Building muscle is easier said than done. You get to know this when you start the process of trying to build muscle. Common perception is joining gym, lifting weights and eating food. Do this and you will build muscle..this is what people think. But building muscle requires a lot more than this.
Common mistakes made while building muscle
Check out these mistakes and make sure you are not making any of these since they can hamper your goal of building quality muscle.
Training too often
More is better. This does not apply to workouts while trying to build muscle. Hitting the gym 7 days a week would set you back from your goal instead of getting you there. You do not build muscle at gym, you break muscle there. Muscle is built while the body is resting and hitting the gym everyday prevents the body from getting adequate rest and recovery.
Not training often
Just because you need to give your body rest and recovery to grow muscle does not mean hitting the gym only 2-3 days per week and expecting results. Our body requires stimulus for muscle growth which weight training provides. Failure to provide stimulus will not result in muscle growth. Aim to hit the gym 4-5 days a week which strikes the balance between rest and stimulus.
Wasting time and having long workouts
Shut up and train. Follow this during your workouts. The gym is made for intense workout sessions and not for socializing, clicking selfies and walking around. Maximum effort requires total focus and concentration. You can’t do that while running your mouth. Train first, talk later. Long workouts induce fatigue at the expense of overload. Not only is it a poor way to build muscle, but it also invites injury. Keep your workouts short, heavy, and intense. That’s what builds muscle.
Not consuming enough protein
Protein is the building block of muscles as it contains all the amino acids required for muscle growth. Failure to consume enough protein can hamper muscle growth. Aim to consume between 1.5-2 grams of protein per kg of body weight. Try to include protein in every meal to make sure you get enough protein throughout the day.
Spending tons of money on supplements
Supplement means add on. Supplements are meant to supplement proper food intake and cannot replace whole foods. Stop buying tons of supplements and try to consume your calories from real whole food which will provide better results. Only few supplements actually work, that too when your workout regime and diet is on point. There are more over-hyped, worthless supplements on the market today than there have ever been. Regulations in the nutrition industry are seldom enforced. This has left the gate open for con men and hucksters to steal your money.
Not getting enough sleep
You grow while resting and sleep is essential for growth. Sleep is crucial for strength training recovery and helps with muscle repair after a strenuous workout. Inadequate sleep can interfere with the body’s ability to recover after lifting weights and inhibits the body’s ability to build maximum muscle strength. Along with dietary protein to aid in muscle repair and new muscle growth, your body produces its own muscle-building hormones while you sleep, including human growth hormone. Sleep is vital for cementing muscle recall linked to body movements. Together with the muscle repair and growth that happens during sleep, this allows for overall improved athletic performance.
Health and fitness 