How to Build Muscle
How about how not to build muscle?
Far more people start working out and then quit than those that start working out and stick with it. How many people have you seen come and go at your gym? In fact, I’ll bet there are just a handful of dedicated lifters. And of that handful of dedicated lifters, only a few make solid, continuous gains year after year. Are you one of them? If not, it’s time for you to get focused and stop sabotaging your progress.
Here are 12 fatal mistakes new and experienced lifters alike are guilty of.
1. Missing Workouts
No Train – No Gain! The Cardinal Sin that many lifters make. Never miss a workout – ever! A missed workout can never be made up. Have a schedule and stick to it – at all costs. Time waits for no one. Show me someone who misses workouts, and I’ll show you someone who really isn’t serious about their training.
2. Missing Meals
Feeding your muscles is a priority. Design an optimum meal plan and stick to it! Muscle growth absolutely, unequivocally requires proper nutrition. Screw this up, and you’ll screw yourself out of a chance to grow. Like a missed workout a missed meal can’t be made up. When you miss a meal, you miss the opportunity to fuel muscle growth.
3. Not Training With Enough Intensity
Muscle growth stimulation is directly related to the intensity level you train with. Train with half-ass intensity, and you’ll get half-ass results. Always strive to train harder than your previous workout – always! Progressive intensity increases are the key to continued gains.
4. Not Training Heavy Enough
Big muscles require big weights. Don’t let anyone tell you any differently. If you want to pack on muscle, you must – absolutely must – train heavy. Use a weight that will allow you to do between 4 and 6 reps. If you can get more than 6 reps, it’s time to move up in weight. Never make an excuse not to go heavy.
5. Not Getting Enough Protein
Of the 3 macronutrients, protein, carbs, and fat, only one goes directly toward building muscle, and that’s protein. Protein is the single most important nutrient supporting muscle growth. Make absolutely sure you are getting the protein your muscles need for maximum growth and repair. Since protein is the most important nutrient for muscle growth, it only makes sense to use the absolute best protein made – VP2 Whey Isolate.
6. Always Trying a New Training Routine
Skipping from one training program to another will do nothing to maximize muscle growth. Nothing replaces a maximum effort. Max-OT is a science-based training routine that forces your muscles to grow each and every workout. Live it!
7. Failing to Time Your Nutrient Intake
Timing your nutrition and supplement intake is a research-proven strategy to maximize the effects of your workouts.
We detailed a strategy called the Anabolic Nutrient Timing Factor designed to structure specific nutrient intake around your training. This timing of nutrient consumption multiplies the anabolic activity from your workouts.
8. Talking Too Much During Your Workout
Shut up and train. Don’t be that dick in the gym that just won’t shut up. Maximum effort requires total focus and concentration. You can’t do that running your mouth. Train first, talk later.
9. Your Workouts Are Too Long
Get rid of the two and three-hour workouts. Long workouts induce fatigue at the expense of overload. Not only is it a poor way to build muscle, but it also invites injury. Keep your workouts short, heavy, and intense. That’s what builds muscle.
10. Training Too Often
One thing you must realize is that you don’t grow in the gym. Growth takes place during recovery. Training too often interrupts recovery, leads to overtraining, and limits growth. In severe cases, when you train too often you’ll get weaker and lose muscle mass.
11. Wasting Time, Money, and Effort on Miracle Supplements
Only a handful of supplements are proven by science to work. There are more over-hyped, worthless supplements on the market today than there have ever been. Regulations in the nutrition industry are strong but the reality is they are seldom enforced. This has left the gate open for con men and hucksters to steal your money.
12. Getting Comfortable With Mediocre Gains
Never get comfortable. Never lower your expectations. Building muscle is a long game. You have to give 100% in and out of the the gym everyday! Always strive to get stronger and train with more intensity than your previous workout.
