Here i want to include the workout mistakes that i made while workout in gym. These big mistakes had slow down my muscle growth.
I am writing this to help you to figure out, whether you are doing these workout mistakes.
If so, it’s time to correct those mistakes.
Let's move on, i will discuss my mistake and give you the recommendation based on latest research.
Bonus PDF: Get the seven simple steps to boost your muscle growth and strength! Click to Download
# With workout duration
My workout routine consists of 1 and half hour lifting. I thought that if i do more, i can build more muscles.
The thought was right. But when it comes to duration, is a huge mistake.
Research had shown that 45 to 1 hour of workout is good for muscle building.
If you train more than 1 hour you body will produce cortisol and its bad for your body. Cortisol will signal your body to breakdown your hard earned muscles.
Cortisol is a stress management hormone released when your body is under stress.
It will enable the body to use alternate fuels other than glucose. So your body will slow down the muscle protein synthesis and save them for fuel.
It also speed up muscle protein breakdown.
Post workout drink consisting of essential amino acids and carbs reduce your cortisol levels, also shown maximum muscle growth and fat loss .
But if you continue with this type of training, your body will adapt and release less cortisol over time.
If you are doing more than 1 hour of training.
Then analyze your workout and find out what is pulling most of your time.
Maybe chatting with your friends or taking too much rest.
or lot of exercise and sets.
Find it and eliminate them from your routine. You can read our article on how to create a workout routine.
Try to complete your warm uplifting and warm down within one hour. If you are not exhausted in one hour, then you were not lifting enough. You will have to increase the intensity of your workouts.
# With Reps
How many reps do you perform to build muscle? If you ask me this question some years back my answer will be 15+ reps.
To build muscle you have to lift weights that you can’t do 10 reps with ease. If you do 15+ reps then you will get exhausted with lower weights, no fuel will be left for heavy weights.
Here are the recommended rep range for your goals.
- To build muscle : 6-10 reps
- To build strength: 4-6 reps
- To build endurance: 10-15 reps
My goal was to build muscle and i unknowingly train for super endurance.
Find out your goal and build a workout.
# With sets
I do 5+ sets for every exercise. Why? Do more to build more muscle !
Correct but not with the the sets. You are required to do 3-5 working sets .
This does not include the warmup sets. You have to perform your warmup sets using low weights. This will help you to prepare your muscles as well as nervous system for the heavy weights that follows. It has an added benefit as it prevents injury.
Sets: 3 - 5 working sets
#With Overtraining
I was overtraining at that time.
Workout intensity, volume and frequency are the three training variables that can be altered for muscle growth and strength.
In weight training, the intensity refers to the weight lifted. It is the amount of effort produced compared to effort possible.
Volume is the amount of weight lifted * sets * reps. It's the amount of work done.
Frequency is the number of times you train your muscles each week.
High intensity, high volume and frequency can cause overtraining.
You can increase one and have to reduce others in order to avoid overtraining.
Reduce your chance of over training by adjusting the three workout variables.
# with weights lifted
“If you always do what you’ve always done, you always get what you’ve always gotten.” -Henry Ford
My body remained the same month after month. What is the reason?
There was no change in the weights that i lifted. It remained same month after month.
If you want to build more muscle and strength, you will have to apply progressive overload technique.
i.e. you have to lift more weights week after week.
I love this technique.
This problem get solved when i got new gym partners. They introduced me with progressive overload.
How to do progressive overload?
- Increase the weight if you hit 10 reps on your last set in any exercise
- Next week try to do 10 or 8 or 6
- If you can do 10 reps, then increase the weight next week
- If not, try to hit 10 the following week
- Repeat
#with exercise selection
Everyday i did lot of exercises in which isolation exercise took a major share. For the proper development of your muscles you have to use both compound and isolation exercise.
Isolation exercise hits one muscle group and is good to target lagging body parts.
Compound exercise uses more muscle groups, which helps you to lift heavy weights. You will advance faster than in isolation.
Choose compound exercise over isolation exercise.
Sample chest day
Bench press - 4 sets
Incline bench press - 3 sets
Dumbbell flys - 3 sets (isolation exercise)
Dips - 3 sets
This will help you to isolate and work your target muscle.
#with workout tracking
The above problems can be overcome with the help of a workout tracker. It need not to be an app or desktop software.
You can write it down on a paper.
In the first column write down the exercise name. In 2nd column write down the weight and reps you performed in each exercise.
Each week try to increase either weight or reps performed. The maximum reps depend on your goal.
With a workout journal you can track your workouts and performance.
Seven steps to boost your muscle growth and strength
Workout duration can be 45 min to 1 hour
Change your reps based on goals.
3-4 sets per exercise
Don’t forget overtraining
Progressive overload
Choose compound exercise over isolation
- Track workouts properly
Bonus PDF: Get the seven simple steps to boost your muscle growth and strength!
