5 muscle growth mistakes to avoid 💪🏻

Reason 1: Not training with sufficient effort

The first step is to ensure we are training with sufficient effort.

Research do state that it is not necessary to train to absolute failure every set but we do need to push hard enough that we are at least 1-3 reps short of the point where we could not possibly do 1 more rep with proper form.

Most people generally do not push hard enough during a set or overestimate how close they are to absolute failure.

Reason 2: Not training with enough intensity

For optimal muscle growth, we need to make sure we are training with enough intensity. In other words, using heavy enough weight to challenge the muscle with proper form.

As a general rule of thumb, if you can perform more than 30 repetitions with a given load, even if it is to failure, you likely will need to increase the weight to drop the reps or else you will be leaving gains on the table.

Reason 3: Neglecting the principle of progressive overload

What was once hard enough to cause muscle growth when we started working out will likely not be hard enough after a few sessions.

The easiest and most straightforward way to make sure we continue to push ourself is to periodically increase the weight of an exercise.

This strategy works really well for new lifters but as we become more trained, it is unlikely we will be able to make noticeable progress on a week by week basis.

For more advanced individuals, a more likely scenario is to increase the number of reps. Program a rep range and try to work through it before increasing the load.

The most important thing is to not let yourself fall into the mistake of doing the same exact thing for too long. Ensure every week you are challenging yourself by training with enough effort and progressively overloading the exercise as time goes by.

Reason 4: No proper exercise execution

As we continue to challenge our muscles and pushing harder than we used to, we need to ensure that our technique remains on point.

Many make the mistakes of doing too much too soon that results in sacrificing good exercise technique for more weight or reps. You could be “artificially” getting stronger but compensating by using more momentum or shortening range of motion.

That minimises the tension and growth that the target muscle will experience. Research has also indicate that using a partial range of motion rather than a full range of motion leads to less muscle growth even if heavier weight is used.

Reason 5: Failing to incorporate optimal training volume

Based on current research, at least 10 sets per muscle group per week is a rough estimate of where  to start, but this will be different for everyone.

If you find yourself in a place where you need to increase volume,  a good rule of thumb is to increase whatever you are currently doing by 20-30% to stimulate more growth. But again, this is the last consideration you should be making.

Keep in mind that it is absolutely essential that we pair all this with a solid nutrition plan to fuel and support our recovery and muscle growth.

If you find this blog post article helpful, feel free to connect with me on all my social media platforms to stay up to date with my content. 📲

For those looking to gain muscle & lose fat while simultaneously getting leaner & stronger in the process, do schedule your complimentary personal training consultation to explore the possibilities of working together & providing you valuable takeaways that you will find it beneficial to get started! 📧