15 Idiotic Muscle Building Mistakes (AVOID THESE!)

Summary

This video script addresses common mistakes that hinder muscle growth, emphasizing the importance of training intensity and proper exercise selection over chasing the 'pump' or relying on muscle soreness. It debunks myths like 'muscle confusion' and advocates for progressive overload, adequate rest periods, and avoiding routines designed for enhanced bodybuilders. The speaker provides practical advice for natural lifters to optimize their training for consistent gains.

Takeaways

• 😀 Focus on mechanical tension, not just the 'pump', as the primary driver of muscle hypertrophy.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Do not use fatigue or soreness as the sole gauge of a successful workout for muscle growth.
• 💪 Train close to muscular failure to stimulate the body's adaptation mechanisms for growth.
• 📈 Keep a detailed workout log to track progress and ensure progressive overload over time.
• 🔄 Avoid constantly changing workouts; consistency in exercise selection helps in tracking and achieving progressive overload.
• ❌ Don't fall for the 'muscle confusion' myth; it's more effective to master a few exercises than to dabble in many.
• 🤸‍♂️ Choose exercises that effectively target the intended muscle groups, based on a sound understanding of anatomy and biomechanics.
• 🙅‍♂️ Avoid overemphasizing show muscles like chest and biceps; balance your training to include all major muscle groups.
• 🚫 Refrain from using unstable surfaces or equipment that reduces the mechanical tension on the target muscles.
• 🚫 Avoid ego lifting; prioritize form and technique over lifting heavy weights at the expense of proper form.
• ⏲️ Ensure adequate rest periods between sets to allow for full recovery and maintain high-quality training.

Q & A

What is the primary driver of muscle hypertrophy according to the video?

The primary driver of muscle hypertrophy is mechanical tension, which involves applying load to the targeted muscle fibers and training them very close to or all the way to muscular failure.

Why is focusing on getting a pump during workouts not recommended as a primary goal for muscle growth?

While getting a pump can be a satisfying side effect of training, it is not a significant driver of muscle hypertrophy in itself. The video argues that focusing on the pump can distract from the more critical aspect of training to failure and progressive overload.

How does the video address the common mistake of using fatigue as a gauge for training success?

The video points out that fatigue is a byproduct of intense exercise but not a direct stimulator of muscle hypertrophy. It's possible to feel fatigued without necessarily stimulating muscle growth effectively.

What is the significance of muscle soreness in the context of hypertrophy training as discussed in the video?

Muscle soreness is mentioned as an indicator of tissue damage but not a direct driver of hypertrophy. It can be a reminder of hard work and can help gauge muscle activation, but it shouldn't be the sole focus of training.

Why is it a mistake to not train close to true muscular failure, as highlighted in the video?

Not training close to true muscular failure is a mistake because it doesn't provide the body with a strong enough stimulus to adapt and grow. The video emphasizes that for significant muscle growth, the stressor needs to be close to the maximum limit one is capable of.

What role does progressive overload play in muscle growth, according to the video?

Progressive overload is essential for muscle growth as it involves consistently increasing the tension on the muscles over time. The video stresses the importance of tracking workouts and gradually increasing the workload to ensure continual growth.

Why does the video advise against constantly changing workout routines?

Constantly changing workouts makes it difficult to track progressive overload accurately. The video suggests focusing on mastering a consistent set of exercises to optimize training effectiveness and track progress more effectively.

How does improper exercise selection impact muscle growth, as discussed in the video?

Improper exercise selection can lead to suboptimal muscle growth because it may not effectively target the specific muscle fibers intended for development. The video emphasizes the importance of understanding muscle functions and selecting exercises that appropriately target them.

What is the issue with overemphasizing showy muscles like the chest and biceps in a training program, according to the video?

Overemphasizing showy muscles can lead to an imbalanced physique and neglect of other important muscle groups that contribute significantly to overall strength and appearance. The video suggests a more balanced approach to muscle group training.

Why is performing too much high rep work not recommended for optimal muscle hypertrophy, as per the video?

High rep work can lead to excessive systemic fatigue, which may cause sets to be stopped due to overall fatigue rather than reaching true muscular failure. The video recommends a more moderate rep range for optimal hypertrophy.

What is the recommended approach to rest periods between sets for effective hypertrophy training?

