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Nothing quite hits the spot like the aftermath of a hardcore bodybuilding workout. You feel jacked, happy and accomplished. If you’re new to the bodybuilding game, you’re probably buzzing from your achievements after each session.
The sad truth is, newbies regularly commit cardinal sins and make stupid, deadly mistakes. And, half the time they’re too busy staring at themselves in the mirror to even notice!
Don’t be one of these asshats. Pay attention to what you should NOT do in the world of bodybuilding. Remember, educating yourself on how to train properly means half the battle of getting real results is already won.
1 Using momentum
Perhaps the worst thing you can ever do to impress a lady is send her a picture of your penis. Trust me, that’s not how you make a good impression. Coming in at a close second though is using god-awful form in the weight room.
Far too often, newbie bodybuilders think it’s fashionable to arch their backs, swing their hips, pop their knees forward and do whatever else they can to hoist a goliath-sized weight from one spot to another.
Well, they obviously didn’t get the memo that this counts as bad form, not badassery. And bad form can reduce the time a muscle is under tension, meaning it will not get the proper stimulation it needs to become bigger.
Plus, this mistake can also lead to injuries and imbalances. Don’t let this happen to you. Move your weights purposely and deliberately in a slow and steady motion. This will get you the best results, whilst sparing your body from undue trauma.
2 Not knowing limitations
You might find this crazy, but you don’t need a ton of weight to pack on size. Just like the saying goes; “It’s not the length of the rope that matters, it’s how you raise and lower the bucket.”
Well, new bodybuilders tend to think they need to lift a minibus in order to get jacked. And actually, they’re partly correct. They will get jacked… jacked up!
You’re best starting out light, focusing on crisp, clean form and progressing to heavier weights over time. This is the basic principle of progressive overload.
When you follow this approach, your body can acclimate and you’ll be less prone to muscle soreness. Then, in a few short months, you can own the entire weight room and everyone’s ass who steps in your way.
But until you reach that point, be modest, know what you can and can’t do and aim for weights that are manageable.
3 Overtraining
Let’s go back to muscle soreness for a second. It might be fun to brag to all your friends that you can’t sit on the toilet comfortably because of what leg day did to you, but what are you going to do with this knowledge?
Smart bodybuilders take some time off to heal up and get stronger. Newbies often ignore their body’s pleas and ‘push through the wall’. That’s nice, because if you’re that kinda person you can expect to hit the wall real soon.
Simply put, working out nonstop and not giving your body enough time to rest can lead to overtraining. The best thing you can expect to achieve from this is constant muscle and joint pain that can disrupt your daily life and sleep patterns.
The worst case scenario is, you can suffer irreversible muscle and liver damage by developing rhabdomyolysis. Neither one of these outcomes would be very fun to pencil into your journal.
Avoid this fate by listening to your body and resting when it asks you to. It’s best to take at least one full day off before working the same muscle group again. And never ever work the same muscles at a high intensity if they’re sore to start with.
4 Eating before working out
Did you ever see someone puke when they were lifting weights? You may not have actually seen them puke, but you might’ve witnessed them rush to the locker room to empty out their insides.
Chances are good that you saw a new bodybuilder partaking in this uncomplimentary act. And to think, this all could’ve been avoided if they chose to pass on the pre-workout feeding.
Yes, kids, you don’t have to eat before working out. In fact, it’s in your best interest to fast for a good 10 hours before working out because this will boost your testosterone and growth hormone levels. Plus, you have a better chance of burning more fat.
Practice it and see how it works for you. You’ll find yourself getting used to it in a mere few weeks. And when you see how well you perform without the belly aches involved with eating, you’ll be sold for life!
5 Using steroids
Let’s call a spade a spade. There are a lot of guys out there who are on the lazy side. And they would sooner sacrifice their manhood to gain a competitive advantage in the weight room. If you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m talking about steroid soakers.
Unwitting bodybuilders are the first ones who fall into this trap too. They think they need to resort to sketchy and illegal means to bulk up and build ridiculous strength. But this road can quickly get bumpy, rocky and hard to travel on very quickly.
Steroids cause unwanted side effects that can include hair loss, mood swings, acne, man boobs and loss of sex drive, to name a few things. You’re way better off following a strict diet with lots of chicken, beef, eggs, vegetables and other types of clean fare than slipping foreign substances into your bloodstream.
With today’s advancements in technology, there are plenty of all-natural and legal supplements that can get the job done just fine as well. Always put in the work and take the natural approach to achieve the best (and healthiest) outcome.
Take a look at our bulking stack to get you started on the right path.
The final lowdown
OK, boys and girls, it’s time to wrap this up. Do you feel more confident to go to the gym now and crush it? That’s good to hear! All bodybuilders might not be created equal, but they sure as hell can follow the same strategies. Do the right thing and avoid the mistakes of newbies so you can lift happily ever after.
