If you're serious about making a solid commitment to a muscle-creating program, particularly if you're a hardgainer, you need to be very careful of who you take advice from. Bodybuilding and fitness is literally a multi-billion dollar industry with new web sites popping up each and every single day. Numerous of the so-called "experts" out there really don't have a clue of what they're talking about and are only motivated by pushing expensive pills, powders and "miracle programs" on you that you don't really need. If you don't watch your step you might end up falling for some fatal muscle-building pitfalls that will literally destroy your gains and prevent you from ever achieving the impressive, muscular physique you desire. In this article I'm going to expose 4 very typical muscle-building myths in order to keep you on the proper path to the mind-blowing muscle and strength gains you deserve.
Myth #1: In order to build muscle, you must achieve a "pump" during your training. The greater the pump you achieve, the much more muscle you will construct.
For those of you who are just starting out, a "pump" is the feeling that you get as blood becomes trapped inside the muscle tissue when you train with weights. The muscles will swell up and leave your body feeling bigger, tighter, stronger and more powerful. While a pump does really feel fantastic, it has very little, if anything to do with properly stimulating your muscle tissues to grow. A pump is merely the result of elevated bloodflow to the muscle tissue and is definitely not indicative of a productive workout. A productive workout ought to only be gauged by the concept of progression. If you were able to lift more weight or perform more reps than you did in the previous week, then you did your job.
Myth #2: Building muscle will cause you to become slower and less flexible.
This one goes back to the old days when people described bodybuilders as being "muscle bound" and "bulky". Contrary to what you might think, creating a substantial quantity of lean muscle mass will really speed you up rather than slow you down. Muscles are responsible for each and every movement that your entire body makes, from running to jumping to throwing. The bottom line is that the more powerful a muscle is, the more force it can apply. Having stronger, much more muscular legs indicates elevated foot speed, just as having more powerful and more muscular shoulders means the capability to throw farther. Strong muscle tissues are able muscles, not the other way around.
Myth #3: You must usually use perfect, textbook form on all exercises.
While utilizing good form in the gym is always important, obsessing more than perfect type is an entirely different matter. If you are usually attempting to carry out each and every exercise utilizing flawless, textbook type, you will actually improve your chances of injury and simultaneously decrease the total quantity of muscle stimulation you can attain. Remember, we are not robots! It's really important that you always move naturally when you physical exercise. This could mean adding a really slight sway in your back when you perform bicep curls, or using a tiny bit of body momentum when executing barbell rows. Loosen yourself up a bit and move the way your body was meant to be moved. Obsessing over perfect type will really work against you instead than for you.
Myth #4: If you want your muscles to grow you should "feel the burn!"
This is another huge misconception in the gym. The "burning" sensation that results from intense weight training is simply the result of lactic acid (a metabolic waste product) that is secreted inside the muscle tissue as you physical exercise. Increased levels of lactic acid have nothing to do with muscle growth and may actually slow down your gains rather than speed them up. You can limit lactic acid production by training in a lower rep range of 5-7, instead than the traditional variety of 10 and above.