The video suggests resting as long as needed between sets to feel fully recovered and able to execute the next set with full muscular effort. This typically ranges from about 2 to 5 minutes, depending on various factors.

Outlines

00:00

💪 Common Mistakes in Muscle Building

The paragraph emphasizes the importance of avoiding common misconceptions in muscle training. It points out that focusing on getting a 'pump' during workouts isn't a direct driver of muscle hypertrophy. Similarly, feeling fatigued or sore after a workout doesn't necessarily equate to effective muscle growth. The paragraph stresses that mechanical tension, achieved through near-failure training, is the primary driver for muscle growth. It also warns against not training hard enough, suggesting that many people don't push themselves to the point of true muscular failure, which is crucial for stimulating muscle growth.

05:00

📈 The Importance of Tracking Workouts

This section discusses the critical role of tracking workouts for progressive overload, which is essential for continuous muscle growth. It argues against constantly changing workout routines, as this makes it difficult to track progress and ensure that the tension on muscles is increasing over time. The paragraph also highlights the importance of proper exercise selection, suggesting that a basic understanding of muscle functions and how to target them with effective exercises is necessary for optimal results.

10:01

🏋️‍♂️ Exercise Selection and Training Techniques

The paragraph focuses on the importance of proper exercise selection and execution for effective muscle building. It warns against overemphasizing certain muscle groups at the expense of others and against creating instability in lifts, which can reduce the mechanical tension on the targeted muscles. The speaker advises against ego lifting, where form is sacrificed for heavier weights, and instead promotes a balance between solid technique and natural movement. It also touches on the issue of performing too many high-rep sets, which can lead to systemic fatigue and detract from the quality of muscle training.

15:02

🚫 Avoiding Common Pitfalls in Training

The final paragraph addresses several common mistakes to avoid, such as not resting enough between sets, performing pre-workout cardio, and blindly copying the routines of bodybuilders who may be using performance-enhancing drugs. It stresses the importance of allowing adequate recovery between sets and being cautious of routines that may not be suitable for natural lifters. The speaker offers resources for personalized training and nutrition plans, as well as supplement recommendations for those looking to optimize their muscle-building efforts.

Keywords

💡Hypertrophy

Hypertrophy refers to the increase in muscle size due to an increase in the size of its cells. In the context of the video, it is the primary goal of resistance training, which is to stimulate muscle growth. The script emphasizes that muscle hypertrophy is not driven by the 'pump' or by fatigue alone, but rather by mechanical tension and progressive overload, which are achieved through proper training techniques and program design.

💡Mechanical Tension

Mechanical tension is the stress placed on muscle fibers during resistance training. The video explains that it is a primary driver of muscle hypertrophy, as it stimulates the muscle fibers to adapt and grow. The script suggests that training close to muscular failure with proper form and progressively increasing the load are key to creating the necessary mechanical tension for muscle growth.

💡Progressive Overload

Progressive overload is the principle of gradually increasing the stress placed upon the body during exercise training. The video script highlights the importance of tracking workouts and increasing the workload over time, whether it's through adding weight, reps, or changing exercise variations, to ensure continuous muscle growth. It is presented as a fundamental aspect of an effective training program for natural lifters.

💡Muscular Failure

Muscular failure is the point at which a muscle can no longer perform another repetition with proper form. The video emphasizes that training close to or at muscular failure is crucial for stimulating muscle growth, as it indicates that the muscles are being challenged and pushed to their limits, which is necessary for hypertrophy.

💡Pump

The 'pump' is a temporary increase in muscle size and firmness due to blood pooling in the muscles during and after exercise. While the video acknowledges that the pump can be a satisfying sensation, it clarifies that it is not a direct indicator of effective muscle growth. The script advises viewers not to focus their training on achieving the pump, but rather on the more critical factors of mechanical tension and progressive overload.

💡Fatigue

Fatigue in the context of the video refers to the exhaustion felt during and after exercise. The script points out that fatigue is a byproduct of intense exercise but does not directly stimulate muscle hypertrophy. It warns against using fatigue as a gauge for training success, as it can be misleading and does not necessarily correlate with effective muscle growth.

