| Are you training and eating in a way that ensures | | | | need to consume huge amounts of food to force their |
| maximum growth or are your training and eating habits | | | | bodies to grow. This is practice does enable them to |
| sabotaging your physique? Are you frustrated with | | | | put put on weight quickly, but most of it will be unsightly |
| your progress in the gym? Do you seem to be putting | | | | fat, not muscle. |
| in more and more effort for less and less of a return? | | | | Concentrate on maximizing your protein intake, keep |
| If this is the case you may be making one or more of | | | | your fat to a minimum, stick to complex carbs and play |
| these common mistakes, and simply correcting them | | | | with your calorie consumption to determine the |
| could get you back on track and making gains. | | | | optimum intake for your body. |
| Bodybuilding 101 Mistake #1. Training too often/Not | | | | Mistake #6. Too little fluid intake |
| getting enough rest | | | | How does your fluid intake affect your training results? |
| This is probably the biggest mistake that I see trainees | | | | It is only recently that the importance of proper |
| making. I have spoken to many young bodybuilders | | | | hydration in exercise has been realized. It was once |
| who train six or seven days per week or train weights | | | | thought that fluid intake during exercise was |
| in the mornings and then go off and play football | | | | unnecessary, and drinking water during physical activity |
| (soccer) in the evenings and wonder why they can't | | | | was actually discouraged. Our knowledge of the role |
| grow. | | | | that hydration plays in exercise has come a long way |
| Natural bodybuilders need a far greater amount of rest | | | | in recent years and it is now understood that proper |
| and recuperation then their steroid using counterparts. | | | | hydration is of the utmost importance. |
| Ideally there should be at least a full days rest in | | | | Dehydration impairs performance. A fluid loss |
| between training sessions and a maximum of three | | | | corresponding to as little as 2% of your body weight |
| sessions per week as this gives your nervous system | | | | can seriously impair your capacity to perform muscular |
| adequate time to recover. | | | | work. |
| What you do before or after your workout and on | | | | Our muscles are made up of 75% water, so it is |
| your days off can effect your gains in both positive | | | | understandable that a high level of fluid intake is |
| and negative ways. Other then your cardio sessions, | | | | needed in order to prevent working muscles |
| keep physical activity to a minimum on your rest days | | | | dehydrating. Muscular dehydration can lead to a loss of |
| and try to keep away from stressful situations, as | | | | strength and muscle cramps. So make sure you drink |
| stress hormones can destroy your hard earned | | | | plenty of water before, during and after your workout. |
| muscle. | | | | Your body will thank you for it. |
| Growth takes place while you rest, not while working | | | | Mistake #7. Not properly focused |
| out. If you do not give yourself enough time to fully | | | | When your at the gym are you totally focused on |
| recuperate, you will simply be denying your body any | | | | your workout or do you find yourself easily distracted? |
| chance of growth. | | | | Its very easy to become sidetracked by other |
| Mistake #2. Doing too many sets per session | | | | members wanting to talk or by the attractive girl doing |
| I see many trainees trying to emulate the training | | | | bent over rows in front of the mirror. Try to leave the |
| routines of the champions found in the magazines. This | | | | socializing to after the workout and devote your time |
| can be disastrous for the natural trainee. Without | | | | in the gym to building your physique. If someone tries to |
| artificial manipulation of your hormones there is no way | | | | start a conversation with you while you are working |
| that your body can recuperate from those workouts. | | | | out you can politely tell them that you need to |
| It doesn't take dozens of sets to work a muscle | | | | concentrate on your training and that you will speak to |
| maximumly. As long as you train with enough intensity | | | | them later. |
| three sets of an exercise should be enough. | | | | Mistake #8. Bad exercise form |
| Mistake #3. Training for too long per session | | | | It is vitally important to pay attention to proper exercise |
| As a drug free trainee you will naturally be concerned | | | | form and technique when working out with free |
| with optimizing your testosterone and growth hormone | | | | weights. good exercise form will not only ensure that |
| levels. With this in mind it is important to pay particular | | | | you are working the muscle fully, it will also help you |
| attention to the duration of your training sessions. Your | | | | stay clear of injury. |
| serum testosterone and and growth hormone levels | | | | Mistake #9. Too many exercises per body part |
| are affected by the length of your training session, | | | | Trying to hit a muscle from every possible angle only |
| after short-duration stimulation (60 minuets or less) | | | | leads to over training. For biceps and triceps one or |
| they increases. On the other hand, after extended | | | | two exercises is enough, two for chest and a |
| duration exercise (more then 60 minuets) they | | | | maximum of three for back, shoulders and legs. |
| decrease. | | | | Mistake #10. Using mostly machines |
| In short, keeping workouts to under 60 minuets will | | | | Exercise machines have many apparent advantages |
| ensure you get the maximum benefit from your | | | | over free weights, for newbies they are much easier |
| workouts. | | | | to learn, the weight stack can be changed quickly, |
| Mistake #4. Not taking in enough protein | | | | there is no need for a spotter and on the surface they |
| You may be surprised that this one made the list, but I | | | | appear to be safer than barbells or dumbbells. On the |
| am constantly amazed at how many hard training gym | | | | negative side they do not stimulate as much muscle |
| goers sabotage their efforts by not taking in anywhere | | | | fiber, burn as much fat, work your stabilizer muscles or |
| near enough of this essential nutrient. Many trainees | | | | have as powerful an effect on your growth hormones, |
| are still not aware of the important role that protein | | | | as compound free weight movements. And although |
| plays in muscle growth and consume 50 grams or less | | | | they may seem safer, because they do not work |
| per day and wonder why they can't put on muscle. | | | | your stabilizers, imbalances can occur which can |
| To build muscle, your body needs a minimum of 1 gram | | | | increase your chances of injury in the long run. |
| of protein per kilo of body weight, and I would suggest | | | | This list is by no means exhaustive, but these are the |
| raising it to 2 grams for optimum results. | | | | mistakes that I have come across most often, and I |
| Mistake #5. Not taking in enough or taking in too many | | | | have seen trainees make huge improvements simply |
| calories | | | | by eliminating them from their training. |
| Many also subscribe to the mistaken belief that they | | | | |