Okay, I suppose that like a lot of people, you started your muscle-building after you heard a lot of advice from different directions - things like 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, rest 1 to 3 minutes between sets. And I suppose the folks that gave that advice said it was the best way to build muscle, didn't they?
Unfortunately, that's one of the biggest reasons that so many beginners' programs just don't work for them. Sure, they'll probably see some results early on, but then they'll hit a plateau, and their progress stalls.
Here's the problem: A beginner's early gains will slow, then stop, and pretty soon, they're doing real well to just maintain what they gained. So what do they do? They panic, and start shifting to crossfit, kettlebells, circuit training, TRX... they try super high reps, and when that doesn't work, they try super low reps. They may go back to the original program again. But they never regain that initial momentum.
Pretty soon, they get disgusted and quit. Sound familiar?
News flash, kids - there IS no "best way" to build muscle!
The only "best way" is the way that's working for you today. And it'll change for tomorrow. There's no such thing as a "best way" that'll work over time, without adjusting. It there was, we'd all look like Greek Gods.
Hang around any fitness forum, and sooner or later, you'll hear claims of this best way and that best way to build strength and muscle. Did you ever notice how those claims often come from opposite ends of the spectrum?
The good news, though, is that there is always an optimal style of training for you at every particular stage in your development. You'll just need to make periodic adjustments in order to avoid making these muscle-building mistakes:
Mistake #1: Your training style doesn't match your body type.
The most comfortable type of workout for you is the last type of workout you want to be doing. If it's comfortable, that means your body has adapted to it, and you've either hit a plateau or you will, very soon.
Match your training style to your body type - avoid a comfort level.
- ECTOMORPHS
Ectomorphs are often going to be comfortable doing 10 to 15 reps because they can feel that. But they'll usually respond better doing fewer sets, more frequently, perhaps 6 to 8 reps.
- MESOMORPHS
The mesomorph will often respond better to a rep range of 8 to 12, concentrating on training each part of the body once per week. They'll need more sets, but less frequently.
- ENDOMORPHS
The endomorph will usually respond best to 10 to 15 reps, because they often have more strength but less endurance. High volume workouts, more frequently may be the best approach for them.
#2 – Your workouts aren't planned and recorded
This is one of the biggest mistakes I see people making. Their plan is to go to the gym and get some exercise, but then wander about, from one machine to another until they finally get tired.
That's NOT a plan!
You can't expect results if you don't make a plan and follow it. At least not the kind of results you want.
Buy or create your muscle-building workout plan, based on PERIODIZATION, and incorporate the proper phases. Plan for each phase to last one month, taking off four days between phases.
Record your workouts. They need to be progressive, so you can't work out with 50 pound dumbbells the first week, 70 pounds the next and 40 pounds the week after that. Recording your workouts will help you to structure the progression you need in order to develop each body part.
#3 You don't understand how each muscle functions and how to apply proper tension
If you want to work a muscle properly, you'll need to understand the way that muscle is designed to move. That's the only way you'll be able to apply the right sort of tension to the muscle. More reps don't help a bit when you're doing it wrong.
Have you ever seen someone doing 10 reps in 10 seconds? They may as well do 1 rep with a 5 second concentric (contraction) and a 5 second eccentric (lowering) - at least then, they'll be getting the benefit of tension on the target muscle, rather than working from momentum.
The whole premise of biceps curls, for example, is to ensure full elbow extension and flexion. If you understand that, you'll see a lot of improvement in your muscle development.
It's crucial that you learn exactly how your body works, in order to optimize results and avoid injury. You'll find you'll get much faster results, too.
Summary
There's no magic secrets here... you'll just need to adjust your program periodically in order to get the best results. Plan, record and follow your plan. Adjust your program to adapt to your body's development and to match your body type.
The old axiom remains true: Failing to plan is planning to fail.
Author Resource:
Vince Del Monte is the skinny guy savior. A former skinny guy myself, I developed the No Nonsense Muscle Building techniques that turned me from a skinny guy to a national champion fitness model. I share my muscle growth programs , diets and inspirations on my blog, Vince Del Monte Fitness, and on sites such as AskMen.com and BodyBuilding.Com.
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