MAB E-Book: Muscle Building Mistakes

[bruteforce]

Mistakes and other musings.

1) PR or ER, BtB's epic quote, is best left to the advanced lifters. Too many novice lifters get injured because they want to see a new number when their body is just not ready for it.

2) Eat right. This is different for different people. If you know you don't handle carbs well, don't eat them. This stays true even if some internet guru or 'roid brah from the gym tells you that you have to eat them to grow. However, if you can handle them, go for it.

3) You don't need supplements. I like them, but I buy very few any more. Once I run out of what I have right now, I will likely give up everything but whey and my vitamin/mineral supplements I take.

4) Get your form right. I doesn't matter how much weight you are moving in your first 3 months of lifting if you're doing it wrong.

5) If it hurts, stop. Don't be a baby, but don't be a hero either. The weight room is not the place for that.

6) Once you have the movements down, make progress every time you can. However, don't immediately begin using the 5RM, progress into it and your gains will be more steady and you will gain faster in the long run.

7) Work your back.

8) Work your legs

9) If you have a medical issue, be mindful of it and don't let other people pressure into exacerbating it.

10) Have fun. If you hate your routine, you won't do well on it unless you have a coach to push you. Find routines you enjoy and work hard.

11) Hard work is the most important factor. Work at your diet and your training and everything will fall into place. Get off the couch, get off the internet, and go lift.

[DieselWeasel]

Originally Posted by bruteforce

Mistakes and other musings.

1) PR or ER, BtB's epic quote, is best left to the advanced lifters. Too many novice lifters get injured because they want to see a new number when their body is just not ready for it.

2) Eat right. This is different for different people. If you know you don't handle carbs well, don't eat them. This stays true even if some internet guru or 'roid brah from the gym tells you that you have to eat them to grow. However, if you can handle them, go for it.

3) You don't need supplements. I like them, but I buy very few any more. Once I run out of what I have right now, I will likely give up everything but whey and my vitamin/mineral supplements I take.

4) Get your form right. I doesn't matter how much weight you are moving in your first 3 months of lifting if you're doing it wrong.

5) If it hurts, stop. Don't be a baby, but don't be a hero either. The weight room is not the place for that.

6) Once you have the movements down, make progress every time you can. However, don't immediately begin using the 5RM, progress into it and your gains will be more steady and you will gain faster in the long run.

7) Work your back.

8) Work your legs

9) If you have a medical issue, be mindful of it and don't let other people pressure into exacerbating it.

10) Have fun. If you hate your routine, you won't do well on it unless you have a coach to push you. Find routines you enjoy and work hard.

11) Hard work is the most important factor. Work at your diet and your training and everything will fall into place. Get off the couch, get off the internet, and go lift.

Isn't that quote from Jamie Lewis (Chaos & Pain)?

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by emekajokammor

Hey BTB can i speak on a topic of the misunderstanding on Contest Prep?

I'll put it up in another thread. What specifically are you going to address so I can better explain the topic and aim it at beginners?

[bruteforce]

Originally Posted by DieselWeasel

Isn't that quote from Jamie Lewis (Chaos & Pain)?

probably, I just remember seeing it recently in a thread and possibly incorrectly attributed it. Sounds like something Jamie would say. Apologies.

[Hazzard]

I love the idea of a MaB eBook - one filled with tonnes and tonnes of beginner advice - the thing we all wish WE had when we started the whole training adventure.

I think the biggest problem that beginner's have is knowing what the bloody hell to do when they walk in the gym - they see rows and rows of racks, machines, weights and don't even know where to begin. Adding to what people have already said this leads to them doing superfluous exercises like wrist curls and calf raises, when they've got bigger fish to fry - like getting STRONGER.

Filtering through all the crap to give the beginner the basic lifts and routines they need to start off, as well as a way of progressing in them. And what the hell, let them do curls, they're going to do them anyway and people need to enjoy training, not feel like it's a drag. Just as long as the primary focus of the routine isn't BIG GUNZ.

So yeah, a basic, easy to understand, primarily compound focused and strength building routine. Essentially 5x5 mixed in with some bonus lifts like shrugs, chins, dips, push press, RDLs and rack pulls.

[Off Road]

Train on your feet.

[austin.j.taylor]

Lift heavy, train hard, eat enought to get results, do enough conditioning to not be a fatass, and reap the rewards.

Programming ADD is the most common mistake I see. Hell I just start on a LP 5X5 program again because I think I can make progress on it.


The concept of becoming a manbeast is not nearly as difficult as most people make it out to be.

[BendtheBar]

I think the biggest mistake you can make during the first 6 to 12 months of training is not focusing on getting stronger. There are no weak, muscular men. This is not to say you have to try and "max out", or train with low reps. Not so.

Use compound exercises and work mainly between the 8-12 rep range for the first 6 months. After that point really anything around the 5-12 reps will serve you well. You want a few more reps early on to practice form, build stability, etc.

Get stronger in these rep ranges, and with compound exercises.

The next big mistake is thinking that muscle building is complicated. It's not. You don't need massive volume during the first 6-12 months. Forget about drop sets, super sets, pumping, priming, pre-exhaust, Doggcrapp, slow negatives and elaborate 5-6 day splits.

These may become useful tools down the road, but they fairly useless if you are still relatively weak.

Another common mistake is buying into muscle confusion. Changes will be needed at some point down the road to challenge your body. But right now the only thing needed to confuse you muscles is more weight on the bar.

Stop changing programs. Find something you like and stick with it. There are no magic programs. Progression of weight is the magic.

[emekajokammor]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

I'll put it up in another thread. What specifically are you going to address so I can better explain the topic and aim it at beginners?

I want to explain why contest prep, to me, is more than just low carb dieting, training, and hours of cardio.

Breaking down the less exposed aspects of contest prep.

[DieselWeasel]

Steve, you should post a link to the e-book in this thread when it's completed.