Guys, this article is great, read
it to know what mistakes you do.
By Mr. Andrew Carruthers
P.S: I added the pictures :D
10 REASONS
WHY YOU'RE NOT
GROWING
Are you battling to pack on the weight?
Try these tips to boost your training
By Andrew Carruthers,
Editor-In-Chief – Muscle Evolution magazine
When you take into consideration
all the factors that bodybuilders need to apply to their daily lifestyles in
order to stay anabolic and promote muscle growth, there are often many simple
elements that get overlooked. So stop hindering your gains in the gym by
eliminating these mistakes through better awareness and a few simple insights.
1 Your form sucks
Form is a strange topic. Why? Because it’s usually attached to ego. I see it daily and it’s hilarious to watch. Take a simple exercise like seated lateral raises for shoulders, for instance. When performed properly it’s really difficult to use heavy dumbbells. In fact, it’s not a power movement, so using heavy dumbbells is usually ineffective in achieving results. Ego usually takes over at this point simply because bodybuilders realise that in order to perform this exercise properly they need to use small dumbbells – this is not gonna happen for those whose egos exceed their intelligence. The result is heavy dumbbells that are thrown around with everything but the shoulders. This type of training is ineffective and the results generally speak for themselves – there aren’t any.
Form is a strange topic. Why? Because it’s usually attached to ego. I see it daily and it’s hilarious to watch. Take a simple exercise like seated lateral raises for shoulders, for instance. When performed properly it’s really difficult to use heavy dumbbells. In fact, it’s not a power movement, so using heavy dumbbells is usually ineffective in achieving results. Ego usually takes over at this point simply because bodybuilders realise that in order to perform this exercise properly they need to use small dumbbells – this is not gonna happen for those whose egos exceed their intelligence. The result is heavy dumbbells that are thrown around with everything but the shoulders. This type of training is ineffective and the results generally speak for themselves – there aren’t any.
2 You’re showing classic signs of
“Ronnie Coleman” syndrome
I love this one. I always have a good laugh with my training partner when he sees a rookie enter our gym and promptly names him “Ronnie Coleman”. You know you have developed this syndrome when you walk through the turnstile at gym with the traditional watermelons under your arms and proceed to make your presence known throughout the iron den by hurling large amounts of weight through the air, bellowing out huge cries of so-called intensity-induced effort. This condition is known at our local gym as Ronnie Coleman syndrome, not because Mr. Coleman himself actually acts like this, but more because the individuals that display this kind of behaviour actually believe they have attained Ronnie’s size and stature within their very short weight training career. This problem is very closely linked to the first point I mentioned and is absolutely detrimental to progress, especially for novices. Once again, ditch the ego and train smarter. You also don’t need to voice your intensity to everyone else in the gym while you train. No one cares, so get over it.
I love this one. I always have a good laugh with my training partner when he sees a rookie enter our gym and promptly names him “Ronnie Coleman”. You know you have developed this syndrome when you walk through the turnstile at gym with the traditional watermelons under your arms and proceed to make your presence known throughout the iron den by hurling large amounts of weight through the air, bellowing out huge cries of so-called intensity-induced effort. This condition is known at our local gym as Ronnie Coleman syndrome, not because Mr. Coleman himself actually acts like this, but more because the individuals that display this kind of behaviour actually believe they have attained Ronnie’s size and stature within their very short weight training career. This problem is very closely linked to the first point I mentioned and is absolutely detrimental to progress, especially for novices. Once again, ditch the ego and train smarter. You also don’t need to voice your intensity to everyone else in the gym while you train. No one cares, so get over it.
3 You’re not eating enough
It’s quite simple really - the bigger you get and the more you demand from your
body at each training session, the more good, solid nutrition you will require.
A big body requires a lot of fuel. A big body that is trying to grow even
bigger will require even more fuel, and so on, and so forth. Going through all
the macronutrient profiles here right now is not what this article is about.
What is important to mention is that, from time to time, we become complacent.
We skip meals and shakes and convince ourselves that it’s ok to do so. Calories
in versus calories out is what inevitably dictates weight gain or weight loss.
