Caring for yourself while bodybuilding is one of the most important things you can do if you want a pain-free life, full of mobility.
Your joints and back can take a hard toll if you are lifting incorrectly. Learning proper technique and form will save you from spending thousands on physical therapy should an injury occur.
From 1999 to 2007, almost one million Americans ended up in emergency rooms all over the nation from improper weight lifting. 82% of them were men, while women made a swift rise in injuries in the following years.
Getting sage advice on weight rack exercises is hard to come by. Finding what is tried and true and also good for you can be a tricky feat.
Maybe you're scouring the internet looking for bodybuilding tips. Just remember to check your sources on those bodybuilding tips. Finding the source's credentials is essential when looking for online advice. Certified trainers and coaches with degrees in exercise science are great resources.
We've got your literal back though. We've compiled a list of things you may hear are good for your weight lifting program, but actually aren't.
5 Frequent Bodybuilding Tips That Are Completely Wrong
1. You Must Train Until Failure
This is a huge subject of debate in the bodybuilding community. Going to failure is forcing your body to go to a place where it does just that and fails. Working in a manner that pushes you to go until the last unachievable repetition is constantly heralded as the only way to build mass muscle gains.
But think about using this method outside of the gym or in any other aspect of your life. Does going until failure seem like a healthy idea in any forum? When doing cardio, do you need to run until you collapse on the ground for it to have an effect?
You can absolutely stimulate large amounts of muscle growth without going until failure. The body is a wise organism, it will adapt to what you expose it to over time and also care for itself while it recovers. When one goes for that last failure rep, it opens a wide chasm for injury. (1)
If your body can't do the last rep, you should not force it to. You may end up out of the gym for months because of it.
2. Gym Abs
Abs, everyone wants them, not everyone knows how to get them. While sit ups can certainly tone your abs and even strengthen them, none of this will matter if you're eating fast food every day.
Six packs are made in the kitchen, paired with some exercises at the gym. If your body fat percentage is high it covers any work you may be doing on your abs. Lowering your body fat will help your abs shine through.
Diets low in carbs and high in protein will help you achieve the abs you've been working for. Eating five or six small meals a day will keep your metabolism constantly working. Controlling your hunger will help you not overeat.
Further Reading: Top 5 Natural Muscle Building Supplements That Work
3. High Reps vs. Low Reps
If a trainer tells you that doing high repetitions at low weights will get you cut, it's time to find a new trainer. High repetitions of low weights won't do a lot for you other than burn calories and increase endurance. If you want to get cut, you need to lower your body fat percentage so your muscles can pop.
If you are satisfied with where you are at, then keep doing what you are doing. But if you want more definition, head for the treadmill.
This same trainer may tell you that low reps will you build you size. But the truth is to build muscle you need to progressively lift heavier. Make a goal to consistently outdo what you did in your last workout to increase your muscle mass.
Many weight lifters want to turn to HGH or legal alternatives to steroids for extra help. Make sure and research and fully review any product you are considering putting into your body for assistance. This may be the more important bodybuilding tip of all when it comes to supplements.
4. Cardio Will Stop Muscle Growth
Let's consider over all health for a moment. Weight lifting will not keep your cardio vascular system healthy. In fact, it may be more challenging to keep it in good condition as you gain more muscle mass. Cardio is a great thing for many reasons.
Secondly, cardio will only deter muscle growth to a point. Twenty minutes a day of cardio will not do any damage to your muscle growth. In fact, cardio can help your quads and glutes grow. You can work your aerobic system and maintain or increase your muscle mass, you just need to do it on the right levels of intensity.
Sprinting will do wonders for you and your muscle mass. Learn how to work the alactic and lactic systems for cardio, gains, and recovery.
5. Rest Between Sets
Many bodybuilding tips state that you should rest for at least two minutes between sets to let your muscles recover. However, researchers from the College of New Jersey found that when lifters waited just 30 seconds between reps, they burned almost 50% more calories than those who waited longer.
Supersets are great in terms of bodybuilding tips. Not only will they save you time, they'll keep your muscles guessing as you alternate different muscle groups. Supersets will increase calorie burn during and also after your workout as your body continues to perform in cycles for the rest of the day.
Research
Many bodybuilding tips state that you need to just, “Do what feels good.” But what might feel good in the moment might feel terrible tomorrow.
Doing your research and finding out what is scientifically proven to help bodybuilders will keep you healthy and give you the results you desire. By finding misconceptions and recognizing bad bodybuilding tips, you'll make your time in the gym more effective.
Don't be afraid of the right kind of cardio, rest less during your time in the gym, understand rep counts and always try to do a little more than you did last time (and not until failure).
These bodybuilding tips are the good ones. Pair these bodybuilding tips with great supplements and you've got yourself a recipe for success. You'll be on your way towards the body you've always wanted before you know it.
When you're ready to make informed decisions about what you need to take your workouts to the next level, contact us.
Read Also: Top 10 Muscle Building Supplements That Will Transform Your Body