💡Soreness

Soreness, or delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), is the discomfort or pain felt in muscles after exercise, typically peaking 24-72 hours post-workout. The video explains that while soreness can be a sign of muscle damage, it is not a direct driver of hypertrophy. The script suggests using soreness as a potential gauge for muscle activation, but not as a primary indicator of effective training.

💡Exercise Selection

Exercise selection refers to the choice of exercises included in a training program. The video stresses the importance of selecting exercises that effectively target the desired muscle groups and functions. It warns against overemphasizing certain muscles or using exercises that do not optimally stimulate the targeted muscle fibers, which can lead to imbalances and suboptimal hypertrophy.

💡Rep Range

Rep range refers to the number of repetitions performed for a given set of exercises. The video discusses the impact of rep range on muscle growth, suggesting that while any rep range can be effective, a moderate range of 5-12 reps is generally most efficient for hypertrophy. It also cautions against excessively high rep ranges that may lead to systemic fatigue rather than muscle failure.

💡Rest Periods

Rest periods are the intervals taken between sets during a workout. The video script explains that adequate rest is crucial for allowing the body to recover and perform subsequent sets with full effort. It advises against short rest periods that can lead to excessive fatigue and reduce the quality of training, emphasizing the need for full recovery before starting a new set.

💡Instability Training

Instability training involves performing exercises on unstable surfaces or in positions that challenge balance. The video argues against the use of instability training for muscle hypertrophy, as it can reduce the mechanical tension on the targeted muscles and shift the focus to balance rather than muscle growth. It suggests that stable conditions are more conducive to effective hypertrophy training.

Highlights

The importance of avoiding common mistakes in training for muscle hypertrophy.

Pump is a byproduct of training, not a direct driver of muscle growth.

Fatigue is not a direct stimulator of muscle hypertrophy.

Muscle soreness is not a direct driver of hypertrophy and can be misleading.

Mechanical tension is the primary driver of muscle growth.

The necessity of training close to muscular failure for muscle growth.

The importance of progressively overloading to stimulate muscle growth over time.

The pitfalls of constantly changing workouts, which hinders tracking progress.

The need for proper exercise selection to target specific muscle functions.

The overemphasis on showy muscles like chest and biceps can lead to imbalances.

Creating instability in lifts reduces the effectiveness for muscle growth.

Ego lifting and sacrificing form for heavier weights can be counterproductive.

The balance between strict form and natural movement for optimal muscle tension.

The impact of high rep ranges on systemic fatigue and muscle failure.

The importance of adequate rest periods between sets for recovery.

Avoiding pre-workout cardio to prevent unnecessary systemic fatigue.

The ineffectiveness of copying routines from enhanced bodybuilders for natural lifters.

