Bodybuilding Mistakes

   
         Below I've listed some of the bodybuilding mistakes that so many beginners and intermediate bodybuilders seem to make and then wonder why they're not progressing or making good muscle gains.



        Not Having A Plan - Having no plan is one of the worst, if not the worst approach to bodybuilding success. How are you going to achieve the body you want if you have no plan how to get there? You must have goals and a purpose to your training or you will be like a ship that has set sail with no destination. So decide what you want to achieve in bodybuilding, wether it's just for a better physique, you want to compete or even one day become Mr Olympia.
        Make a plan, write down your goals and give yourself a realistic deadline. Make sure the plan is suited to your level of training, it's no good copying Phil Heath's training regime if you've only been training for a couple of months. Copying Phil Heath will probably not work for 95% of  bodybuilders. Phil Heath and most of the other pro bodybuilders are on another level and have taken the right steps to get there. Finding a routine that packs on muscle for you is what it's all about and remember what works for someone else might not work for you. There is no one size fits all in bodybuilding. So my advice would be to seek the advice of a professional or someone who has been at the level you are at and get them to help put a strategy together that suits you.

"There are no secrets to success. It's the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.    - Colin. L. Powell

         Not Keeping Records - Not keeping records is another one of the biggest bodybuilding mistakes that you can make. If your not keeping records how will you know if your improving or just staying the same? If you have set a deadline and you are not progressing at the rate you should be , it's better to find  out sooner rather than later.Wether it's a few notes or a full on training diary with body measurements,  body fat % , body weight and training sesssion breakdowns, keeping records is one of the most effective ways to progress and acieve your bodybuilding goals.
         My advice would also be to take a photo of yourself about once a month and you should be able to see the changes over a period of 6-12 months. Sometimes it's hard to see changes in your body if your looking in the mirror every day so it's easy to get discouraged.
        To keep motivation high seeing photos of yourself a month apart will be easier to see the muscle mass gained, definition, fat loss etc.

"You must have long term goals to keep from being frustrated by short term failures."  -  Charles C. Noble

          Sticking To The Same Routine - Sticking to the same training routine week in, week out, will not help you in packing on muscle. At the beginning many training systems will work but eventually the muscle building effect on your body will start to wane. You should introduce change to your training regularly. Usually about every 8 - 12 weeks. To keep on adding muscle to your physique, variety is the key. The best way is to adjust the weight you are lifting or the number of reps for the exercise rather than completely changing your exercises. Being familiar with your limitations you can maintain good technique and reduce the risk of injury.

'Enjoying success requires the ability to adapt. Only by being open to change will you have a true opportunity to get the most from your talent.' - Nolan Ryan

         Incorrect Technique - One of the biggest favours you can do for yourself is learn the correct technique for each bodybuilding exercises you are performing. Incorrect technique can seriously hinder your progress and lead to muscle tears, joint injuries and muscle imbalances. There are many things that can go wrong because of all the different variations on exercises. Speak to a professional or research the exercise on the internet. It's worth finding out the correct techniques for your long term success.

          Overtraining With Muscle ' Crossover' - Are you aware that when you perform chest exercises you are also giving your shoulders and triceps a thrashing? And when you are doing some back exercises you are working your biceps too? The list of muscle crossover exercises goes on. So when putting together a training plan it's easy to miss out on the fact that you may be training some bodyparts excessively by hitting them 2 or 3 days in a row. One of the biggest complaints you hear in the gym is shoulder pain - which alot of the time can be put down to overtraining. To get your training plan correct can be quite a science and priority should be given to a training sequence that avoids overtraining and injury.

 For information on the 'The Best Natural Muscle Building System' CLICK HERE