5 Familiar Bodybuilding Troubles...Which Do You Want To Overcome?

In my 3 decades of training experience I have identified 5 major bodybuilding troubles or problems. These are:-

1 Overtraining...training too much...too often and too long. Not taking a complete week off every 3 months...

2 Under eating...Not eating enough...you need 6 meals per day minimum...every day, including weekends...

3 Neglecting the window of opportunity for rapid growth by not taking Whey protein and creatine immediately after training...

4 Not stretching properly to facilitate easy growth...

5 Not focussing your mental muscle on who you want to become...

PART ONE

1 Overtraining...training too much...too often and too long. Not taking a complete weeks break or rest every 3 months.

This would have to be the most common trouble that hinders many would be successful bodybuilders from realising their full potential. And it's a particularly insidious trouble because we have been taught that to get things in life , we have to work hard. Well that's true to some extent both in life and weight training. In weight training we have to train hard as far as intensity goes...if you want to get big you need to push big weights. But where the problem creeps in is that we apply rules from other places that don't apply to weight training. The rules I am talking about can be best illustrated with an example. I want to grow a big bank account...So I work a few jobs or set up a few businesses that give me multiple streams of income. Hey presto...that works...my hard work and long hours returns lots of money and a big fat bank account.

The problem is when we apply this more is better to weight training, with the underlying premise that if training 3 days per week made me gain 3 pounds of muscle in 8 weeks...then if I train 6 days a week I should be able to put on 6 pounds of muscle in the same time. Or if training 30 minutes per workout made me gain 3 pounds...then if I train an hour and a half(3 x as long) I should be able to put on 9 pounds(3x as much) BIG MISTAKE...BIG TROUBLE...The logic on the surface sounds OK...but the underlying reality is quite different. The only thing the extra training does is burn you out and frustrate you with diminished returns. When I owned and operated my two bodybuilding gyms I used to see this all the time...and you just can't tell some people.

They are so caught up in the belief that more is better that they are too scared to cut back on their routine lest they slip back...the irony is they won't "slip" back...they will actually burst forwards because they are unaware that they are being held back by over stressing their body. Don't get me wrong...hard work isn't bad...and sometimes its the persistence factor that gives (lands) us the big win. But the way to burst through sticking points is not to add exercises or volume (sets, reps)...but to add or increase intensity.( bigger weights...higher resistance...less rest between sets) Now since volume and intensity are inversely proportional, it is only logical that to increase intensity you also need to reduce volume. To overcome this block or obstacle requires you to do less...but make what you do even harder.

Another trouble related to this is the myth that as you become more advanced...you need to train more. Nothing could be further from the truth...you actually need to train less (but smarter...with more intensity) The reason for this is because although your strength and size becomes greater over time...your recovery ability does not increase to the same extent...your ability to recover improves only marginally compared to your ability to get stronger. Why does this happen? Think of it this way...when you first started and had, for example 12" arms...

If you did a set to failure of bicep curls, the amount of stress being inflicted on your total body wasn't that great because 12" arms don't require that much blood flow and the small muscle cell size isn't much of a drain on your energy or nervous system. However, when your arms have grown to say 18" and you do a set to failure...the weight will be huge compared to when you were a beginner...and the subsequent drain on the bodies total energy system and the shock effect this has will be immense. Although your strength may have improved by over one hundred percent, your bodies ability to recover won't have...your arms might be 50% greater in size...but your capacity for recovery won't have increased by 50%(more like 30% maximum)... and this leads to the condition of overtraining that we are talking about. So as you become more advanced...keep thinking of ways to make your training harder (more intense) but shorter in duration and less in volume.

I remember years ago I was at a sticking point with my own training...and I was getting really frustrated. Nothing seemed to work for me. I thought I was doing everything optimally...eating right...getting plenty of sleep etc...but my weight hadn't budged for months. I was at 89 kilos and I desperately wanted to break the 90 kilo barrier, but nothing seemed to work...I suppose the 90 kilo barrier to me was like Roger Bannister's four minute mile...this was my four minute mile...which the final solution was to be a four minute instead of four hour (I'm exaggerating here, but I hope you get my drift) exercise workout!