Also, fuelling your body with poor nutrition and empty calories, such as those
found in fast food, is also a surefire way of ensuring that you’re not getting
enough protein. With the demands bodybuilders place on their bodies we must
ensure that we eat enough good, solid whole food throughout the day so that our
bodies are being properly fuelled with the right amount and the best quality
nutrition to repair and grow. Another point to remember here is that shakes
supplement your meals, they do not replace them. Nothing can or will ever
replace good food. Supplements are brilliant because they allow you to get even
more good nutrition in without having to eat solids all day long.
4 You’re not training often
enough
Depending on your body type and how easily or resistant your body is to gaining muscle, training three days a week just isn’t going.jpg)
to cut it if you’re trying to pack on maximum size. First
of all, as a novice you can get away with training each body part twice a week,
simply because it takes time to learn how to train with maximum intensity and
reach deep into the muscle fibres. When you’re new to training you don’t
actually work your muscle groups to complete failure. Your recovery time is
therefore shorter and you can get back in the gym sooner to retrain those
muscle groups – hence the reason why, as a beginner, you can train your entire
body twice a week.
Depending on your body type and how easily or resistant your body is to gaining muscle, training three days a week just isn’t going
.jpg)
to cut it if you’re trying to pack on maximum size. First
of all, as a novice you can get away with training each body part twice a week,
simply because it takes time to learn how to train with maximum intensity and
reach deep into the muscle fibres. When you’re new to training you don’t
actually work your muscle groups to complete failure. Your recovery time is
therefore shorter and you can get back in the gym sooner to retrain those
muscle groups – hence the reason why, as a beginner, you can train your entire
body twice a week.
5 You’re not resting enough
I’ve probably confused you now. Initially I told you that you’re not training enough and now I’m saying you’re not resting enough.
I’ve probably confused you now. Initially I told you that you’re not training enough and now I’m saying you’re not resting enough.
However, there is a balance! It takes a while to push
yourself into an “overtrained” state. In fact, you’ve got to be hammering your
body daily in order to reach a point of complete fatigue. But that’s not what
this point is about. If you’re training really hard but aren’t giving yourself
sufficient time to rest, especially at night, then the chances are you’re not
growing. Muscles don’t grow in the gym, they’re repaired and rebuilt, bigger
and better at night when you go to sleep. Only through consistent and deep
sleep on a daily basis can you promote maximum growth. This alone is not enough
though. Combined with point number three, this is, without a doubt, your best
chance of ensuring that you’re giving your body every opportunity to grow.
Shoot for at least eight hours of sleep each night if you want to ensure that
you’re on the right track to muscle growth.
6 You’re not training heavy
enough
This is a tricky point to master as it often makes people go
This is a tricky point to master as it often makes people go
back to the gym and start throwing massive amounts
of weight around. We then end up making the mistakes mentioned in points one
and two. A proper set requires good form - the sooner everyone realises this,
the better. Always shoot for a weight you can perform a good 8-12 reps with,
but still allows you to maintain good form throughout. Form is what directs the
load and the effort directly into the muscle you want to train. Bad form means
you recruit more of the secondary or accessory muscle groups that are being
used during training, such as triceps when training chest and biceps when
training back. You might think you’re moving bigger weights, but you are also
forgetting that the primary reason you are there is to train the muscle group
you intended to target, not train the secondary muscles you have probably
already trained that week. If you want a muscle to grow then you need to place
the maximum amount of effort and intensity into that exact muscle group, not
spread it around various muscle groups while trying to be a hero, simply
because it looks cool. As a rule of thumb always remember this – if you think
what you’re doing looks cool, then you need to seriously reconsider what it is
you’re trying to achieve. You might be better suited trying to impress people
doing catwalk modelling or some other attention-gratifying sport.
7 You’re not performing enough
compound movementsNext time you go to gym have a look around and observe the amount of people doing bicep curls versus the amount of people doing deadlifts, squats and other hardcore compound moves. No disrespect to bicep curls, in fact they’re brilliant for bicep development, but people tend to shy away from adding compound moves to their routines. Compound movements are incredibly beneficial for overall muscle growth, simply because they require the maximum amount of effort and they also require the maximum amount of interaction from multiple muscle groups. Being able to move big weight with great form is also a surefire way of getting stronger, which means you’re developing more muscle. So, in a nutshell, if you’re not doing compound movements but you’re complaining that you’re not growing, you have no case. That’s like saying you’re hungry, but aren’t willing to go make yourself some food. It’s exactly the same thing.