Transcripts

all right i know idiotic is kind of a

strong word but don't be offended i just

had to get your attention because the

information that we're going to be

covering in today's video is extremely

important there's a very high chance

that you're making at least a handful of

these mistakes in your own training and

honestly if you just watch this through

take all 15 points and apply them to

your program it's gonna instantly set

you on the right track and could easily

make the difference between consistently

gaining muscle from week to week versus

spinning your wheels and making little

to no progress like so many people do so

let's cut through the bs here all the

misinformation put out by these fitness

influencers and fake natties and just

outline exactly what you need to do as a

legit natural lifter to make real

significant gains over the long term all

right mistake number one this will

probably ruffle some feathers right off

the bat and i'm sure there's going to be

some people who might disagree but it's

centering your workouts around getting a

pump now yes the pump feels great it's

motivating it's satisfying to me as a

coming is but it's not a significant

driver of muscle hypertrophy in and of

itself and you can just logically reason

this out without even needing to look at

studies or examining the precise biology

behind it if you sat there right now

with no resistance whatsoever and just

flexed your biceps repeatedly as hard as

you could you could get a huge arm pump

off of that alone or go ahead and grab a

pair of pink three pound dumbbells and

perform thousands of flies until you're

blue in the face and you'll probably end

up with the biggest chest pump of your

life but i think we'd all agree that

that wouldn't be the best way to build

muscle there's of course nothing wrong

with getting a pump and if you're truly

training hard then a pump is a

completely normal byproduct of that you

should be experiencing a pump to some

degree and you can also somewhat use it

as a tool for gauging muscle activation

to confirm that you are in fact

stimulating the muscle that you're

trying to target but that's primarily

what a pump is it's more so a side

effect of your training it's not the

underlying cause for muscle growth or

the thing that you should be primarily

focused on mistake number two along the

same lines and that's using fatigue as

your gauge for training success just

like the pump fatigue is also a

byproduct of intense exercise but it's

not a direct stimulator of muscle

hypertrophy on its own just because

you're tired sweating breathing heavily

nauseated

urinating all over yourself

uncontrollably that doesn't necessarily

mean that any of that is going to

directly lead to muscle growth it's

perfectly possible to perform a

completely ineffective workout as far as

building muscle is concerned yet still

feel highly fatigued from it so don't go

into the gym with this mindset that your

goal is to just aimlessly beat yourself

up and get in a good workout if the

primary goal of your session is to

stimulate hypertrophy then there are

specific parameters that need to be in

place for that to happen which we're

going to talk about here shortly okay

mistake number three yet another false

gauge for building muscle and that is

relying on muscle soreness so soreness

can be a satisfying thing because it's

sort of a reminder of the hard work that

you put in and it does indicate that

some level of damage has been done to

the tissue but just like the pump just

like fatigue muscle damage is not a

direct driver of hypertrophy in and of

itself you could create a ton of muscle

damage in your legs by just standing up

right now and performing jumping jacks

for the next three hours straight and

you'd be ridiculously sore tomorrow but

that wouldn't be an effective way to

build lower body muscle over the long

term the adaptations you'd get from

something like that would be more

endurance related you'll tend to get the

most sore when you expose your muscles

to a novel stimulus so that applies to

beginning lifters in general or if

you're more experienced but you're

coming back from a layoff or you're

introducing a new exercise into your

program and you'll also probably find

that certain muscle groups tend to be

more susceptible to soreness than others

at the end of the day being sore doesn't

necessarily mean you stimulated

hypertrophy and not being sore doesn't

necessarily mean you didn't the one

potential use for soreness just like i

talked about with the pump is that it

can be somewhat used as a gauge for

muscle activation for example if you

were trying to train your lats and the

next day your biceps felt totally

massacred but you didn't feel anything

in your lats at all then that could be

an indication that your technique might

need adjusting or if you were trying to

let's say train your quads but you

weren't quite sure whether your glutes

were doing most of the work or not but

the next day your quads were very sore

that would help to confirm that you were

in fact targeting your quads effectively

as far as exercise selection and form

goes okay so muscle pump fatigue and

muscle soreness those are not primary

drivers of hypertrophy on their own and

if they were then ultra lightweight high

rep short rest period circuit style

training would be the absolute best way

to get jacked and marathon runners would

have the most massive tree trunk legs

out of anyone so what is the primary

driver of muscle growth it is

mechanical tension it's applying load to

the targeted muscle fibers and training

them very close to or all the way to

muscular failure which is the point

where you can't do any more reps in

proper form despite your best effort and

this leads to mistake number four

dead simple in theory yet easily the

single biggest mistake of all the number

one thing that prevents most people from

truly transforming their bodies in the

way that they're after and that is not

training hard enough more specifically

