Many guys struggle to make any serious gains in the gym. The spend years trying to put on size but never seem to make any progress.
Some guys do find it easier to put on size than others, however – don’t blame poor genetics for not being able to build some muscle.
Check the list below and see if you are guilty of any of these……..
1. You don’t eat enough good quality calories. In order to put on weight you need to be in a calorie surplus (consuming more calories than you burn off). However, this isn’t a green light to eat junk food. Make sure the calories you are consuming are from good sources. Aim for around 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight and gradually increase calorie intake if you struggle to put on size. To get big you must eat big.
2. You have too many ‘half arsed’ sessions. Sometimes more isn’t always better. Intensity is the inverse of frequency. You might be better doing 3 hard sessions a week than 5-6 mediocre sessions. You will get more out of the 3 sessions if you spend more time on recovery. Attempting to go ‘beast mode’ every day usually ends up in a week of average intensity sessions.
3. You are a programme hopper. Avoid jumping from a different training plan every week. Focus on one programme, stick to the plan as it was written and see it through to the end. The internet is a great resource but it can cause confusion and some gym goers switch their routine every other session and never make progress.
4. You train chest and arms every day. If you want to build a good, well balanced physique you must follow a balanced routine, and yes this includes training legs. Building a strong base helps with everything. You wouldn’t build a house on weak foundations. You shouldn’t treat your body the same way.
5. You let your ego get in the way. You sacrifice good technique to lift a heavier weight. You focus your efforts on what you are good at, not necessarily what you need to do. Do the exercises that you need to do not just the exercises that you’re good at. Never do an exercise with poor technique just to say you lifted a certain amount of weight. This will result in injury and / or no progress.
6. You expect instant results. Building muscle takes time. It doesn’t just happen overnight. If you’re not committed to being in it for the long haul then you won’t see real results. Being consistent over months and years is required.
7. You don’t do the basics. People have been building muscle, getting stronger and doing amazing things for 100s of years. There are many exercises that have stood the test of the time and there’s a reason for this. They work. If you look at the exercise selection Arnold used to get in phenonlmenol shape you will see that much of the exercises he uses appear to be basic and simple. However, done with intensity and consistency these will serve you well. Stop searching for new and fancy things and learn from successful people that have got big and strong in the past.
8. You don’t work hard. Pretty simple and straightforward. You don’t lift with any intensity. You treat the weights room as a social event instead of getting some serious work done. Your workouts drag out and you end up being at the gym for hours. You can get all you need done in 45 minutes, providing you are there to lift and not catch up on the gossip. Too much rest between sets kills intensity and progress.
9. You don’t recover well enough. In order to grow you need to recover. Make sure you get enough sleep, try and reduce stress and make sure you fuel your body properly in order to grow. It’s not just what you do in the gym. You need to take care of business away from the gym.
10. You are reluctant to ask for help. Guys tend to be the worst for this. They think they know best when it comes to getting in shape. A good coach or other experienced lifter can help with your progress drastically. If you want to learn how to play guitar, you would hire someone. Adopt this mindset when it comes to learning how to lift.
Coach Milligan 