| If you're serious about making a solid commitment to a | | | | speed you up rather than slow you down. Muscles are |
| muscle-building program, you need to be very careful | | | | responsible for every movement that your body |
| of who you take advice from. Bodybuilding and fitness | | | | makes, from running to jumping to throwing. The |
| is literally a multi-billion dollar industry with new websites | | | | bottom line is that the stronger a muscle is, the more |
| popping up every single day. Many of the so-called | | | | force it can apply. Having stronger, more muscular legs |
| "experts" out there really don't have a clue of what | | | | means increased foot speed, just as having stronger |
| they're talking about and are only motivated by pushing | | | | and more muscular shoulders means the ability to |
| expensive pills, powders and "miracle programs" on | | | | throw farther. Strong muscles are able muscles, not |
| you that you don't really need. If you don't watch your | | | | the other way around. |
| step you may end up falling for some fatal | | | | Myth #3: You must always use perfect, textbook form |
| muscle-building pitfalls that will literally destroy your | | | | on all exercises. |
| gains and prevent you from ever achieving the | | | | While using good form in the gym is always important, |
| impressive, muscular physique you desire. In this article | | | | obsessing over perfect form is an entirely different |
| I'm going to expose 4 very common muscle-building | | | | matter. If you are always attempting to perform every |
| myths in order to keep you on the proper path to the | | | | exercise using flawless, textbook form, you will actually |
| mind-blowing muscle and strength gains you deserve. | | | | increase your chances of injury and simultaneously |
| Myth #1: In order to build muscle, you must achieve a | | | | decrease the total amount of muscle stimulation you |
| "pump" during your workout. The greater the pump | | | | can achieve. Remember, we are not robots! It's very |
| you achieve, the more muscle you will build. | | | | important that you always move naturally when you |
| For those of you who are just starting out, a "pump" is | | | | exercise. This could mean adding a very slight sway in |
| the feeling that you get as blood becomes trapped | | | | your back when you perform bicep curls, or using a |
| inside the muscle tissue when you train with weights. | | | | tiny bit of body momentum when executing barbell |
| The muscles will swell up and leave your body feeling | | | | rows. Loosen yourself up a bit and move the way |
| bigger, tighter, stronger and more powerful. While a | | | | your body was meant to be moved. Obsessing over |
| pump does feel fantastic, it has very little, if anything to | | | | perfect form will actually work against you rather than |
| do with properly stimulating your muscles to grow. A | | | | for you. |
| pump is simply the result of increased bloodflow to the | | | | Myth #4: If you want your muscles to grow you must |
| muscle tissue and is certainly not indicative of a | | | | "feel the burn!" |
| successful workout. A successful workout should only | | | | This is another huge misconception in the gym. The |
| be gauged by the concept of progression. If you were | | | | "burning" sensation that results from intense weight |
| able to lift more weight or perform more reps than you | | | | training is simply the result of lactic acid (a metabolic |
| did in the previous week, then you did your job. | | | | waste product) that is secreted inside the muscle |
| Myth #2: Building muscle will cause you to become | | | | tissue as you exercise. Increased levels of lactic acid |
| slower and less flexible. | | | | have nothing to do with muscle growth and may |
| This one goes back to the old days when people | | | | actually slow down your gains rather than speed them |
| described bodybuilders as being "muscle bound" and | | | | up. You can limit lactic acid production by training in a |
| "bulky". Contrary to what you may think, building a | | | | lower rep range of 5-7, rather than the traditional range |
| significant amount of lean muscle mass will actually | | | | of 10 and above. |