not going close enough to true muscular

failure on your sets muscle growth is an

evolutionary survival mechanism to adapt

your body to the demands of the

environment and if those demands don't

cross a certain threshold your body

won't have strong enough incentives to

make those adaptations the stressor

needs to be right up close to or all the

way to the maximum limit that you're

currently capable of if you want to see

significant growth otherwise your body

just says hey the current state we're in

is already good enough to deal with this

i'm not exaggerating when i say this but

if you're never making this face on at

least some of your sets if you're not

letting out involuntary grunts and yelps

here or there if you never feel nervous

before performing a particularly

challenging lift if you can honestly say

that you've never straight up soiled

yourself in the middle of the gym during

a hard leg workout

okay maybe that's going too far but if

those first three are never happening

then you're almost certainly not

training hard enough for maximum gains

and when it comes to effort level per

set you really shouldn't be leaving any

more than about three reps in the tank

on most sets as an absolute minimum one

to two rep short of failure is probably

the optimal zone to base the majority of

your sets around and then here and there

you can really push the limit with those

all-out failure sets all right moving on

mistake number five something i've been

talking about like a broken record for

the last 15 years and that's not

tracking your workouts tension is the

primary stimulus for growth but in order

for the muscle to grow continually

bigger over time that tension needs to

consistently increase aka you need to

progressively overload that's

essentially what your entire training

program should be centered around

training close to failure on your sets

and slowly increasing the workload over

time and if you want to accomplish that

in the most efficient way possible you

need to be recording your workouts and

you can still make progress by just

winging it and improvising things as you

go but it's not going to be anywhere

near as effective as taking a more

calculated structured approach to your

training gaining muscle is about very

small improvements extrapolated over the

long term and there's no better way to

track those improvements than by knowing

exactly what you did in the previous

workout and exactly what you need to do

during this workout in order to progress

further it could just be one extra rep

with the same weight next workout

another rep then another rep then a

small five pound increase back to

training for reps again rinse and repeat

and there are other methods of

progressive overload that can be used

beyond just increasing the weight in

reps like slower negatives pauses more

difficult exercise variations and all it

takes is a few quick seconds to jot this

stuff down in your notebook or in your

phone after each set it's an incredibly

easy thing to do but can pay dividends

for your training over the long term and

it's not just about giving you clear

targets to aim for during each workout

but also allowing you to see firsthand

that your overall program is on the

right track

physical muscle growth is a very slow

process that can't be accurately

assessed in the short term yet strength

is something you can clearly measure

from week to week and since size and

strength are for the most part directly

intertwined your training log book is

what you use to confirm that you are in

fact gaining muscle even if you can't

visually see it yet if the numbers in

the logbook are consistently going up

then you'll know that you're also

consistently gaining muscle the reason

you keep coming back to the gym stronger

is because the muscle is hypertrophying

whereas if the numbers in the log book

have stagnated that's how you know that

your muscle gains have also stagnated

and that something in your program is

off and needs to be corrected if you try

to rely on visual changes only to

determine when your progress is stalled

it could take months before you truly

realize it whereas with a training

logbook you can identify it very quickly

to get yourself right back on track all

right mistake number six is constantly

switching up your workouts now i know it

can be incredibly easy to fall for that

shiny object syndrome with all these

different training techniques and

exercise variations that you find online

nowadays someone posting a

basic flat dumbbell press is nowhere

near as sexy and eye-catching as a

kneeling isolateral paused cable fly

drop set supersetted with a clapping

bosu ball push-up but if you're always

mixing around your training variables in

terms of exercise selection exercise

order volume rep ranges rep execution

advanced techniques etc then it's going

to be extremely difficult to accurately

track progressive overload because you

don't have anything concrete to measure

each workout against muscle confusion is

not a thing your muscles don't have a

miniature brain of their own where they

magically decide to stop responding if

you perform the same exercise all they

respond to is the degree of mechanical

tension that they're being placed under

period and it's actually far more

effective for hypertrophy to keep your

training variables constant and focus on

maximizing progress within those

variables for a consistent cycle of

training not only because it allows you

to track your progress accurately but it

also maximizes the effectiveness of your

workouts since it gives you a chance to

refine and master your lifting technique

on a given set of movements rather than

just being mediocre at a very long list

of different ones i believe it was bruce

lee who said i fear not the man who has

practiced 10 000 curling variations once

i fear the man who has practiced one

curling variation ten thousand times

mistake number seven this one might

sound a bit obvious and all the details

of this one are beyond the scope of this

one video but that mistake is improper

