How to build muscle? The question is asked in many different forms by bodybuilders around the world. And the reason isn’t hard to imagine. There are so many myths floating around that it is easy to get misled and make serious mistakes which can be harmful or delay your bodybuilding journey.
Here are some elementary bodybuilding mistakes made by beginners.
1. Combination Exercises
There are a few enthusiastic beginners who keep pumping iron for hours and hours, but getting nowhere. Their endless biceps curls aren’t creating as much impact as another who is spending less time on exercises. The reason is that repeating the wrong exercise for a longer time isn’t effective.
The first step is to write down a list of all the exercises in your workout, including the number of reps of each. When it comes down to how to build muscle, those exercise routines like push ups and squats that work multiple groups simultaneously will be better at gaining muscle bulk. Isolated single muscle group exercises should make up less than 40% of any workout.
2. Not Playing Games
How to build muscle faster? Stop playing games. Maybe you love tennis or soccer or hockey and don’t miss a chance to play when you have spare time. But it is important to remember that doing this impairs your chance to build up muscle mass.
When you workout for building muscle, the tired and recovering muscle groups need rest and relaxation along with adequate fuel to replenish energy sources and increase in size. By playing games or engaging in other activities that stress the fatigued muscle, you are slowing down rate of growth and diverting calories to other activities than increasing bulk.
3. Stop Smoking and Drinking
Many beginner bodybuilders are averse to giving up their recreational activities like smoking tobacco or drinking alcohol. Smoking increases blood levels of carbon monoxide which impairs oxygen delivery to muscles during exercise. Without adequate supplies of oxygen, the tissue chokes and is unable to perform well during exercise.
Alcohol increases fatty acid levels in blood and the extra fat often gets deposited as a layer over the abdomen muscles. Drinking also reduces testosterone levels, indirectly inhibiting muscle growth. So give up smoking and drinking to enjoy muscle growth.
4. Eat The Right Food
You need plenty of calories to build muscle. Eat shortly before and immediately after a workout so that your recovering muscles have adequate sources of energy to recover and grow in size. Exercise uses up the stores of glycogen from muscle cells. Replenishing these stores by eating a balanced diet helps muscle growth.
The best types of food to eat before and after a workout session are eggs, chicken or turkey, milk, fish, protein shakes, nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables.
