Building muscle is a process that entails a combination of weight training, proper diet, supplementation and, just as important, proper rest periods.
The latter is perhaps the most overlooked. I often see guys in the gym lifting weights like there’s no tomorrow, day in and day out, and yet fail to achieve the kind of look that represents all the hard work they put in. On the other hand, there are guys who just flick a few weights here and there, yet are infinitely more ripped than the guy who acts like a kamikaze bomber in the gym.
Of course there are a host of other factors that come into play, such as genetics, technique, nutrition and supplementation, among others. But today, let us tackle why some fail to achieve the kind of muscularity they desire, or tend to hit the wall despite a seemingly sensible weight training regimen.
Our muscles do not grow in the gym. While lifting weights will provide the stimulus for growth, actual growth takes place hours and even days after when muscles are in recovery phase. Apart from providing the proper nutrition in the form of calories from protein, carbohydrates and fat, muscle must be given rest periods for them to recuperate from a workout in order to promote growth. This includes getting adequate sleep as this has a profound effect on muscle growth and our physical well-being in general.
Overtraining is a real danger for the overzealous gym buff who can’t wait to get ripped at the soonest possible time. For instance, intensely working out a body part every day may not give muscles ample time to recover and grow. In the same vein, too many sets and repetitions in a session may simply be counter-productive. Once a muscle has been stimulated enough to grow during a workout, doing additional sets and reps will not help. On the contrary, this may impede the body’s ability to recover and grow. Thus, it may be ill-advised to mimic the workout of a bodybuilding celebrity straight from the pages of a magazine as these were designed for super athletes on a highly specialized diet and supplement program. Arnold’s Awesome Arm Workout may thus, not have the same effect on Juan de la Cruz.
If you feel you are giving it your all in the gym, lifting weights like crazy with proper form and technique and getting the right supplementation, yet muscle growth tends to be sluggish at best, chances are you may be overtrained.
For starters, try to decrease the amount of sets you are doing. Likewise, give a body part ample time to recover. If before, you would work out your chest every other day, give it two days rest for a change. When it comes to growing muscle, less can sometimes be more especially if you are overtrained. Or if you feel your body is tired from all the high-intensity weight training, take a step back, and have a few days off. Give your muscles time to recover. Then come back stronger, more focused and energized
Eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman, arguably the greatest bodybuilder of all time, would take a three-month rest from any form of working out after the Mr. Olympia competition. This would give his sore muscles—which would receive an almost daily pounding in the gym—enough time to recover from the stress of preparing for the Olympia.
Not all of us are Mr. Olympia titleholders, and are thus, undeserving of a three-month layoff.
However, a few days rest may reap great rewards, especially for an overtrained individual.
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