. It doesn’t have to be eight consecutive hours. Research has shown that six hours plus a two-hour nap is just as effective.
Mistake #11: Unstructured Workouts
While there are a few individuals who can train instinctively and wing it every workout, most people don’t achieve much success following such a haphazard style. Unless you have a terrific memory, how do you know the precise number of reps you did on a specific exercise during your last workout? It’s very easy to become lazy without structure in your workouts. For best results, create a training log to record information like exercises, sets, reps, weights, and type and duration of cardio. It’s also a good idea to record your eating habits.
23Mistake #12: Overtraining
If you’re spending two or more hours in the gym, you should probably re-evaluate your entire training philosophy. There is no way you could train for two hours at maximum intensity. The body has energy reserves for only about 45 to 60 minutes of intense training. Are you resting for 60 seconds or less between sets, or are you wandering around chatting for three or four minutes?
Mistake #13: You Train Your Best Body part First
Come on, admit it. Your thighs are better than your calves and hamstrings. Your chest is impressive, but your back is mediocre. Bodybuilding is about proportion and symmetry – not maximum size in one or two muscle groups. But go into any gym and you’ll see guys with 50-inch chests and 30-inch thighs starting their workout with chest and thighs! By the time they get to their backs or calves, they will just be going through the motions. To develop a well-balanced physique, you must stop neglecting the muscles that are lagging behind. Odds are you train your weakest muscles towards the end of your training routine. How will they improve that way? Always train your weaker body parts at the beginning of your routine when you have the most energy.
Mistake #14: Not listening to your body
Most athletes will tell you that they “felt something odd” just before they became injured. Whether it was a slight twinge or an extra degree of soreness, their body issued a warning signal before the injury occurred. Unfortunately, most people don’t listen when their bodies start talking to them. Pay attention. If you really don’t feel like you’ve recovered after your day or two off, take another day. Likewise, if an exercise is causing you pain – even when using light weight – stop doing that exercise for a few weeks. Your body is your best friend. Listen to it.
Mistake #15: Not Being Progressive n707891262_1783966_1695
It’s called progressive overload and it’s one of the most important training principles in bodybuilding. Essentially, you must increase the load placed on a muscle because the muscle will adapt to any resistance placed upon it. By “progressively overloading” the muscle, you are forcing it to adapt and grow. Many bodybuilders fail to follow this and keep using the same weight month after month, year after year. Many become discouraged, blaming “poor genetics” or “lack of steroids.” They could have easily solved their problem by placing an extra five pounds on the bar every few weeks. Be progressive, not regressive. Training with a partner is a great way to advance your training. A partner can offer inspiration and be there for a helpful spot when squeezing out that last rep with a new and more challenging weight.
Mistake #16: You Train Like Mr. Olympia
Rest assured; Arnold, Dorian Yates, Lee Haney, Ronnie Coleman, and all the other Mr. Olympias didn’t start out training with the pre-contest split you’ve seen printed up. They started out slow and gradually worked their way up the intensity ladder. You must do the same if you hope to keep making progress. Following some six-day-a-week pro bodybuilder’s routine will only lead to overtraining. Within a matter of weeks, your body will become so stressed that all progress will come to a halt. You may even see a reduction in muscle mass. There you go. Sixteen of the most common mistakes bodybuilders make that keep them from creating the body of their dreams. We know you work hard; now start working smart!