Time to try something different I thought...what I was doing obviously wasn't working...so I had nothing to lose. I had read Mike Mentzers Heavy Duty training book, which had just been released. His Arthur Jones based training ideas were quite revolutionary...Incredibly heavy, hard intense workouts that were very brief. So I started experimenting with this style of training. I remember everybody thinking what the hell is he doing...some were even chuckling behind my back...despite the fact that I was by this stage a successful competitive bodybuilder. I remember one exercise session vividly...the first time I did heavy negatives on the dip rack. I got my training partner to help me suspend a 100-pound dumbbell via a chain from my training belt. He would help get me to the top position of the dip by lifting me at the knees, and I would have to lower myself slowly under control to the bottom.

The weight was so heavy I couldn't even do a single positive rep on my own. I finished my first set of 4 reps, and when I looked up I noticed the whole gym had stopped to watch what I was doing. At first people just dismissed this radical for the time style of training...but when after only 3 weeks I had busted through my sticking point and my weight soared to 92 kilos... people weren't laughing anymore. I was stoked. I purposely had not weighed myself for three weeks because I was hoping to get a pleasant surprise...I felt and knew this new style of training was working for me based on the mirror and judging by the fact that my strength was rapidly improving (100 pound db was too light for the dip now because I was capable of doing positive reps with it).

I would have been happy to have just hit 90kg...but I overshot it by 2 kilos (4.4 pounds). I was sold on this new style of training...a 3 kg (6.6 lb) gain in only 3 weeks...after months of not putting on an ounce...and with a fraction of the amount of work I had been previously doing. At first everyone wanted to know what I was on! What I was on was an incredibly effective training routine, and soon others started copying and getting similar results. And it wasn't before too long 90 kilos seemed like a joke as I crashed through the 100 kg barrier(220 pounds) But this never would have been possible for me if I had just followed the masses and continued with my 20 sets per body part training systems.

So my advice to avoid this problem of overtraining is to continually be searching for ways to make your workout harder, not longer. Do less, but achieve more. Bigger weights...less sets...higher intensity...less rest period between sets...less exercises...less training days...more rest days...this will ultimately make your workouts super effective...and more fun!

For parts 2-5 of this five part series?Visit http://ironpower.biz/download.htm and download yourself a FREE copy of "5 Familiar Bodybuilding Troubles?Which Do You Want To Overcome?" E-Book. Part 4 of the eBook reveals a secret stretching technique for unleashing phenomenal muscle growth.

About the author: Richard Hargreaves is a former Mr Australia, and personal trainer with 25 years experience. He has written numerous bodybuilding and fitness books, and articles for magazines such as Australian Ironman, Australian Musclemag, Taekwondo, Blitz martial Arts, Kickboxer, Natural Bodybuilder, Network Fitness, Australian Personal Trainer, Personal Training On The Net, and Women's Fitness. Visit http://ironpower.biz/download.htm to download Bodybuilding and Fitness eBooks valued at $70, absolutely FREE.

---

Do Electric Ab Stimulators Really Work?

Electronic muscle stimulators are the latest craze, the hottest fad... but you want to know "do they really work!" Right?To answer that question, let's start with a little background information on what this... Read More

Exercise The Right Way - The Back Squat

Other articles in this series looked at a number of exercises, mainly from the perspective of developing a comprehensive muscle building program. Sometimes we take things for granted, especially when it comes to... Read More

Use This Quick Muscle Building Program for Fast Results

Quick muscle building is the goal of every underweight guy who hits the gym and embarks on a weight training program for the first time. After all, who wants to wait years for... Read More

Strong To The Core of Your Being - The Benefits Of Core Training

If you were to ask me which muscle group in your entire body you could work to get the greatest benefits in the shortest amount of time, I would tell you without hesitation,... Read More

How to Gain Weight and Build More Muscle Mass

In the health, fitness, and nutrition world, achieving optimal or desired body weight is dominated by a single theme: losing weight. The vast majority of products and services available on the market proclaim... Read More

What Causes Muscle Growth?

In order for muscles to grow, three things are required: 1. Stimulus - exercise is needed to make the muscles work, use energy and cause microscopic damage to the fibers. 2. Nutrition -... Read More

How To Get The Greatest Possible Muscle Gains... And... Still Have Time Left Over To Just Goof-Off!