exercise selection now you don't need to

become some kind of anatomy slash

biomechanics jedi in order to build a

solid physique but if you're looking to

get the best results possible then you

do need to put in some time to gain a

reasonable understanding of each major

muscle group on your body what its

functions are and then to look over your

program to make sure you have a proper

range of exercises to target those

individual functions don't just blindly

pick a bunch of exercises you swipe

through online and randomly mash them

together mechanical tension is the

primary driver of hypertrophy but if

you're not directing that tension toward

the specific muscle fibers that you want

to grow that's obviously not going to do

you any good for example if you're

trying to target your lats and your main

focus is on overhand pull-ups or

overhand pull-downs which many people

don't realize are actually

more upper-back focused exercises then

your lats aren't going to grow optimally

or if you're not aware of basic triceps

anatomy and you're not including some

triceps to work with your shoulders in a

more flexed position to emphasize the

long head which is the biggest portion

of the triceps that is most likely to be

under trained then you'll probably be

leaving some upper arm gains on the

table or if you have the common

misconception that squats and leg

presses are enough to build your

hamstrings when in reality those

movements hardly train the hamstrings

for hypertrophy at all and you're not

incorporating hip extension and knee

flexion movements into your program then

your hamstrings are going to lag behind

and i do have videos on the channel

covering various exercises for different

muscle groups and technique videos as

well so make sure to check that out

after we're done here and also don't

forget to subscribe to the channel to

stay in the loop on future videos all

right another mistake when it comes to

the topic of exercise selection number

eight on the list is over emphasizing

certain muscle groups and more

specifically doing what a high

percentage of lifters do especially

beginners which is getting too caught up

in training what would be considered the

showy muscles which is usually the chest

and the biceps if you search through

youtube fitness videos it's pretty much

always chest and biceps related content

that gets the most views and if you just

take a look around most gyms presses and

flies and curls are typically the most

common exercises you'll see now in

reality the biceps are actually the

smallest major muscle group on your

entire body and they don't require

anything fancy in order to build them

effectively and your pecs also don't

carry nearly as much total mass as you

might think either the pecs are roughly

equal in volume to the triceps the lats

also the traps and so while building a

bigger chest and bigger biceps is

obviously important for your physique as

a whole there's just no need to treat

those areas with such high importance

relative to others or fall for all the

bs click bait content out there that

makes you think that you need a million

different exercise variations to

optimize your biceps peak or build the

inner upper 1 18th of your pec fibers

for the record your shoulders are

actually the single largest upper body

muscle group and well-developed delts

paired up with a muscular upper back

that will probably do more in terms of

making you appear strong and muscular

overall than your chest or your biceps

will mistake number nine also related to

proper exercise selection which is

intentionally creating instability

during your lifts whether that's using a

swiss ball or a bosu ball or lifting

unorthodox objects like you see in a lot

of these instagram and tick tock posts

or a certain unilateral exercises that

force you to keep the weights balanced

during the set if your goal is to

optimize muscle growth this is literally

the complete opposite of what you want

training on unstable surfaces or

performing lifts in an off-balanced

position doesn't magically cause you to

recruit more muscle fibers or shock your

body into new gains or whatever other

fancy buzzwords certain fitness coaches

try to use all it does is put you in a

weaker position and reduces the total

amount of force that you can generate

against the weight to create the highest

degree of mechanical tension possible

you want to make your lifts as stable as

possible mistake number 10 shifting to

actual exercise execution we can't

ignore the all too common tragic sight

of an ego lifting jimbo yes your focus

needs to be on progressively overloading

your exercises and adding low to the bar

is the primary way to do that at least

through the beginner to intermediate

stages but if you're trying to move at

too quick a pace and you're sacrificing

form just for numbers and flailing

around all over the place convulsing

like a possessed maniac trying to heave

around weights that you have no business

lifting that is almost certainly going

to work against you rather than for you

that sloppy technique is most likely

going to mean less tension on the

targeted muscle and at the very least

you'll be putting a lot more stress on

your joints and connective tissues and

increasing your eventual chance for

injury i broke my back

what do you mean by that your broken

back is broken what a vertebrae or a

portion

spinal true progressive overload means

that each time you increase the weight

or you add an extra rep your form looks

more or less exactly the same as it did

with the previous weight aside from

maybe some very minor deviation which

you would then work to correct before

you go ahead and increase again but the

bottom line is that if you can't use a

full range of motion in proper form

without excessive momentum or the

assistance of a spotter you need to

scale things back and be a bit more

patient now at the same time mistake

number 11 swinging the pendulum all the

way to the other extreme and that's

being excessively strict with your form