8 You don’t vary your training
Changing the order in which you perform your exercises each week is probably one of the easiest, yet most effective ways of making sure that you are on the right track with your training. Remember that your body is constantly trying to ‘catch up’ with the training onslaught you inflict on it by adapting to the movements you use during training. By simply changing the order in which you perform your chosen movements every week you will keep your body progressing (growing) and you’ll also prevent boredom and stagnation within your programme.
Changing the order in which you perform your exercises each week is probably one of the easiest, yet most effective ways of making sure that you are on the right track with your training. Remember that your body is constantly trying to ‘catch up’ with the training onslaught you inflict on it by adapting to the movements you use during training. By simply changing the order in which you perform your chosen movements every week you will keep your body progressing (growing) and you’ll also prevent boredom and stagnation within your programme.
9 You’re not training intensely
enough The above point is merely a polite way of sayingyou’re a lazy bastard and
you’re not doing enough work in the gym. This is another thing I see almost on
a daily basis. People only perform high reps thinking that their training is
going to come on in leaps and bounds. To put it plainly, weight training is
gruelling and demanding when done properly. A combination of high volume and
intense weight training using heavy weights and low reps or high reps to
failure is what will inevitably stimulate muscle growth. Training with high
reps alone will only increase your stamina and give you a serious pump, which,
in itself, makes you think you’re gonna grow from it. In actual fact, a muscle
needs to be exposed to an intense stimulus in order to grow. Training it with
medium weight over a long duration increases your body’s ability to handle
weight over long periods of time but doesn’t stimulate an increase in muscle
size.
10 You’re training too heavy
This one is sure to get a fair bit of criticism from the peanut gallery. The fact of the matter is, if you’re not working a muscle through a full range of motion, with a full concentric and eccentric movement, then you’re not stimulating the muscle in its entirety. Do you ever wonder why some of the world’s strongest men don’t have the physiques of bodybuilders? If they’re so strong, why don’t they look like bodybuilders? Right? Wrong. Most guys that train for power-lifting or strongman competitions focus a lot on heavy weight, lifted with explosive movement. They do not move isolated muscle groups through a full range of motion.
Shape in a muscle comes
from bodybuilding training – where weight is moved through a full range of
motion to engage all the muscle fibres in the muscle group being worked. Guys
that tend to go too heavy in the gym end up limiting their movement and hence
their range of motion. The end results is a muscle that has engaged in some
really heavy activity, but not all the fibres in the muscle have been recruited
or stimulated, broken down and therefore trained properly. There is no excuse
for bad form and the secret to developing a great physique through weight
training is finding a balance between the right weight and performing it with
good form.
This one is sure to get a fair bit of criticism from the peanut gallery. The fact of the matter is, if you’re not working a muscle through a full range of motion, with a full concentric and eccentric movement, then you’re not stimulating the muscle in its entirety. Do you ever wonder why some of the world’s strongest men don’t have the physiques of bodybuilders? If they’re so strong, why don’t they look like bodybuilders? Right? Wrong. Most guys that train for power-lifting or strongman competitions focus a lot on heavy weight, lifted with explosive movement. They do not move isolated muscle groups through a full range of motion.
Shape in a muscle comes
from bodybuilding training – where weight is moved through a full range of
motion to engage all the muscle fibres in the muscle group being worked. Guys
that tend to go too heavy in the gym end up limiting their movement and hence
their range of motion. The end results is a muscle that has engaged in some
really heavy activity, but not all the fibres in the muscle have been recruited
or stimulated, broken down and therefore trained properly. There is no excuse
for bad form and the secret to developing a great physique through weight
training is finding a balance between the right weight and performing it with
good form.
Source:
Muscle Evolution magazine – South
Africa
http://www.muscleevolution.co.za/index.php/articles/special-features?layout=edit&id=536
All these tips are done but no results
ReplyDeletelooooooool
When was the last time you hit the gym? I haven't seen you there in a while.
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