The 7 Biggest Mistakes In Muscle Building

By Ricardo d Argence

Good habits should be developed now to help building muscle for the long term. In order to build muscle continuously, it's important to start and keep doing the right things at the right times. But people can fall into bad habits without realizing the risks, or how their body and their progress, can be affected. Here are not only the top seven bad habits, but a few tips on how to avoid them.

1) The worst of all! Taking steroids, this is dangerous for a whole variety of reasons take your pick from any of the following: different coloured spots on the body, acne, swelling of the legs and feet, bad smelling breath and yellowing of the skin, dizziness, trembling, nausea, vomiting, mood swings, premature balding, aching joints, liver damage, high blood pressure, palpitations, cardiovascular disease and reduction of your final adult height. If you want even more reason not to take steroids how about: testicular shrinkage, impotence, pain on urination, breast development and even sterility. Enough said.

2) Attempting to lift weights that are too heavy. Being competitive and trying to beat your training partner might be good motivation, but it's important to be careful. If you lift too much weight, then you're increasing your chances of injury, which can cause you to lose form and slow your muscle building progress. If you need to use momentum to lift or lower the weight, or can't do so under complete control, then the weight is too heavy.

3) Eating too much protein. Everyone knows protein is good for you and helps you build muscle, but it's possible to consume too much. An average person's protein intake is about a gram or less of per kilo of body weight a day. A muscle building athlete consumes more, at about 1.7 grams of protein per kilo of bodyweight. Consuming more than this could lead to osteoporosis and irreversible kidney damage. You could even damage your heart over time, due to protein byproducts released by your body.

4) Taking stimulants such as ephedrine has dangerous side effects including heart palpitations, heart attack and stroke. Whilst these are not prohibited you wold be wise to exercise extreme caution and in fact would be much better off not using them. you may try a caffeine pill instead as these are far less dangerous. If any doubts exist make sure you get the opinion of a health care professional.

5) Training on an empty stomach. While some people seem to believe that training on an empty stomach helps them burn more fat, the truth of the matter is that your energy comes from carbohydrates. This means that if you haven't eaten, you'll have less energy and won't have much of a chance at getting a good workout. You won't be able to lift as much and you'll probably be jittery, shaking and dizzy after your workout because of a low blood sugar level. It's a good idea to have a mean before your workout, particularly foods like vegetables, fruit and rice.

6) Failing to stretch or warm up properly. In order to prevent debilitating injuries such as ligament strains and muscle tears, it's extremely important that you prepare your body for exercise. This also has the effect of improving your performance, range of motion, and posture. Spending about 10 minutes warming up is a wise and effective use of your time.

7) Not keeping a training log. A training log is an essential part of building muscle; you need it to measure your progress and keep track of your personal best lifts. A training log doesn't take much time and is very motivating at keeping you on track. Making use of one is a good idea.

By keeping the above pointers in mind, as well as a healthy dose of common sense, you should be able to enjoy a safe and productive workout. The important thing is to relax, be safe, and enjoy a great workout. - 30414

About the Author:

Sign Up for our Free Newsletter

Enter email address here