5 BACK Training Mistakes I Made As A Beginner

Summary

In this video, the creator shares their fitness journey of overcoming mistakes made during back training over the course of five years. They discuss the significance of consistency, the importance of adjusting training schedules to optimize frequency and quality, and avoiding common errors like overtraining and neglecting proper mental connections with muscles. With insights on exercise selection, training intensity, and energy management, the video offers valuable advice for those looking to improve their back training regimen. The creator emphasizes the importance of focusing on quality over quantity and making smarter choices to maximize muscle growth.

Takeaways

• 😀 Starting out as a beginner in the gym, it's common to struggle with building certain muscle groups, like the back, but consistency and learning from mistakes can lead to better results over time.
• 😀 Avoiding a 'bro split' workout schedule, which trains each muscle group once a week, can improve progress. Instead, train each muscle group at least twice a week for better results.
• 😀 Training each muscle group twice a week, especially with an upper-lower body split or a push-pull-leg routine, allows for more effective muscle development and better quality sets.
• 😀 Doing fewer exercises with more focus can be more effective than overloading yourself with many different movements. For back training, focus on two main movement patterns: vertical pull and horizontal pull.
• 😀 Developing a mental connection with your back muscles is crucial, as back exercises are harder to connect with compared to muscles in the front of the body like the biceps.
• 😀 Focusing on improving technique and slowing down your reps, especially during the eccentric phase, helps with muscle engagement and provides better results over time.
• 😀 Training intensity is key for muscle growth. Taking sets to failure or near-failure will stimulate muscle growth more effectively than stopping sets prematurely.
• 😀 Structure your workouts with a plan and track progress to ensure you're consistently pushing harder and improving each session. Aim to beat your previous performance each time.
• 😀 To maximize muscle growth, prioritize exercises that give the most return on energy investment. Deadlifts, while great for strength, may not be the best for pure muscle growth due to the fatigue they cause.
• 😀 In bodybuilding, it's important to balance ego and performance. Focus on training for muscle growth, not for the sake of impressing others or posting on social media.

Q & A

Why did the speaker join the gym initially?

The speaker joined the gym because they were very thin during childhood and wanted to build muscle.

What mistake did the speaker make during the first year of their training?

The speaker followed a 'bro split,' where each muscle group was trained only once a week, which led to slow progress.

What is a 'bro split' and why is it considered a mistake for beginners?

A 'bro split' is a bodybuilding training schedule where each muscle group is trained only once per week. It's considered a mistake because it limits the frequency of training, which can slow down progress.

What training split does the speaker recommend for beginners?

The speaker recommends a full-body split, training three times a week, or an upper-lower split if you can train four times a week, to ensure each muscle group is worked more frequently.

How does training frequency affect muscle growth?

Training each muscle group more frequently allows for better quality sets and avoids fatigue from performing too many sets in one session. The ideal number of sets per muscle group is 10-20 per week, split across sessions.

What did the speaker learn about the quality of exercises for back training?

The speaker learned that instead of performing many exercises for the back, focusing on just two key movement patterns – vertical pulls and horizontal pulls – with higher quality and intensity was more effective.

What was the speaker's experience with developing a mental connection to back muscles?

The speaker struggled initially with connecting mentally to their back muscles due to their location at the back of the body, making it harder to focus during exercises. They overcame this by improving their technique and slowing down the reps.

What is the importance of slowing down reps during back exercises?

Slowing down the reps and pausing during exercises helped the speaker establish a better mind-muscle connection, ensuring they used the correct muscles and improved their technique.

How did the speaker address the issue of not training with enough intensity?

The speaker realized they were not pushing themselves hard enough in their workouts. They began to track their progress and train to failure or close to failure, which significantly improved their results.

Why did the speaker stop doing conventional deadlifts, and what exercises do they recommend instead?

The speaker stopped doing conventional deadlifts because of the excessive fatigue and joint strain they caused, which negatively impacted recovery. Instead, they recommend focusing on exercises that provide better returns for muscle growth, like Romanian deadlifts and other back-focused movements.