Why Your Bodybuilding Efforts Are Getting Derailed Time After Time

If you’ve been trying to build muscles of late but are not seeing the gains you expected, you might have fallen prey to some of the very common mistakes most newcomers do. There’s a lot of generic advice floating around on the lines of “take more protein” and “lift harder”, but they don’t really help. Building lean muscle is a fairly intense struggle, whether you’re a man or a woman.

Not Eating Enough

You cannot raise an entire building with just the blueprints and the labor- you need materials too. Similarly, muscles don’t pop out of nowhere. You will need to give your body the nutrients it needs to build lean muscle, like carbs, fat, and protein. Not eating enough means your body lacks the calories it needs for growth and repair, meaning all the training in the world will have no effect on your muscle mass. Plan your meals to ensure that you are getting enough calories. Ensure that you don’t go overboard.

Missing Out on Protein

Too many people lose out on the protein their daily activities warrant. Most athletes should get at least 1.3-1.5g protein per pound of weight, and 1.0-1.2g per pound is enough for people trying to stay healthy. Don’t stick to a single protein source either; different food items have different amino acid profiles. A full spectrum will work wonders for you.

Lax Training

If your training isn’t intense enough, you aren’t going anywhere. Going light at the gym is pointless because all weight loss and muscle gain are only due to working the body beyond its resting potential. If you take your own sweet time and stay within your comfort zone, you aren’t pushing yourself at all. Challenge the body, go hard and heavy, lifting with power and purpose.

Incorrect Supplements

Once you have a perfect diet and workout routine, you should look at supplements. They go a long way in driving your body to function at optimal levels so that you can build the muscle mass you deserve. It is worth noting that a protein powder will not do your workouts for you, so it is meant to supplement and not replace your routine. Start with multivitamins and then try fish oil, a weight-gainer, an anabolic steroid and maybe even something like creatine monohydrate to help your lean mass efforts.

Not Getting Enough Rest

The work you put in at the gym causes muscle growth, but actual change comes about while your body is in a resting state, like sleeping. The human growth hormone (HGH) which is responsible for this change is at its highest while you sleep. Lack of sleep and additional stress also increases cortisol levels, which directly causes muscle breakdown. Your body needs a good recharge, and sleep is the way to achieve that.

Inconsistent Routines

Training hard one day, taking a three-day break, and returning after isn’t effective at all. Similarly, training in the day and going hard at beer and pizza at night is counterproductive. Training, rest, and nutrition are the three things which do not tolerate any inconsistency. You have to ensure that you are giving your body the right environment to grow in.

Conclusion

Building muscles goes beyond lifting weights; you will have to add resistance so that your muscles are able to adapt to heavier weights. You have to keep challenging your body, and three or four sets of eight to twelve reps are the perfect way to go about it. Hit your muscles from every angle possible, so that they are ready to face anything in the long run.

Author Bio: Jim Ritter is a fitness freak and a blogger based in New Jersey. He has worked in personal fitness for over five years and enjoys writing about fitness and how you could find the best workout routine or anabolic steroid for yourself.