The number one thing you need to get from this article is this. Significant increases in the muscular size of any particular muscle group, can not be achieved without similar increases throughout the... Read More

Muscle and Fitness -- The Second Key To Successfully Achieving Your Fitness Goals

Lets discuss Muscle and Fitness -- The Second Key To Successfully Achieving Your Fitness Goals. But just before that, I'd like to remind you about what the previous article discussed.In a previous article... Read More

Know Your Muscle Building Exercises - The Shoulders

Every bodybuilder and weight trainer will have his or her favorite exercises for each body part. That's how it should be - as you progress through the various stages of learning you'll understand... Read More

Scientific Principles For Effective Muscle Gain

It's an unfortunate reality that throughout the years there has been a growth of strength training techniques that have no scientific proof to back them up. Have a look at the facts presented... Read More

Gaining Muscle Mass

This article will discuss how to gain weight naturally muscle building. Gaining weight naturally is about muscle building and using a mass building diet daily. The question of how to gain weight is... Read More

10 Things You Can Do To Lose Fat Without Even Trying

1. Eat smaller more frequent meals - not only is your metabolism boosted every time you eat something, your body can more efficiently process smaller meals. Instead of having 3 large meals in... Read More

Train for the Look You Want

So the Olympics are almost upon us. While you have the chance, compare the differences between a marathon (long distance) runner's body and a sprinter's body. What do you notice? The long-distance runner... Read More

Why You Must Use The Right Dumbbells For Your Workout

A dumbbell exercise program is effective with the right equipment These days, more so that in decades gone by, dumbbells are growing in popularity in fitness centers and health clubs across the United... Read More

Are Prohormones A Safe Alternative To Anabolic Steroids?

Steroid prohormones such as androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) have become popular in recent years as safer alternatives to anabolic steroids, but two questions need to be answered: 1. Are they effective in stimulating... Read More

Fitness & Muscle Building Know How for Hard Gainers

Hard gainers are individuals who train equally hard as other people but somehow fail to make any gains comparable to others. They need a lot more than hard training. Hard gainers need to... Read More

Body Building for beginners

Body building or even just showing up at a gym can be intimidating for a beginner. Provided below are some tips that can help you get into body building, and into your first... Read More

Pipes, Guns, Bazookas - Killer Biceps

Pipes. Guns. Bazookas.Take your pick. Grab your weapon of choice.This common weight room jargon refers to the muscle that separates your elbows from your shoulders, those bulging beauties known as your biceps.Although biceps... Read More

The Facts About Anabolic Steroids

Anyone involved in the world of bodybuilding, and competitive sport generally, will understand the pressures that go with striving to achieve optimal performance. Sometimes athletes feel they cannot reach their peak without artificially... Read More

Planting And Nurturing Your Contacts And Resources

The success level of your bodybuilding endeavors is highly determined by the contacts and resources that you posses and have access to, as well as these that you can offer to the world... Read More

The Importance Of Sets In Your Muscle Building Program

In an earlier article we looked at how repetitions contribute to the muscle building process, but is the position regarding sets just as clear cut? Unfortunately, the answer to this is no as... Read More

The Baby Boomer Athlete

Are you a Baby Boomer? If you were born between the years of 1946 to 1964, you are part of the 79.1 million Boomers, comprising 29 percent of the total US population. According... Read More

Get Rid of Cellulite, Once and For All!

Get Fit At Home With Ailsa : Get Rid of CelluliteHad it up to here with Cellulite? Want to get rid of it forever, and make your body all lovely and sleek? Yeah,... Read More

Power Mass Training for Building Muscle Mass

Many people believe you need to train with a variety of weights and reps in order to maximize your muscle building progress. I believe that you can find the appropriate rep number for... Read More

10 Tips: How to Get in Shape without Sweating

Tip #1: The *Brazilian move*.The good thing about this move is that you don't need to go a gym to do it, you don't even need to find time in your day.Why?Because you... Read More

Barbell Exercises That Suit Beginners

The aim for beginners to weight training must be to lay the foundations for the intensive workouts that their bodies will eventually be subjected to. Obviously successful bodybuilding involves bringing together disparate elements... Read More

The Default Rep Range

I had an hour long conversation with Pavel Tsatsouline on Sunday and per usual his probing questions churned up some things that I had forgotten. One thing that he asked was, "Over the... Read More

Target: Rear Delts: One Simple Movement and They?ll be on Fire!

The Bent-Over Lateral Raise is one of the most common exercises used for working the rear or posterior deltoids. For most trainers, it can be difficult to really feel the rear delts working... Read More

Resistance Training With Your Dog

You may be wondering, "How can I possibly do resistance training with my dog?" Well, here are a few exercises you can do with the aid of your faithful furry companion.Leg raises -... Read More