and completely obsessing over the mind

muscle connection keep in mind that the

sensation you feel in a given muscle is

not necessarily a direct indication of

how much mechanical tension that muscle

is truly under again using a simple

example if you just sat there and flexed

your chest as hard as possible with no

weight whatsoever you're gonna feel that

a lot more than you will during let's

say a heavy set of dumbbell presses so

ego lifting is not the answer but you

also don't need to be lifting like a

completely rigid robot and trying to

micromanage every tiny precise movement

and feeling some super deep intense

contraction in the muscle on every

single rep instead aim for a middle

ground approach where you're lifting

with solid technique but also allowing

yourself a bit of room to move naturally

now this is something that will come

with more training experience but once

you get the hang of it it will usually

result in even more tension being placed

on the targeted muscle rather than less

mistake number 12 is performing too much

high rep work now yes as long as you're

training close to failure then

essentially any rep range will be

effective for building muscle however

the issue with very high rep sets in

that sort of 15 to 20 plus range is that

along with training your muscles they

also create a much larger amount of

systemic fatigue which we touched on

earlier there's going to be more overall

metabolic stress muscle burn nausea

cardiovascular stress and all of those

things can add up and start becoming the

limiting factor where you're stopping

the set because of that overall total

body fatigue and discomfort rather than

because the muscle itself is actually

getting close to true muscular failure

now there is some individual variation

at play here and if you feel totally

fine with higher up sets and you prefer

that style of training for some reason

then that's fine but for most people

centering their workouts around a more

moderate rep range anywhere between

about i would say 5 to 12 reps or so

that will usually be the most efficient

and the most effective zone to

accumulate the majority of your training

volume and then just using those very

high rep sets as more of a supplemental

add-on okay mistake number 13 is not

resting long enough in between sets so

this relates to the previous point as

far as creating excessive fatigue

because when you use shorter rest times

in between sets you won't be giving your

body a chance to fully systemically

recover and that can then reduce the

quality of the upcoming set if your

heart rate and your breathing is still

up you've got lingering cardiovascular

fatigue even mental fatigue you don't

want to be jumping into an entirely new

set in that fatigued state this is not a

cardio slash conditioning workout if you

want to train for those goals separately

then that's fine but as we've already

discussed hypertrophy training is about

maximizing mechanical tension by getting

within a rep or two of true muscular

failure and anything else that

interferes with that is going to be

counterproductive so you don't need to

follow some set in stone rest time in

between sets just perform your set and

then rest as long as you need to in

order to feel fully recovered and to

where you can execute the next set with

full muscular effort and that will vary

based on the specific exercise you're

doing your energy levels on any given

day where you are in the workout uh how

close to failure you're training but on

most sets most of the time you're

probably looking at anywhere from about

2 minutes all the way up to 5 minutes in

some cases mistake number 14 is

performing pre-workout cardio so if you

want to do a short say 5-10 minute light

cardio warm-up then that's fine but

doing a full-blown cardio session

immediately pre-workout is definitely

not the best idea for all of the reasons

that we've talked about so far once

again you're just creating unnecessary

systemic fatigue that's going to reduce

your ability to train your muscles with

true maximum effort if you want to do

post-workout cardio then that's

ultimately okay if you have the energy

for it but pre-workout is definitely not

the time for cardio if building muscle

is your primary goal all right and

lastly mistake number 15 is copying the

routines of enhanced bodybuilders now

just because someone is on peds doesn't

necessarily mean they don't know how to

train natural lifters but in a lot of

cases it honestly does there's a ton of

guys out there on youtube and social

media who are on gear with top

percentile genetics who will basically

build an awesome physique no matter how

they train and who quite honestly have

no idea what the hell they're talking

about and they go ahead and they post

these ultra high volume fluff and pump

flex magazine-esque routines that are

extremely sub-optimal for the average

natural lifter don't make the mistake of

thinking that just because someone is

huge and shredded that following their

routine is gonna get you the same

results because without the drugs and

the genetics at play it's just not gonna

happen and natural lifters do have to

play by a different set of rules if you

are looking to get a solid training plan

in place to make those legit natural

gains then make sure to visit

shawnell.com custom just fill out the

short form on that page and i'll send

you back a free step-by-step program

based on your current condition and

goals along with a nutrition plan as

well i'll link it up here and in the

description box down below on the

supplementation side of things you can

visit realscienceathletics.com

to check out my research-backed

clinically dosed formulas that i

personally created from scratch to

maximize your results and you can use

code youtube15 to save 15 off your first

order here are two more videos i'd

recommend watching now don't forget to

subscribe to the channel and turn on

notifications to stay up to date on

future videos thanks for watching guys

and i will talk to you again soon