By Dayne Hudson
Make friends, make gains, and make love.
Just don't make these mistakes!
Progress and results are what we're all after, so here's some things to think about in the quest for your fitness/muscle building goals, and some of the popular mistakes people make.
1. You're using too many MACHINES
Machines won't provide the same muscle stimulation as free weights. FACT.
One study (1) looked at the free weight squat versus the smith-machine squat, with the free weight squat engaging 43% more of the leg muscles.
The smith machine will take out the stabiliser muscles - and just isn't the same as training with free weights.
This has been observed with chest training on the smith machine as well (2).
But back to the smith squats - your hamstrings are removed from the exercise, placing unnatural pressure on your patellar tendon, which can lead to injuries.
Doing this leaves you with average gains in strength and size, not to mention the unnatural range of motion you're forced into performing.
Need more proof?
Have a laugh at how much MORE you can lift on the smith machine in comparison to the free weight bench press or squat.
Enough said.
2. You're not getting enough PROTEIN
You'll need enough protein everyday to provide your muscles with adequate amino acids, to begin the process of protein synthesis.
If you're just trying to grow some muscle and you're not setting out to lose fat, the bulk of the research suggests aiming for 1.6-1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight, every day (3).
It's accepted that athletes in a calorie deficit will need MORE than that, with research suggesting 2.3-3.1g/kg is needed for "energy-restricted resistance-trained athletes" (4).
So if you're dieting - bump up your protein intake.
3. You're not doing enough COMPOUND MOVEMENTS
Compound movements are AWESOME for targeting the particular muscle group you're training, along with many other muscles in the process.
Yes - isolation exercises are important too - but not at the expense of good quality compound movements that are exceptional when it comes to building size and strength.
The muscles you'll work whilst doing DEAD LIFTS.
Don't spend hours doing JUST bicep curls, focus also on things like squats, deadlifts, and chin ups - that work mutliple muscles at once.
A combination of ISOLATION exercises (bicep curls) and compound movements are required.
PULL UPS: MUSCLES WORKED.
4. You're not getting enough CARBOHYDRATES
There's an ongoing obession with LOW CARB diets.
Carbohydrates are required for optimal energy, which is important for those of you looking to gain muscle (which should be all of you!) or even lose weight.
Research shows (7) your peak power output decreases without carbohydrates. It's obvious - you NEED them in order to train HARDER to see BETTER results.
5. You're not RECOVERING properly.
You don't grow in the gym - you grow when you rest! Not getting enough sleep can can induce muscle loss via a decrease in testosterone, growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-I (6).
You can't expect to grow if you DO NOT give your body a chance to do so.
Shoot for around 8-9 hours sleep every night.
THINK ABOUT THIS.....
Imagine your fitness results as a three sliced pizza - the TRAINING, NUTRITION, and REST, are ALL as important as each other to make up the big picture!
Stay Fit, Stay Flexed!
REFERENCES
(1) Schwanbeck S, Chilibeck PD, Binsted G. "A comparison of free weight squat to smith machine squat using electromyography." J Strength Cond Res. 2009 Dec;23(9):2588-91. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181b1b181.
(2) Schick EE, Coburn JW, Brown LE, Judelson DA, Khamoui AV, Tran TT, Uribe BP. "A comparison of muscle activation between a smith machine free weight bench press." J Strength Cond Res. 2010 Mar;24(3):779-84. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181cc2237.
(3) Lemon PW. "Beyond the zone: Protein needs of active individuals." J Am Coll Nutr. 2000 Oct;19(5 Suppl):513S-521S.
(4) Helms ER, Zinn C, Rowlands DS, Brown SR. "A Systematic Review of Dietary Protein During Caloric Restriction in Resistance Trained Lean Athletes: A Case for Higher Intakes." Int J Sport Nutr Exer Metab. 2013 Oct 2.
(5) Hansen S et al. "The effect of short-term strength training on human skeletal muscle: the importance of physiologically elevated hormone levels." Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports.
(6) Monico-Neto M et al. "Resisance exercise: a non-pharmacoligical strategy to minimize or reverse sleep deprivation-induced muscleatrophy." Med Hypotheses. 2013 Jun;80(6):701-5. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2013.02.013. Epub 2013 Mar 13.
(7) Miller SL, Wolfe RR. Physical exercise as a modulator of adaptation to low and high carbohydrate and low and high fat intakes. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1999 Apr;53 Suppl 1:S112-9.
